Commendations PRAISE FROM OUR PASSENGERS
A car backed out of a church parking lot and came directly toward me. If it hadn’t been for (Paratransit Van Operator) Maurice Hill leaning on his horn to alert the motorist, I could have easily been a goner. I would like you to acknowledge this truly life-saving act. - Debra Beneke, Dallas I am a customer service supervisor at a call center, so I must give credit where credit is due. Your (Customer Information Representative) Rochelle Graham is nothing short of awesome! - Solidad Rivera, Dallas When I was issued the wrong pass and explained my plight to (Station Monitor) Louis Thompson, he was more than helpful in getting me the proper credentials. I am very grateful. - Joni Johnson, Irving I was very impressed with how (Northwest Bus Operator) Theodas Giggins handled the emergency when the engine exploded, and our Route 184 bus caught fire on the Tollway. He told us in a calm, yet firm voice to quickly exit the bus. We evacuated without any panic and very much appreciate his leadership in guiding everyone to safety. - Brenda Clayton, Dallas I dropped a dollar out of my wallet while on the (Paratransit) van, and another rider picked it up, and then lied about not seeing it. In an extraordinary act of kindness, the operator, Melvin Edwards, took a dollar out of his own pocket, which enabled me to pay my fare. Please thank him for me. - Keisha Fofanah, Dallas (SOCBOF Bus Operator) Darlene Rains conducted herself with considerable restraint despite the dual stress of first having to detour due to police activities, then dealing with an irate passenger she was attempting to an assist in reaching his destination. A nice job under pressure. - Larry Bible, Dallas
I want to commend Rail Operator Shawn Shelton and those in Rail Management for retrieving and returning an important package I left on the train at LBJ/Skillman Station. - Donald Dickers Even under threat of physical violence, (Northwest Bus Operator) Hector Escobar managed to retain his professionalism and keep a potential explosive encounter at the West Transfer Center from getting out of control. - Jesus Navarro, Dallas When some confusion occurred after the bus stop relocation at Farmers Branch Park & Ride, and my 185 bus left without me, (Transportation Field Supervisor I) Louis Driver was responsible for getting me home that afternoon. I really like the service I receive from DART, and employees like Louis is one of the reasons why. - Austin Litman, Carrollton A group of young people was on my Route 161 trip, making sexually explicit comments and cursing as usual, when (SOCBOF Bus Operator) A.C. Ligon suddenly stopped the bus and took command of the situation. I was so amazed, I started clapping. I was debating on whether to keep riding DART because of these wild kids, but seeing that there are those who still care, I will continue buying my monthly pass. - Michael Stevens, Dallas (Station Monitor) Ana Vazquez seems to always go out of her way to assist both the operators and customers at J.B. Jackson, Jr. Transit Center. Her service is greatly appreciated by all. - Dorriane Wesley, Dallas (East Dallas’) Duane Gaut is one phenomenal bus operator. During a single Route 463 trip, he assisted two young ladies with strollers, waited patiently for a customer approaching the stop to board, and still managed to get his customers to the station on time, maintaining a sweet and courteous personality all the while. - Brenda Clayton, Dallas
All of (Northwest Bus Operator) Alan Nations’ “regulars” on the 204 planned our mornings specifically around riding his bus and certainly miss him since the May markup. We all wish him well on his new route and knew we would eventually lose him anyway once the Green Line begins operation. - Teresa Durham, Carrollton
November 2010
Sp e ci a l C ommemor ative Iss ue
(Customer Information Representative) Alejandro Oller is truly one of the “good people.” After not having ridden a bus in Dallas in two years, I had a lot of catching up to do, and Alex was more than willing to give me all the information I needed. Ronald Banks (East Dallas) is the consummate bus operator. He has a great attitude, is always in complete control of his bus, and when a disruptive passenger shows up – which is a rarity on the 283 – he is up for that situation as well. - Rebecca Reary, Garland
the official employee newsletter of DALLAS AREA RAPID TRANSIT Sue Bauman Vice President, Marketing & Communications Robin Stringfellow Director, Communications Elena Turner Manager, Communications Thomas Santana Designer Millie Tweddell Internal Communications Coordinator Joe Swift Photographic Coordinator Honored by the National Association of Government Communicators Visit DARTnet or www.DART.org for the latest news and events.
132-004-1210 TS
You Made It
Happen! Your commitment – as an employee, a workgroup and a department – and your teamwork agencywide have combined to create something far bigger than ourselves. We’re all
connected, and together we’ve achieved something that will forever change our transit system and North Texas. When we open the Green Line December 6, we’ll mark the completion of the longest light rail project North America has seen in recent years. It will be the largest opening in our own history – surpassing even the 1996 opening of our starter system. In fact, it will be America’s largest single-day opening of electric-powered light rail in 20 years. continued
The Green Line Changes Everything! IT’S ALL CONNECTED! continued from p. 1
Challenges Along the Way
You Made it Happen!
The Green Line is part of the largest service change in our agency’s history, one that will make it easier and faster for thousands of commuters to access vital work, shopping, medical, educational, and entertainment destinations across our service area. At the same time, it will deliver vast, new economic development opportunities with the power to change the urban lifestyle. Because of your efforts, DART is growing its reputation – nationally and internationally – as a progressive public transit agency consistently completing major projects on time and on budget. I salute each of you for what you’ve achieved together. Please take time to savor this great milestone and congratulate yourself and your coworkers. Together, you made it happen! Sincerely,
While the Green Line opening is still a few weeks away, its significance to our customers, member cities and the region is already apparent:
Lake June Station
“Customers can’t wait to ride the Green Line,” says Cynthia Brooks, Customer Service senior manager. “They started calling the Customer Information Center about it in early November, and the call volume has increased every day.” “Everyone in the Southeast Corridor is welcoming us with open arms,” reports Lawrence Meshack, Community Affairs senior manager.
“Rail stations are a gateway,” notes, Rail Planning Project Manager III Kay Shelton. “They give the community access to the rest of the system and vice versa.”
Gary Thomas President/Executive Director
Upcoming Green Line projects and other transit-oriented development also are revitalizing cities and the way people want to live,” points out Jack Wierzenski, Economic Development director.
“The Green Line is the ‘gift that keeps on giving.’ It will change the quality of life in our member cities and the region forever,” sums up Facilities Engineering Project Manager III George Avalos. -2-
A significant achievement such as the Green Line involves overcoming major challenges along the way. For example, the sheer size and scope of the Green Line expansion in the Northeast Corridor – 17.6 miles of track and 12 stations – involved tremendous coordination. DART needed to work closely with numerous utility companies, TxDOT, the North Texas Tollway Authority and other agencies all along the alignment. “We also had to confer with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) near Love Field so that the height of our equipment did not interfere with low-flying planes taking off and landing,” Avalos says. The alignment also features five aerial stations that are unlike any other station in the system. Building them involved drilling deep footings George Avalos for massive columns, and each station projects out from a single cantilevered beam, almost as if it is suspended in midair. “We designed them this way for engineering reasons, but as a result, they also look very striking and beautiful,” Avalos says. Another construction challenge was building a depressed guideway – a 30-foot deep, below-grade track under both Mockingbird Lane and the DGNO freight line. Closing the busy street – a primary access into Love Field Airport – simply was not an option. “Building the depressed
guideway was like building a ship in a bottle because the work area was so hemmed in on all sides,” says Construction Engineering Manager Bill Stinson. The segment between Inwood/ Love Field and Burbank stations was another major issue. “In addition to our own construction, Bill Stinson we had to relocate a rail line for freight and improve large sections of Denton Drive,” Stinson adds. Some residents and business owners in the Love Field area were very concerned about the unavoidable disruption that large-scale construction often causes, notes Rosa Rosteet, Community Affairs representative. However, communicating more often and providing street, sidewalk and landscaping improvements helped DART address their concerns, she reports.
The Southeast Corridor has involved a unique challenge that DART has never faced before and will never face again: going through the nation’s largest urban forest. See the following related article, “Taking Quality of Life to a New Level” (page 6). Kudos Now and More to Come
Stakeholders such as the Dallas Market Center, INFOMART and nearby hotels have eagerly awaited the Market Center Station. Hospitals and related facilities also know what a boon the Southwestern Medical District/Parkland Station will be. “In fact, Parkland is building a new facility next to the station,” Rosteet points out. Other stations – like Royal Lane – may have a lower profile, but they mean a lot to people they serve. The station is a gateway to the Asian Trade District, and its art and design celebrate the area’s Asian heritage. “I cannot tell you how proud and excited the Asian community is about the station,” she says. People in Farmers Branch and Carrollton also are elated, since they’ve waited 14 years after the light rail starter system debuted to get rail service, points out Project Manager III Kay Shelton.
Bachman Station
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The Green Line Changes Everything! continued from p. 3
Both cities have high hopes and concrete plans for how the Green Line will change – in fact, transform – them. Each has set aside land and positioned itself to take advantage of transit-oriented development, as the economy improves, says Jack Wierzenski, Economic Development director. For example, Farmers Branch, which has never had a town square, now is creating one around its downtown station, which Jack Wierzenski is within walking distance of its city hall and 27-acre Historical Park. The city also has designated another 117 acres around the station and park for development, Wierzenski notes.
Hatcher Station
Thanks to the Green Line, Carrollton now also has the potential to become one of the region’s major transit hubs, Shelton reports. Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) trains will connect with DART Rail at the Trinity Mills Station in the near term and the Downtown Carrollton Station in the future. Downtown Carrollton Station also is in DART’s Cotton Belt Corridor. “Transit will transform Carrollton’s future, “Shelton says. “I think Super Saturday on December 4 will be a day to remember.” Even the pouring rain could not dampen the crowd’s enthusiasm on
Parkland/Southwest Medical District Station
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Super Saturday last September 4, when the first four stations in the Southeast Corridor debuted. Deep Ellum, Baylor University Medical Center, Fair Park and MLK, Jr. stations are very diverse and all had special reasons to celebrate when they opened: attracting new customers, serving employees and patients, and enhancing museums’ attendance and educational mission, respectively. “Southeast Dallas has seen the positive impact DART Rail has had on communities, particularly in South and West Oak Cliff, over the years,” notes Lawrence Meshack, Community Affairs senior manager. “They’ve waited for their turn, and now their time has come.” This corridor will be strengthened with three new stations – Hatcher, Lawnview and Lake June. They’ll serve South Dallas – one of the most transit-dependent areas in our service area – and Pleasant Grove – one of the most explosively growing areas in
In early October, Info Squad teams began making presentations about riding the Green Line to employers in the medical and Asian trade center districts, around Market Center and the INFOMART, social services agencies such as the Senior Connection and other employers. Marketing & Communications Info Squad. From left: Dawn Dorman (Community Affairs), Janie Pena (External Affairs AVP), Trinidad Moreno (Customer Service Center) and Jessica Lennon (Education Outreach).
Dallas, points out Rail Planning Project Manager III John Hoppie. “Bus ridership in the corridor is already strong, and the Green Line will connect riders more conveniently to destinations in the north and west,” Hoppie adds.
The fourth and most southern new station, Bucker Station, will help revitalize the business and industrial area that surrounds it, he adds. It also will connect potential students with affordable educational opportunities because Eastfield College has opened a Pleasant Grove satellite campus within
walking distance from the station. “Education has the power to change people’s lives and the life of the community as a whole,” Meshack notes. “And the Green Line changes everything.”
continued
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Taking Quality of Life to a New Level GOIN’ GREEN
the Southeast Corridor build-out,” points out David Ehrlicher, Facilities Engineering assistant vice president. Although trees in DART’s right-of way are not subject to tree mitigation ordinances, DART saved as many other trees as possible. “We also preserved small streams by building short bridges over them instead of diverting them,” noted Shirmanesh. Drainage improvements DART made at Lawnview Station and at Keeton Crossing lessen flooding caused by the city’s overtaxed drainage system. Even the fencing along the right-ofway and between the tracks has small, “critter-size” gaps at the bottom to allow animals to traverse their natural habitat and escape predators, McKay adds. The Great Trinity Forest is less than five miles from downtown Dallas and only minutes away via Pearl Station to Lawnview Station, where the Green Line enters the forest. Photo by Elena Turner
Located less than five miles from downtown Dallas, the Great Trinity Forest is the largest urban hardwood forest in America. Yet, it is a “hidden gem” that many residents know little or nothing about, points out Tim McKay, Rail Program Development SVP. But that will change when the Green Line opens. Passengers in the Southeast Corridor will be transported into the vast, dense forest between the new Lawnview and Lake June stations. “This is the most intriguing and breathtaking section of the DART system,” McKay says. Situated in the floodplain of the Trinity River, the forest was once cotton fields, which were abandoned as Dallas grew -6-
and became more urban in the 1950s. Spring floods deposited seeds from upstream trees, and over 6,000 acres became forest. The forest has a unique human history as well. “Back when we were conducting the Tim McKay Environmental Impact Study, a member of the Comanche Nation told us that, according to tribal history, a Comanche ‘Story Telling Place’ was located in the forest,” McKay says. “We actually found it just north of Lake
June station on a ridge overlooking DART’s right-of-way. DART is very respectful of the forest’s ecosystem. For example, the Green Line alignment minimizes environmental impact by following the old Southern Pacific Railroad Corridor instead of cutting a new swath through the forest, notes Project Manager III Reza Shirmanesh. “We built retaining walls close to the track so there would be minimal disturbance for trees and vegetation,” he adds. “We worked with the City of Dallas and the Dallas Parks & Recreation Department to replace trees of exceptional quality that were damaged or removed during
The design also includes “peoplefriendly” crossings. For example, a new bridge over a creek near Bruton Road incorporates a pedestrian underpass so hikers can cross safely under the guideway, Ehrlicher points out. Other DART rail stations provide access to the Great Trinity Forest as well. The 8th & Corinth Station, the last southern station to serve both the Red and Blue lines, adjoins the Moore Park Gateway, a major entry into the forest. Victory Station, on the Green Line’s Northwest Corridor, provides access to the Katy Trail’s existing trailhead by the American Airlines Center, and it may connect to the future Trinity Strand Trail on the other side of Stemmons Freeway. McKay notes that one of the major goals in DART’s mission statement is to “improve the quality of life.”
In traditional transit terms, DART achieves this by helping reduce traffic congestion and commute time and improving air quality. But we also achieve our mission by helping area residents to conveniently enjoy leisure destinations and other urban attractions. “Now we’re taking our mission to a whole new level,” McKay says. “We’re giving people access to a free park and trail system where they can picnic, hike, bike, run, skate, bird-watch or just be with nature and observe the seasons change.” “Goin’ Green” means a lot of things, McKay points out. It’s more than just the color on the maps and signs we’re using on our newest rail line. It means acting in an environmentally responsible way. “And it’s a unique natural resource where people can ride DART to wander in a beautiful forest and forget they’re in one of the
fastest-growing urban areas in the nation,” he says.
What’s so great about the Great Trinity Forest? • Located only five minutes from downtown Dallas • Includes approximately 6,000 acres – seven times bigger than New York City’s Central Park • Stretches along the Trinity River and its floodplain from Corinth Street all the way south to I-20. • Contains wetland, meadowland and prairie habitats, as well as a hardwood forest • Features approximately 30 ponds and a small man-made lake • Provides shelter to over 100 native and migratory bird species and a wide variety of small forest animals
DART worked very hard from the initial planning phase throughout construction to minimize the rail’s environmental impact on the forest and its ecosystem. -7-
All Aboard for Green Line!
Here’s how the Green Line connects regional commuters and area residents to a wide array of employment centers, medical districts, restaurants and retailers, and cultural and recreational opportunities!
STATION DESTINATIONS & ATTRACTIONS
Farmers Branch Station • Historic park with an 1840’s log cabin, original train depot and restored Victorian home • Bird sanctuary and rose gardens • Farmer’s Branch City Hall Royal Lane Station • Gateway to the Asian Trade District • More than 300 Asian wholesale and retail shops, restaurants, and small businesses • Greater Dallas Asian American Chamber of Commerce
North Carrollton/ Frankford Station • T.C. Rice Nature Park • Frankford Trade Center • Indian Creek Golf Course
Walnut Hill/Denton Station • UPS Distribution Center • Parker College of Chiropractic • Neighborhood shopping
Downtown Carrollton Station • Historic town square with antique and gift shops and restaurants • Stoneworks (old grain tower), the nation’s tallest indoor rock climbing gym • A.W. Perry Homestead Museum
Inwood/Love Field Station • Inwood Medical Clinic • Weichsel Park • Cherrywood Park
DOWNTOWN GARLAND
LBJ/SKILLMAN
LAKE HIGHLANDS
MOCKINGBIRD
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• • •
Baylor University Medical Center Station • Baylor Dallas hospital and medical research and teaching facilities • Dallas Theological Seminary • Alternate gateway to Deep Ellum
Southwestern Medical District/ Parkland Station • 387-acre medical complex • UT Southwestern Medical Center, Parkland Health and Hospital System, Children’s Medical Center Dallas, University Hospital - St. Paul and University Hospital - Zale Lipshy. • Future Parkland hospital facility built directly adjacent to the rail platform.
DOWNTOWN ROWLETT (Opening 12/2012)
DART’s first infill station Most construction/crane work done without interrupting service Adjacent to Lake Highlands Town Center, a planned, 70-acre, mixed-use development currently under construction
Market Center Station • Dallas Market Center, the world’s most complete wholesale merchandise resource • INFOMART, a major center for technology offices, data centers and other businesses • Nearby hotels for business and leisure travelers
Victory Station • American Airlines Center, home to Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars, concerts and other events • 72-acre Victory Park development, featuring promenades, a plaza and park • Restaurants and retail shopping
Buckner Station • Eastfield College – Pleasant Grove Campus satellite facility • Pleasant Grove Shopping Center • Business and industrial area
Lawnview Station • Historic Parkdale Community • Lawnview Park • Keeton Park Golf Course
Burbank
Bachman Station • Bachman Lake Recreation Center • Dallas Police Department Northwest Division • City of Dallas – Public Works Department
Blue Line’s Lake Highlands Station Also Opens December 6
FOREST/JUPITER
MLK, Jr. Station • Martin Luther King, Jr. Library and Learning Center, Community Center, Senior Center and Health Center • Social Security Administration office and Black Chamber of Commerce • Alternate gateway to Fair Park
Burbank Station • Southwest Airlines headquarters • Grauwyler Recreation Center • Grauwyler Park Branch Library
Trinity Mills Station • Korean retail district • Sandy Lake Amusement Park and Elm Fork Nature Center • Connection to the future Denton County Transportation Authority’s A-train
WHITE ROCK
Deep Ellum Station • Eclectic, urban neighborhood, accented by a series of outdoor murals • Live music venues, restaurants and retail shops • Galleries offering fine art, photography and sculpture
Fair Park Station • National historic landmark with America’s largest collection of Art Deco exposition architecture • Nine museums and six performance venues • Cotton Bowl Stadium and home to the nation’s largest state fair
Hatcher Station • Parkdale and Lawnview parks • Juanita J. Craft Recreation & Senior Center • Housing Resource Center and Business Assistance Center
Lake June Station • Rochester Park • DeVonne Anderson Park • Future trailhead to the Great Trinity Forest
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They’re All Connected to the Green Line! THE RAIL PLANNING/ PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM
Rail Programs Support
Project Control
Anita Nitsche
Keeping track of the $1.8 billion budget for the Green Line and related projects is no easy task. But thanks to Project Control, DART has been more than a good steward of the public trust; it’s been an exemplary one! Project Control staff and DART consultant Brad Mason track and control estimates compared to actual costs, the construction schedule and any change orders for the Green Line buildout, among many
other tasks. “We relay this information to project managers so they can be proactive rather than reactive in terms of resolving issues that impact costs,” says Project Control Manager Anita Nitsche. “It’s a win-win situation for everyone,” adds Mason. Bottom line: The Green Line, despite its size and scope, is trending on budget and on schedule.
DART must have the operations capacity to successfully support the Green Line, points out Chris Masters, AVP Rail Program Support. Two major initiatives help DART achieve that, he notes. We bought 48 new Super Light Rail Vehicles (SLRVs) and retrofitted the current fleet of 115 LRVs to SLRVs, to serve passengers on the Green Line and future Orange and Blue Line
Chris Masters
Quality Assurance & Construction Safety
Systems Integration
By working together closely, DART and its Green Line contractors have developed a “world-class safety program and excellence in quality,” says Debra Hebisen, Quality Assurance & Construction Safety director. It’s a bold claim, but the facts bear her out. Fully 98% of the contractors’ work met DART’s contractual standards, and the other 2% has been corrected or is being corrected. Contractors and subcontractors
have worked a total of almost 9.4 million man-hours on the Green Line with only 19 cents in worker compensation per work hour, compared to DART’s goal of 35 cents and the national average of $1.58. “We can take a lot of pride in sending our workers home safely every day and delivering a quality project to our patrons,” Hebisen says. Debra Hebisen
Construction Management
Diane Gollhofer
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expansions. We also retrofitted rail station platforms to serve the low-floor SLRVs to make it quicker and easier for people with disabilities, bikes and strollers to board and deboard. “That, in turn, reduces in-station dwell time and improves on-time performance. Everything is connected!” Masters says.
There’s an old saying, ‘The best never rest.’ Although DART’s previous construction management method, Design/Bid/Build, on the Red and Blue lines was very successful, we decided to use a new method, dubbed Construction Management/General Contractor (CM/GC), for the Green Line. Rail Program Development brought in the construction contractors to get their insights and input while the Green Line was still in the final design stage. “They helped prevent some
Evelio Hernandez
Light rail systems involve very complex electronics and other high-tech equipment. DART’s Systems Integration workgroup coordinates signal systems, traction electrification, communication and control systems, and the way they relate to the track and right-of-way, light rail vehicles and passenger amenities such as Ticket Vending Machines. “We work with each system supplier and contractor to make sure thousands of inputs and
interfaces on that system work correctly, and then we focus on making sure all the systems work together to ensure a safe and efficient operation,” points out Evelio Hernandez, AVP Systems Engineering/ Systems Integration. “We test everything, and then we test it again … and again,” he says. “All the systems need to work correctly all the time for a train to operate.”
Rail Planning issues beforehand instead of creating expensive change orders during construction, and they gave us some good cost-reduction ideas that also enhanced project quality,” says Diane Gollhofer, AVP Construction Management. “It also helped troubleshoot and problem-solve issues more quickly when they arose on site,” points out consultant Scott Ashley. In short, striving for continuous improvement and being willing to try CM/GC paid off significantly for DART.
DART has withstood fierce competition from other transit agencies for discretionary Federal New Starts funding, notes Steve Salin, VP Rail Planning, and has proven repeatedly that we can bring in rail projects on time and on budget. But there is another reason for our success. “We work years in advance through the various funding application stages – from the initial needs assessment to detailed
cost and ridership projections – to provide the required documentation and present a persuasive case for a grant award,” he says. As part of the ongoing process, Rail Planning now is compiling the first phase of a before-and-after study to compare our predictions about ridership, cost, service levels and land use with the actual outcomes after the line opens.
Steve Salin
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Establishing an Identity and Celebrating a Community
Behind the Scenes of the Largest Service Change Ever
DART STATION ART & DESIGN PROGRAM
AN ALL-OUT, TOTAL TEAM EFFORT
DART Rail stations share a common design and standardized amenities such as canopies, seating, lighting, column finishes, windscreens, fencing and landscaping. This helps DART achieve the same standard of quality in all the stations and realize some cost efficiencies, notes David Ehrlicher, Facilities Engineering AVP.
1
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3 It also helps DART establish a very visible and familiar systemwide identity to help our passengers find stations and access the system. The stations also become useful landmarks that help pedestrians and drivers 4 5 6 navigate through the surrounding area, Ehrlicher notes. “At the same time, the station amenities also are unique to each station. Residents on a neighborhood advisory committee help select a station theme that reflects the local history, character and values that shaped the area. Then the amenities – 7 8 column finishes, pavers 1. Lake June Station paver inlay. 2. Hatcher Station retaining wall. 3. Market Center Station stairwell. 4. Farmers Branch Station column. and so on – help portray 5. Inwood/Love Field Station column. 6. Walnut Hill/Denton Station column relief. 7. Lawnview Station fencing. 8. Buckner Station windscreen. that theme,” explains Facilities Engineering Project Manager III Steve Bourn. heritage, and then the area’s early and the last impression of the area, While every station has its own industrial growth and the coming and they create a permanent sense theme, three Green Line stations – of the railroad. of place.” Lawnview, Lake June and Buckner – collaboratively trace Southeast Dallas “Rail stations provide a door to The result is a series of passenger history from the Great Trinity Forest the surrounding neighborhood or facilities that are more than convenient and Comanche origins to the early community,” Bourn notes. “They transit points. They are uncommon pioneers and the area’s agricultural often create the first impression – works of public art.
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“We also keep the Board aware of and informed about staff recommendations – particularly since it must approve any service change,” notes Planning & Development VP Todd Plesko. They began briefing the Board’s
Leader of the Pack. Clarence Barber has served as the first and only chairman of the Service Change Task Force since June 1996, when the light rail starter system opened and bus and rail service began to interface with each other.
“The Green Line service change will be even bigger than the grand opening of the light rail starter system in June 1996,” says Service Planning Improvement Project Manager III Clarence Barber and the Service Change Task Force leader. Barber notes that 105 bus routes will be impacted by the Green Line opening. The service change adds 19 new routes, modifies 39 routes, changes the frequency of service on 35 routes, discontinues nine routes and re-numbers three routes. “Making a service change is like creating and assembling a giant jigsaw puzzle,” says Rob Smith, AVP Service Planning & Development. “Service Planning and Scheduling employees
develop the big picture, or what the puzzle needs to look like, based on ridership needs and available funding. Then they cut up the puzzle into pieces – routes with specific stops and time schedules.” And just as puzzle pieces must fit together, bus routes, stops and schedules must connect with other buses and the DART Rail system, he notes. “The Best Surprise Is …”
Service changes can create a lot of customer concerns. “That’s why the best surprise is no surprise, when it comes to keeping elected officials and staff in our member cities informed,” points out Michael Miles, Government Relations senior manager. “That way, they can respond when they get phone calls from their citizens.”
Todd Plesko
Planning Committee as far back as December 2009, and the Committee-ofthe-Whole up until May 10 when the board approved the service change. DART must inform customers and listen to their questions and concerns whenever there is a service change, notes Community Affairs Senior Manager Lawrence Meshack. Community Affairs and Service Planning representatives conducted a total of 21 public meetings, open houses and briefings within a 28-day period, solicited written and email comments and held a public meeting in the board room, where over 30 people signed up to speak.“We take public input very seriously, and, as a result, DART adjusted some of its proposed service changes,” he says. continued
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Behind the Scenes of the Largest Service Change Ever continued from p. 13
Five Key Factors in Planning and Scheduling Bus Routes 1. RIDERSHIP & COST-EFFECTIVENESS • Understanding where customers are and trip patterns • Service performance measures: subsidy per passenger, passengers per hour and passengers per trip 2. HEADWAYS/FREQUENCY • Amount of time between buses that serve the same route • Typically ranges from every 5 to 60 minutes • Impact on potential ridership 3. ROUTE SPEED • Downtown buses average 6-8 m.p.h. • Express routes on freeways go up to 45 m.p.h. • Fleet average of 14.5 m.p.h. 4. FINAL DESTINATIONS AND MAJOR STOPS • Make convenient bus and rail connections • Stop at major employers at key work times and shift changes 5. OPERATING COST • Number of vehicles • Amount of operator hours • Number of miles • Cycle time – amount of time to make a round trip on a route
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Coordinating Dozens of Customer Information Details
A service change involves a great deal of advance planning and coordination behind the scenes to inform our riders. For example Geographic Information Satellite (GIS) Data Collection Technician Lakeitha Moore drives each bus route, noting the GIS location of both new and deleted bus stops and measuring the distance between them.
Website Designer Elizabeth Elam who has to revise almost the entire DART.org site. In addition to posting the 105 new bus schedules and all the rail schedules, she builds a new web page for each new rail station as well as the new system and rail maps. Lopez also works with Print Production and Customer Information Manager Denise Johnson and a team of other Creative Services employees who generate all the new bus schedules and a wide array of signage. Gearing Up to Serve Our Customers
“This is a massive service change for our customers,” notes Executive Vice President of Operations Victor Burke. Planners brief bus operators and field supervisors, station monitors and other workgroups “It’s going to about the service change to help them serve customers. From left: Linicha Hunter, Angie Gamez and Janette Hill. attract a lot of first-time riders Her data generate information for and require many current bus riders the voice annunciator, or the bus – who may be unhappy at first – to automated voice system which learn new schedules, routes and stops. announces major stops and displays Everyone on the front line needs to them on the bus LED signs for riders. know the service change forward She also submits the GIS information and backward so we can serve them to Passenger Amenities mechanics with excellence.” who begin installing poles and making sign decals for all the new IT Systems Analyst Jaime Rodriquez was bus stop signs. responsible for programming the service change information on the Trapeze Schedule Information Coordinator Alma software for the Customer Information Lopez sends the information to Internet Center (CIC) by September. This allows
changes, notes Darryl Parham, Northwest Fleet Services senior manager. Elizabeth Elam will wait until Monday morning at 1:00 a.m. to remove all the existing route and schedule info on the DART.org website and then post Planning Project Manager I David Winters and AVP Maintenance Joe Coker confer on the number of buses and mechanics needed on each shift. everything related to the Green Line opening and customer service representatives to service change. “The entire website respond to riders asking in advance basically flips over,” she says. about the service change, while continuing to provide information on “We can’t confuse customers by current routes and schedules. taking down the current signage and installing the new signage until the “We anticipate that we’ll set a record for the highest volume of calls we answer on Monday, December 6, and even for the week and the month,” says Cynthia Brooks, Customer Service senior manager.
service change begins,” notes Building & Grounds Supervisor II J.R. Ramirez. That means Passenger Amenities mechanics must fan out through DART’s 700 square-mile service area to complete two important tasks under intense time pressure: taking down all the signs on discontinued routes and installing service change information at all the new routes. “It’s an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ effort. This is a very big service change, but I have a lot of faith in our mechanics. We work together as a team, and everyone pitches in and does their best,” says Guy Crosby, Building & Grounds Supervisor I. “Every time we have a service change, I wonder how we’ll pull it off,” says Ramirez. “But we do, and I know we will this time too.”
Countdown: The Last 72 Hours
Some major tasks must wait until the final hours before the service change. For example, bus mechanics will work right up to Monday morning pullout, reprogramming the automatic voice annunciator and the LED sign on every bus to reflect the service
Marketing & Communications employees work to provide our customers with service change information on DART signage and publications. From left: Thi Huynh, Taty Benavidez, Ardra English, Joe Gomez, Denise Johnson, Tim Johnson, Jere Beagley and Vanek Love. -15-
DARTING Around DEPARTMENT/DIVISION NEWS
Behind the Scenes of the Largest Service Change Ever continued from p. 15
The Times, They Are A-Changin’
A Gathering of Heroes DART POLICE
5,000,000 Bus schedules for 137 routes
100,000
System maps
100,000
Rail Schedule pocket guides
60,000
Service change brochures
Signs, Signs, Everywhere A Sign! 151
3,152
schedules at Guide-A-Ride bus stops
174
Maxi-Pylon – Customer Information Maps
273
Mini-Pylon – Rail Schedules
TVM Rail System Maps
2,100
Bus operator route guides
Seven DART police officers helped stage the statewide Special Olympics, held last May, for 2,700 children and adults with disabilities. “Special Olympians trust and respect police officers,” says Officer Melanie Cade, who organized the volunteer effort. People with disabilities are often told that police officers are their friend, to go to an officer if they need help and so on, she noted. “We’re their heroes,” Cade says. “And they have become my heroes, as well.” The other officers agree. “Every day is a struggle for these kids, and they still have a smile on their face,” notes Officer Jennifer Smith. “The courage they show is amazing.” Officers from around the state, accompanied by dozens of squad cars with flashing lights, kicked off the event with a one-mile run into the University of Texas – Arlington Stadium, while all the Special Olympians clapped and cheered them on. “What touched me most was seeing a father holding his child who was one of the athletes, and waving with tears running down his face,” says Officer Adria Worsham. The officers then acted as “cheerleaders” and “huggers” as they helped stage the track and field events and other
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Front row: Special Olympians and Officer Melanie Cade, volunteer chair. Second row: Officers Adria Worsham, Penelope Flores and Jennifer Smith. Third row: Officers Carl Davis, Fletcher Spencer and Lee Cannon.
activities. “It was a joyful thing. We put smiles on their faces and they put smiles on ours,” says Officer Fletcher Spencer who has a daughter, Joycelyn who is mentally handicapped.
That evening, the officers, in uniform and led by patrol cars, lined up on each yard line on the football field. Then the Special Olympian teams entered, carrying flags from their schools or cities. “It’s very rewarding to see them in the spotlight, and people accept them for who they are,” said Officer Carl Davis, whose son Jeremy is autistic. “It was the most inspirational and motivational event I’ve ever participated in,” Smith sums up.
DART Officer Lee Cannon and his Special Olympian partner participated in the Spring Olympics torch run. Cannon ran in memory of his brother Cecil, a Special Olympian with cerebral palsy, who passed away in 1994.
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DARTing Around continued from p. 17
Division Level Measurement
The Fab Four
The following workgroups won the quarterly Division Level Measurement Award for achieving the highest percentage of their performance targets:
Rail Service Delivery
Materials Management
Rail Operations returned to the winner’s circle, scoring a perfect 100% in eight out of its 10 target goals and fending off second-place SOCBOF, which had a winning streak that lasted over a year.
Ways, Structures and Amenities
Materials Management came out on top in the always competitive Operations Support peer group. It achieved 96.2% of its goals, beating Central Support by less than 2%.
Mobility Management Services (formerly Paratransit Services)
Fleet Maintenance
Paratransit Planning and Scheduling continued as the reigning champions in the Customer Service peer group by scoring 100% on five of its six target goals. Customer Service placed second. Rail Operations
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COMMUNITY AFFAIRS AND RAIL PLANNING
Numerous DART employees have worked on the Green Line over the last 12 years. But only four – Project Management employees Kay Shelton and John Hoppie and Community Affairs employees Lawrence Meshack and Rosa Rosteet – have consistently seen the massive project through from developing the initial needs assessment in 1998 all the way through opening revenue service on December 6, 2010.
“They have the planning skills and technical knowledge, plus they understand the public process.” “Lawrence and Rosa have been very strong champions for DART,” says Janie Peña, External Affairs AVP.
“They’ve built excellent working relationships with influential stakeholders, as well as key leaders in our member cities. They’ve also been effective at the grass-roots level, working with neighborhood residents’ and small business owners’ concerns.”
They have conducted close to a thousand public meetings and hearings, DART Board briefings, conferences with federal, state and local agencies and member-city elected officials and staff. They’ve also made presentations and met Left row: Rail Planning Project Manager III John Hoppie and Community Affairs Representative Rosa Rosteet. Right row: Community Affairs with stakeholders such Senior Manager Lawrence Meshack and Rail Planning Project Manager III Kay Shelton. as major employers, chambers of commerce, civic organizations, home and business owners and others. In addition to “John and Lawrence have been DART’s public face in the working the typical Monday-Friday business week, they held most Southeast Corridor and Kay and Rosa have been its public of these meetings at night and on face in the Northwest Corridor. They are a true team in occasional Saturdays.
every sense of the word.”
“John and Kay are super-talented and have been a tremendous asset to the Green Line,” says Steve Salin, Rail Planning vice president.
– Janie Peña, External Affairs AVP
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Getting from Here to There
Come to Super Saturday for Super-Duper Family Fun!
FISCAL YEAR 2011 BOARD GOALS
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1- 4 P.M.
“We know what we need to do and how the Board will measure our progress.”
Ben Gomez
– Ben Gomez, EVP Administration
There’s an old saying, “if you don’t know where you’re going, it’s hard to get there.” That particularly applies to goals, says Ben Gomez, EVP Administration. “It is also important for the goals to be realistic, objective and measurable,” he notes.
With that in mind, Gomez and the DART board have been working closely together since last May to draft the Board goals for FY11, and then finalized them via an official resolution.
“The goals tell us clearly what the Board’s priorities are and what they expect us to focus on in FY11,” he says. “We know what we need to do and how the Board will measure our progress.”
These six stations will host fun activities for everyone and will feature a variety of community, food and vendor booths, as well as live radio remote broadcasts:
FISCAL YEAR 2011 BOARD GOALS 1. Complete scheduled light rail expansion milestones, and actively pursue financially prudent strategies in support of all major rail expansion commitments and opportunities.
3. Expand revenue development strategies to include new grant funding, public/private initiatives, sales tax, fares, contracting, and user revenue opportunities.
• Green Line, I-1, I-2, Rowlett • I-3, D-2, SOC-3
• Paid parking demonstration • HOT lanes plan design • Cotton Belt and other future projects • Residential utilities tax
2. Implement financial plan and budget measures to achieve structural balance by FY13, including the following: • Bus service changes, • Other operations cost reductions, • Additional debt management, and • Adjustments to staffing levels and alignment, accomplished in a way that minimizes negative impact on productivity, morale and agency perception
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4. Refine and strengthen DART’s role as a regional transportation leader, including pursuit of legislative and other enabling mechanisms for greater flexibility to provide services both within and outside of the service area.
Bring your family to Super Saturday, ride the new Green Line free and check out our 20 beautiful stations! See if you can spot The Grinch, who will ride entire Green Line and make brief stops at the six stations hosting a Super Saturday the event.
5. Award CNG bus and facilities construction contracts. 6. Leverage technology for maximum benefit to customers, stakeholders and the agency business plan.
• Positive train control • Rapid Card • Security enhancements • TVM conversion
Downtown Carrollton Station – A holiday celebration that coordinates with Carrollton’s “Christmas on the Square.” ArtLoveMagic, an organization that creates live interactive experiences, will be joined by a list of local musicians performing live. Farmers Branch Station – A family fete featuring local organizations such as Brookhaven College, the Historical Park and fun activities for kids. Royal Lane Station – A celebration of Asian culture and the Asian Trade District, hosted with the help of the Greater Dallas Asian American Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Dallas Korean Chamber of Commerce. Inwood/Love Field Station – A fiesta and travel fair you won’t want to miss with tie-ins to Southwest Airlines, Love Field, community organizations and live entertainment. Lawnview Station – Family-oriented activities range from face painters, bounce houses and balloon artists to informative exhibits from community organizations. Buckner Station – A celebration of the Trinity River Audubon Center opening, that also includes tie-ins to Eastfield College – Pleasant Grove campus, Dal-Tile Corporation and other area businesses.
• Legislative agenda • Regional transit expansion and coordination
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Milestones EMPLOYMENT RECOGNITION
Anniversaries: June 1- August 31, 2010 (Based on adjusted date of hire)
Kimberly Cooper-Williams
Annette Yarbrough
Mai Nguyen
Marie Benton
Dennis Mochon
Vivian Crayton Bus Operator
10 Years
Amed Omar
Perry Branch
Ebony Neal
Ricardo Cruz
Christopher Adams
Rail Operator
Bus Mechanic
Lasonya Page
Odis Carter
Rido Park
Pedro Cuba
Mervin Anderson
Bus Operator
Assistant to the Risk Management AVP
Fernando Palmer
Cylinda Chapman
Charles Richardson
Mattie Davis
Bus Operator
Johnnie Arrington
Michael Parker Body Mechanic
Juan Chavez
Margarita Rivera
Bus Operator
Timothy Davis Bus Operator
Donya Battiest
Sonia Perez
Bus Operator
Zunayed Choudhury
Joseph Roberson
Lead HR Generalist
Rail Operations Field Supervisor I
Louis Dominguez Rail Operator
Allen (Bud) Beene
Jose Rivera
Communications Supervisor III
Kay Clark
Raul Salinas
Civil Project Manager III
Santos Mata
Felecia Edney
John Boyd
Tashia Shaw
David Cruz
Thomas Serdar
Nathaniel Terry Sr.
Sharon Curry
David Strauss
Jessie Thomas
Andrea Deamon
Angel Sutton
Alan Gorman
Transit IT Systems Senior Manager
Elvis James
40 Years Juan Ibarra
Bus Operator
30 Years Linda Brooks
HOV Operator
Mark Richey
Bus Mechanic
Larry Roberson
Bus Operator/Instructor
David Ross
Bus Dispatcher I
James Shade
Lloyd Carreathers Lead Servicer
Rail Operations Assistant Training Manager
Johnny Herrera
W.C. Sneed Jr.
Bus Operator
Darcus Johnson
Payroll Specialist
Gary Slocum
Sales Agent I
Hector Villacana
Lead Bus Mechanic
Leonard Williams
Rail Operations Field Supervisor I
25 Years Homer Butler Bus Operator
Dennis Carey
Cleaning Services Supervisor III
John Durbin
Bus Mechanic
Leo Easter
Maintenance Specialist III
Everett Erving
Transportation Station Office Supervisor I
Lawrence Green
Bus Operator/Instructor
Michael Helgerson
Paratransit Scheduling Project Manager I
Rocky Spencer Bus Operator
Willie Toliver Bus Operator
Robert Tressell
Bus Dispatcher I
Donald Walker Bus Operator
Paul Wallace
Bus Operator
Leonard White
Paratransit Dispatch Supervisor
Derek Yancey
Rail Operations Station Office/ Yard Supervisor I
James Yow
Traction Power Maintainer
20 Years Saulo Aguilar Servicer
Gwendolyn Campbell
Warehouse Supervisor II
Darren Cook
Alphonso Jenkins
LRV Structural Mechanic
Debbie Jones IT Analyst
Glenn Larson
Senior Assistant General Counsel
Iris Long
Bus Operator
Roberto Garay Bus Operator
Jeremy Carpenter
Technical Services/ Maintenance AVP
Evelana Garrett Rail Operator
Waylon Chamberlain
Salomon Salazar
Cheral Hollins Bus Operator
Romelia Colon
Fausto Ibarra Bus Operator
Edna Edmond
Kimela Johnson Bus Operator
Marvin Fordham
Jennifer Jones
Santiago Gaeta Jr.
Jose Ramirez Rail Operator
Rodney Rogers
Rail Operations Field Supervisor I
Maria Vara
Paratransit Dispatch Supervisor
Parteejallah Varmah Bus Mechanic
Rosalinda Velez
Human Resources Generalist
15 Years Luis Acevedo
Bus Operator
Bus Operator
Jesse Reeves Jr. Bus Operator
Angelita Gamez
Project Manager II
David Garcia
Bus Operator
Fare Equipment Mechanic Signal Systems Supervisor I DART Police Officer
Bus Operator
Bieno Guzman
Abraham Mendoza
Randolph Harden
Bus Operator
David Perry
Dewitt Jackson
Bus Operator
George Atkinson
Wallace Brackens
Reginald Moore
Bus Operator
Carmen Hillebrand
Richard Deleon Kingsley Emokpae
DART Police Officer
Bus Operator
Randy Banks
Body Mechanic
Jose Maldonado
Bus Mechanic
Martha Alvarez
Norma De La Garza-Navarro
Rail Operations Assistant Field Manager
Project Manager II
LRV Structural Mechanic
Traction Power Maintainer
Gene Lauve
Michael Lee
Katy Galindo
Transportation Station Office Supervisor I
Logistics Coordinator
Commuter Rail AVP
DART Police Officer
Logistics Planner
Hubert Banks
Senior Technical Support Specialist
Bus Operator
Artis Brackens
Zenith Cooper Bus Operator
Bus Operator
General Accounting Senior Manager
DART Police Sergeant
Transportation Field Supervisor I
Cleveland Jackson
Technical Project Analyst
Bus Operator
Albert Monk
Bus Operator
Bus Operator
Material Management Technician
Bus Services Supervisor I
Bus Mechanic
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Servicer
Bus Operator
Bus Operator Bus Operator Bus Operator
Reinaldo Orta Transportation Projects Business Manager
Bus Operator
Advertising & Media Supervisor Bus Mechanic
Latonya Sandles
Brenda Johnson
Bus Operator
Bus Operator
Buddie Smith
Marcus Jones
Bus Operator
Bus Operator
James Stewart
Barbara Kelley
DART Police Sergeant
DART Police Telecommunicator
Vincent Timmons
Randell Lynn
Bus Operator
Transportation Station Office Supervisor I
Station Monitor
Ana Calvillo
Juan Valdez
Bus Operator
Kenneth Brumfield Paratransit Planning & Scheduling Representative
Bus Operator
Kristi Whitemon
Bus Operator/Instructor
Melvin Mack
Leonard Manning Bus Operator
Bus Operator
Nancy Torres
Certification Representative
Beverly Turner Bus Operator
Daniel Valdez Rail Operator
Henry Valdez
HOV Operator
Tracy Vice
DART Police Officer
Rickey Webb
Bus Operator
Erick Whitehead
Traction Power Maintainer
Cedric Williams Bus Operator
Gregory Williams Bus Operator
Hector Williams Jr.
Office Services Associate
Michael Williams Rail Operator
Michael Williams
HR Project Manager Bus Mechanic Bus Operator Administrative Coordinator Central Support Mechanic Rail Operator
Casualty Claims Adjuster II Signal Maintainer Bus Operator
Business Planning Project Manager
James Edwards Bus Operator
Peter Forde
Bus Operator
Damion Forteau
Rail Central Support Mechanic
Charles Gary
Bus Operator
Fred Gassaway
Traction Power Maintainer
Aaron Bailey
Material Management Technician
Buyer
Rail Central Support Mechanic Bus Operator Project Manager I Bus Operator Bus Operator
Louis Thompson Station Monitor
Carolyn Weatherall Contracts Specialist
Robin White
Bus Operator
Rahel Zecharias
Senior General Accountant
Out of Service Donald Bellard
Stacy Hill
Frauke Prevo
Bus Operator
Chaz Johnson Bus Operator
Senior Planning Program Analyst Hired: 12/9/1988 Retired: 6/23/2010
William Kennedy
David Mojica
Bus Mechanic
Alain Labaisse
Track Maintainer
Hazel Ledford Bus Operator
Eddie Lopez
NRV Mechanic
Bus Operator
Bus Operator Hired: 1/28/1985 Retired: 7/30/2010
5 Years Richard Aust
Web Developer II
Senior Business Analyst
Charles Lemay
Fare Enforcement Officer
DART Police Telecommunicator
Joseph Grady
Inventory Control Assistant
Ola Allen
Marketing & Advertising AVP
Bus Operator
Bus Services Supervisor III Hired: 8/6/1979 Retired: 8/12/2010
In Memoriam Winfred Grant
Servicer Hired: 4/2/1986
Rail Operator
Rob Marshall
Procurement Senior Manager
Danny McMillan Bus Operator
Teddy Melton Rail Operator
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