#ENDTHESTREAKTX
February 4, 2020
GOBUS
A shared message from the Texas Department of Transportation
Julian Ekpanya will someday smile while reeling in his first fish. He will experience the joy of hitting his first Little League homerun, learn to ride a bike and eventually take a prideful walk across a graduation stage. But his father won’t be there for any of it.
Julian’s father, Endy, was a Pearland police officer responding to a call on a Sunday morning, when his patrol car was struck head-on by a wrong-way, drunk driver. He died on the way to the hospital. He was 31.
“Julian is five now, and he’s started asking me, ‘When is Daddy coming home? Where is Daddy?’,” said Lucy Lugo Ekpanya, Endy’s widow. “I tell him that Daddy is on a very important mission, he is protecting us, he is our hero and he lives in our hearts. He is in Heaven.”
November 7, 2000 was the last deathless day on roadways in Texas. That means for 19 years straight, at least one person has died every single day. Texas Transportation Commission and TxDOT officials held a press conference in Houston today, launching the annual #EndTheStreakTX campaign that asks all Texans to join the effort to end this deadly 19-year streak.
An average of 10 people die every day in crashes in the state, prompting Texas Transportation Commissioner Laura Ryan to issue a public challenge at today’s press conference. She urged the crowd to tell 10 people about #EndTheStreakTX, and then have each of those 10 tell another 10, causing a wave of commitment and a surge of support for ending the fatal trend.
“I want to challenge everyone here to tell 10 people right now about #EndtheStreakTX,” Ryan said. “Take out your phones and let them know that you need their help to #EndtheStreakTX. Text them this message or share it on social media and tag at least 10 people. Challenge them to share the message with 10 of their friends, and so on. Let’s not have a 20th anniversary next Nov.7th”
TxDOT is asking people to share personal stories of loved ones lost in car crashes on their social media pages using photo and video testimonials with the hashtag, #EndTheStreakTX. The agency also will post statistics for the public to repost on social media outlets to help share this important message.
“We all have the power to end the streak of daily deaths on Texas roadways,” Ryan said. “And while we are committed to invest in the best engineering practices to make our roads safe, we also need drivers and passengers to act more responsibly and help us end the streak of daily deaths on our roads to reach our goal of zero deaths by 2050.”
TxDOT will dedicate an additional $600 million for more safety improvements along Texas roadways over the next two years. The effort includes widening some roads and adding rumble strips that alert drivers if they are veering out of their lane or off the road. We will also add reinforced shoulders and select turn lanes, and deploy new technology that will increase safety on the entire system of roads.
In May, the Texas Transportation Commission approved a goal aiming to end all fatalities on Texas roads by 2050, with an interim goal to reduce them by half by 2035. Texans can play a major role in ending fatal crashes with a few simple driving habits: wear seatbelts, drive the speed limit, put away the phone and other distractions, and never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
“It’s heartbreaking to know that every day for the past 19 years someone has lost a spouse, child, friend or neighbor on our state’s roadways,” said TxDOT Executive Director James Bass. “Ending this daily death streak is a shared responsibility. While we are committed to continue making improvements to our highway system, we all must work toward ending preventable crashes caused by drivers including distracted driving, speeding and drunk driving. Let’s make it a priority to be safe, focused and responsible behind the wheel. Let’s end the streak.”
Since Nov. 7, 2000, fatalities resulting from vehicle crashes on Texas roadways have numbered almost 67,000. The leading causes of fatalities continue to be failure to stay in one lane, alcohol and speed. To decrease the chances of roadway crashes and fatalities, TxDOT reminds drivers to:
- Buckle seatbelts – all passengers need to be buckled
- Pay attention – put phones away and avoid distractions
- Never drink and drive or do drugs and drive –get a sober ride home
- Drive the speed limit – obey speed limits and drive slower when weather conditions wa
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The East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG) is proud to announce the grand opening of its new GoBus Maintenance Facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, November 13, at 2:00 PM. The celebration will take place at the new facility, located directly behind ETCOG’s headquarters at 3800 Stone Road in Kilgore, and the public is invited to attend. This new $3.3 million facility, funded by the Federal Transit Administration and the Texas Department of Transportation, represents a major step forward for the GoBus program. With two work bays, a dedicated wash bay, training rooms, and expanded fleet parking, the facility will serve as the home base for both GoBus administrative and maintenance teams. “This facility allows us to take a more proactive approach to vehicle maintenance and safety,” said Vince Huerta, ETCOG Transportation Director. “Having the ability to complete repairs in-house means we can get vehicles back on the road faster and continue delivering safe, reliable transportation services.” The GoBus program provides public transit service across ETCOG’s 14-county region. By investing in in-house maintenance, ETCOG will be able to improve efficiency, conduct more thorough inspections, and reduce repair turnaround times—all while keeping service reliable for East Texas riders. Community members, partners, and stakeholders are encouraged to join ETCOG staff for the ribbon-cutting and facility tour. The event not only celebrates the opening of a new building but also marks an investment in the future of regional transit and the people who rely on it every day.
The GoBus Service Expansion Pilot Programs are proving to be a major success, helping connect more people to the places they need to go. Launched earlier this year, GoBus added additional routes in several counties and the new GoNOW microtransit service in Palestine, which has already boosted ridership and expanded travel options for residents across the region. ETCOG's Transportation Director, Vince Huerta, shared that the frequency of service from rural areas into nearby cities has increased by an average of 75 percent in the participating counties. In Palestine, the GoNOW microtransit service has grown ridership by 22 percent within its first few months. “These are just a few of the measurable ways Service Expansion funds are directly benefiting our communities,” Huerta said. “Transportation isn’t just about mobility. It’s a lifeline for people to maintain independence, access medical care, secure jobs, and stay connected.” The pilot programs have made immediate impacts in Henderson, Anderson, Cherokee, Camp, Upshur, Harrison, Marion, and Van Zandt counties. Residents now have new or expanded routes into larger cities such as Tyler and Longview, more frequent connections, and local microtransit options. Community surveys and rider requests pointed to a need for more reliable connections to jobs, healthcare, and essential services. The Service Expansion Program is helping close those gaps and strengthen the entire 14-county region. Huerta also recognized the support of TxDOT staff in making the pilot projects a reality. “Our TxDOT Public Transportation Coordinator, Nancy Hoehn, has been an essential part of making these programs successful, and we are grateful for her ongoing commitment and support,” he said. GoBus will continue to monitor ridership, gather community feedback, and review performance to determine next steps. For more information about routes, schedules, and GoBus services, visit www.gobustransit.com or call 903-218-6450 .
Pictured left to right: Baylea Evans, GoBus Strategic Development Manager; David Cleveland, ETCOG Executive Director; Lindsay Vanderbilt, Communications Director; Dylan Cook, Communications Specialist; Katey Pilgram, Associate Director of Transportation The East Texas Council of Governments ' rural transit system, GoBus, is pleased to be a recipient of the South West Transit Association's (SWTA) Annual Spotlight Awards. The awards celebrate the exceptional efforts and contributions of transit agencies and organizations across the region that have significantly impacted their communities. ETCOG received the Hit The Spot: Social Media Award for rural systems for our campaign, “On the GO with GoBus!” produced to promote service availability in the rural areas surrounding Longview for residents of White Oak, Lakeport, Hallsville, and Gladewater. "We are thrilled to win a Spotlight Award for our social media campaign developed to raise awareness of public transportation options available within the Longview Urbanized Zone, but outside the city limits where city bus service is not available. These communities, though part of the urban area, were without access to reliable transit. Through TxDOT funding and a unique partnership between Longview Transit and GoBus, we were able to extend service to these underserved areas. The campaign focused on educating residents about their new access to affordable, reliable transportation options,” said ETCOG's Communications Director, Lindsay Vanderbilt. Our Associate Director of Transportation, Katey Pilgram, joined other award recipients and marketing experts to share details on their award-winning campaigns and projects at the SWTA Summer University Conference held July 27-30, 2025, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The awards – reviewed and judged by marketing and communication professionals at transit agencies and private marketing firms – are among the oldest awards recognizing marketing campaigns and projects in the public transportation industry, first awarded in 1990. SWTA's membership covers Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
