Final Four: Metro Thinks It's Ready to Handle the Load

Bring it on, says Metro.

As for the poor misbegotten folks who thought it would be easy to get a taxi in Houston and found out otherwise Saturday night, the Final Four organizers are promising plenty of cabs tonight. And Metro will be able to pick up the slack if things once again get hectic.

Metro says it is -- wait for it -- "sticking to its game plan" for tonight's action, with wristbands for riders available at several offsite locations like hotels, additional buses running alongside the rail on Main Street, and lots of maps available.

Here's the details:

METRO is sticking to its game plan - moving record crowds of NCAA fans through the nation's fourth largest city - and adding services when they are needed. A new purchase point for the very popular transit-fare wristbands will be available today at the Main Street Square station. The same wristbands, $1.25 each, are also for sale at the George R. Brown Convention Center and many downtown hotels.

METRO is encouraging anyone interested in attending events to get transportation tickets in advance. Following are several locations where METRO wristbands can be purchased:

· Fannin South Rail Station

· Main Street Square Rail Station

· Reliant Park

· Embassy Suites Hotel (Downtown)

· DoubleTree Hotel (Downtown)

· Magnolia Hotel (Downtown)

· George R. Brown Convention Center - (Aramark Center , 2nd Floor next to Starbucks)

METRO staff, including President & CEO George Greanias, and board members will again be stationed at light-rail platforms to assist passengers. METRO services are expanded to include shuttles, every five minutes, within TMC. Bus drivers have maps to help out-of-towners manage connections.

Monday, April 4 - Pre/Post-game: Two-car trains as possible to support loads.

Pre-game: Rail Shuttle Buses - TMC to Smith Lands -

Shuttle Bus Only 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. -- every five minutes

Post-game: Buses at Reliant to support rail

Last Train: Northbound - 1:40 a.m. Southbound 2:20 a.m.