February 28, 2024 - TRA Newswire 

The FC Austin season opener tested the new McKalla rail station in North Austin, as an unexpected surge of passengers tried to use the rail line this past weekend.

CapMetro was caught unaware, a victim of its own success. 

CapMetro did not expect the number of passengers at the McKalla Station that showed up and it resulted in delays for many soccer fans. 

The transit agency only ran four trains on game day, but there are plans to expand to six or seven. There were also mechanical issues, delays and poor communications between CapMetro and riders.

The snafu came as the agency launched the $60 million station, located outside the North Austin stadium.

The Austin American-Statesman reported that a record 4,500 people took the train after the game, nearly double the reported ridership after last year's opened, according to Dottie Watkins, CapMetro's CEO.  In a series of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, the day after the game, Watkins apologized for the delays and said the transit agency was "committed to getting this right and we will do better."

Watkins, in a blog published on Monday, said "To our first-time customers, I know first impressions are incredibly important, but I ask that you give us another shot to prove to you that you can in fact rely on us." 

Photo credit: CapMetro