Heart of Texas Rural Transit District (HOTRTD)

HOTCOG rural transit district logo

The Heart of Texas Rural Transportation District (HOTRTD) provides demand response public ground transportation to the public of any age, including but not limited to transportation for seniors 65 and older, or individuals with disabilities of any age. 

Reservations – to schedule or change a HOTRTD reservation.

To schedule or change a HOTRTD trip reservation originating from within the service area the caller should call the following telephone number:

  • Originating from Bosque, Falls, or Hill counties – call 254-292-1873
  • Originating from Freestone or Limestone counties – call 254-729-2625

Click to Book a Ride

 

HOTRTD is 1 of 40 Rural Transit Districts designated statewide by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).  HOTRTD is managed by Ronald E. “Rep” Pledger.

Transportation service is classified as “origin-to-destination” meaning the vehicle stops at the passenger’s address instead of the passenger being required to go to a pick-up location or hub of service. 

Rural transportation is provided Monday through Friday (schedule varies) in the rural areas of the HOTRTD service area consisting of Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Hill, and Limestone counties.

Rural transportation is provided using a vehicle from the pool of twenty-three (23) HOTCOG owned vehicles ranging in seating capacities between three (3) and twelve (12) passengers.  The driver of each vehicle is a contract employee of the HOTRTD and has a valid Commercial Driver’s License certification.

Rural transportation services are provided within or between five counties - Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Hill, and Limestone counties.  McLennan County is not in the HOTRTD service area and is not served by the HOTRTD.  Trips to, from, or within McLennan County are served exclusively by the McLennan County Transit District which can be reached at 254-750-1620 to make reservations.

HOTCOG Coordinated Rural Transportation Plan

Fee structure

The fee structure to ride HOTRTD buses applies per person for each way of the trip originating from any one of the following counties in our service area (Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Hill, and Limestone counties) and terminating within any county in the service area.  HOTRTD trips do not originate or terminate outside of the service area.

Fees per person are as follows:

The below fee schedule will be starting again on September 1, 2022.

  • $1.00 one-way trip exclusively within one of the counties of the service area.
  • $2.00 one-way trip from one county to another county within the service area.
  • Prepaid trips are not allowed.
  • Please provide correct change only. 

Fee Notice

Authority and Staffing

HOTRTD is 1 of 40 Rural Transit Districts designated statewide by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).  

Staff includes:

Ronald E. “Rep” Pledger - Manager

Frances Ramirez – Transportation Specialist

Misty Hendon – Transportation Admin

2017 Regionally Coordinated Transportation Plan (RTCP)

The Heart of Texas Council of Governments’ region is committed to pursuing planning and

operational funding to increase the availability of public transit by implementing performance

measures to evaluate effectiveness of service delivery. The development and updating of the Regionally Coordinated Transportation Plan is a cooperative process between numerous public transportation stakeholders within the Heart of Texas Region.

2017 Heart of Texas RTCP Public Comment Document

Regional Transportation Coordinating Council (RTCC)

The Regional Transportation Coordination Council of the Heart of Texas Council of Governments was created under Section 1.2.2 – SAFETEA-LU: Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act and by Chapter 461 – Statewide Coordination of Public Transportation from the Texas Legislature.

The RTCC is organized as an advisory council for the Heart of Texas Rural Transit District (HOTCOG/RTD). The Council serves exclusively in an advisory council role and has no policy making or legislative powers with all authority vesting in the Executive Committees of each governing board member.

The responsibilities and functions of the RTCC include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Serve as focal point for leadership on transportation issues in the region.
  • Facilitate the collaboration of regional transportation coordination activities.
  • Recommend priorities for regional transportation coordination in the Heart of Texas region.
  • Develop, review, and implement the Heart of Texas Regional Coordination Plan as required by HB 3588, enacted by the 78th Legislature in 2003; Chapter 461, Article 13 of the Texas Transportation Code entitled “Statewide Coordination of Public Transportation”; Executive Order 13330 signed on February 24, 2009 by President Bush; and SAFETEA-LU signed into law by the President on August 10, 2005; and adopt any subsequent changes as the legislature deems appropriate.
  • Develop, review, and make recommendations as appropriate to the Executive Committees and Policy Boards on the priorities for the purchase of equipment, training, communications, and other issues related to regional transportation coordination.
  • Provide support for regional rural transit projects and proposals, when consistent with the goals, objectives and projects outlined in the Regional Coordination Plan.
  • Promote public awareness of rural transportation service issues, as well as program plans and objectives, through frequent publicity, presentations to civic organizations and other interested groups.
  • Identify and establish relationships with groups, agencies and individuals that provide transportation services.
  • Provide oversight and input into standing committee and ad hoc committee agendas and scheduling.

 

 

Title VI

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance. HOTRTD is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in or denied the benefits of its transit services on the basis of race, color, or national origin.

American disability Acts Policy

HOTRTD follows the American Disability Act. The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. The purpose of the law is to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. The ADA gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion.