How woud you like to save time, save money, and beat the traffic? That's the idea behind Metro's "Q star" program. Metro riders can show their pre-paid rail card to get discounts at local businesses along the rail line. Q cards are free and allow bus and rail riders to pre-load the card in order to pay for travel fares when they use Metro services.
Ric Ancira, General Manager of Julia's Bistro on Main, explains the simple reward his restaurant offers customers for showing their Q card: "ride the rail, show us your pass and you get dessert." He says their location on the rail line has helped encourage a healthy lunch crowd, and now their partnership with Metro has encouraged a bigger boost.
"For people who've not ridden the rail, this is an incentive to try it," Metro president George Greanias told 11 News. He belives the Q Star program helps beat the traffic and boost business. "We benefit from it because our riders get a better experience, the businesses benefit because they get more business and more satisfied customers, everybody wins."
36 local businesses offer a discounts or freebies and all you have to do is show your Q card. The idea is to get folks out of their cars, onto the train, and into some of Houston's unique shops and restaurants near the rail line. With more people encouraged to ride the train, transportation officials are hoping to ease roadway traffic around the rail line.
Customers enjoy the convenience and the savings the Q Star program offers. "I'll come in here and eat and I'll just get back on the rail and go wherever I am going," Rail rider Mark LeBlanc told us. For those who beat the traffic with a Q card, the reward is very sweet.
To find out more information the the q-cards, including businesses that offer you a discount, just click on the link below:
