The A-train Magazine July 2013

JULY 2013

A-TRAIN: Going Mobile Denton Record-Chronicle • www.dentonrc.com

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Doctors on the medical staff practice independently and are not employees or agents of the hospital. © 2013

Denton County Transportation Authority INSIDE A PUBLICATION OF THE DENTON RECORD-CHRONICLE Food Truckin’ Tuesdays Find fun for the whole family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6 Growth A-train ridership numbers climbing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8 Advance notice A-train schedule changes effective Aug. 26 . . . . . . . . . . Page 11 Traffic concerns?

A-train offers respite from I-35E construction work . . Page 12 Enforcement Fare Enforcement Program targets evaders . . . . . . . . . Page 13 Safety DCTA programs educate on rail safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Fall debut New mobile apps to bring information to fingertips . . Page 23 Education DCTA works with schools, community groups . . . . . . . Page 26

CREDITS Editor: Dawn Cobb Advertising Director: Sandra Hammond Retail Advertising Manager: Shawn Reneau Writers/photographers/designers: Tim Blackwell with Ballpark Impressions LLC, Bj Lewis, Peggy HeinkelWolfe, Kaycee Key, Jason Lee, Al Key, David Minton.

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Denton County Transportation Authority

Food Truckin’ Tuesdays held at transit center

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enton County Tr a n s p o r t a t i o n Authority is hoping that Denton County workers and residents work up an appetite to the ride the A-train.

In early July, the agency hosted the second of three Summer Food Truckin’ Tuesdays at the Downtown Denton Transit Center (DDTC) in Denton.

Area food trucks serving everything from sushi to sliders were on hand to feed the hungry while the A-train rolled in and out of the station.

The pilot program is designed to acquaint new riders with DCTA commuter rail and other transportation services while tickling the taste buds.

“Our focus is getting people to the Downtown transit center,” said DCTA Marketing & Communications Manager Kristina Brevard, who helped conceive the event. “It’s designed to be a community venue. Really, it’s getting people there so we can talk to them about DCTA services.”

While chefs on wheels whipped up a number of tasty dishes, DCTA staff was on hand to answer questions and explain how the A-train and other transit options work within the agency. DCTA hasn’t been able to measure new ridership attributed to the events but officials took note that the first Food Truckin’ Tuesday in June attracted a few hundred foodies, including some from as far away as Lewisville.

“Some Lewisville school district staff members rode the train to attend the event,” Brevard said. “That was really neat to see. And some of the individuals were there because

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they heard about it by following the food trucks on Facebook.

There were a lot of food truck fans. A couple of people called in their orders in advance and dropped by to pick them up.”

Brevard said each of the three Denton-based trucks on hand did brisk business. One ran out of food and another got close. In all, nearly 200 food items were sold.

The program, which gives preference to local trucks, was food for thought for Brevard, who saw an opportunity to market DTCA in April while a Dallas television station filmed a story on the city’s iconic culture and heritage. While filming began focusing on the Square and other downtown areas, Brevard suggested printing the city’s flavor in a different way.

She suggested that a few food

trucks set up shop at the DDTC around the lunch hour. Word spread and locals dropped by for a quick bite during a two-hour impromptu event.

“They loved the idea,” Brevard said. “It was very spur of the moment. That was our first lunch time event and it went very well. So, we decided we’d do a summer pilot program.”

The program follows the city’s largely successful food truck event hosted in October. About 3,000 were on hand for Nite Bites, which celebrated the return and expansion of the Atrain’s Friday night service.

About a half-dozen trucks parked at the festival, which also promoted Denton’s food truck culture, for the six-hour event that lasted well into the evening.

Denton City Councilman Kevin Roden has long been a

proponent of food trucks in Denton and a key organizer of Food Truckin’ Tuesdays.

“The Downtown Denton Transit Center, with its community room and outdoor performance areas, was designed to be a downtown activity center and place for community gatherings,” he said. “We had such a great response from the previous food truck events that we created this summer pilot program.”

The table is being set for the last chance to catch lunch and a ride on Aug. 6 at the DDTC. Brevard hopes it will feature at least four trucks, including some that haven’t rolled into Denton for previous events.

Trucks will serve from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

See TRUCKS on Page 7

A-train

Denton County Transportation Authority From Page 6

Trucks No timeline has been set for future events, although DCTA is already fielding requests.

Brevard said DCTA hopes to find the right recipe for more mobile feasts but doesn’t want the Food Truckin’ Tuesday promotion to go stale by having it too often. Like mom’s signature meat loaf, too much of a good thing isn’t always the best answer. “It helps give food trucks exposure, and it’s a really good partnership between DCTA, the food truck community and the City of Denton,” Brevard said. “But it’s a novelty item and we have to find that balance of what works best for the community and DCTA.” Tim Blackwell

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Denton County Transportation Authority

A-train ridership numbers continue to climb

By Tim Blackwell

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ith July’s start of the third year of A-train operations, Denton County Transportation Authority officials are hoping to stay on a roll. More Denton County riders have taken to the rails since July 2012 than projected and the upcoming construction on Interstate 35 could mean even more take the train.

A-train ridership is 38 percent higher than it was in 2012 with 95,000 more riders, according to data released in late May. Through the first eight months of fiscal year 2013, 342,499 trips were made, compared to 247,803 for the same period last year.

“It’s much greater than we anticipated,” said Jarod Varner, DCTA’s outgoing vice president of operations. “We would have never expected 38 percent growth starting our third year of ridership.”

Ridership began spiking last fall and continued after the first of the year. The A-train experienced 42 percent growth from October-December 2012 compared to FY2012. The surge continued in January when 43 percent more passengers boarded than in January 2012.

Through the spring, numbers were equally encouraging.

“It’s just the maturing of the system,” said Varner. “More and more people are finding out about [the A-train]. We’ve had significant improvement.”

DCTA also believes that recent service changes have contributed to the upticks. In August, the agency added midday rail service to close a sixhour gap in the schedule, as well as expanded Friday Night

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and Saturday service. By January, a weekday evening southbound departure was added to better serve university evening classes and later work schedules.

“Our recent changes were in direct response to customer feedback,” said Jim Cline, DCTA president. “Clearly, our customers have responded positively to these changes. As we plan for the next stages of service improvements, we are excited about what the future holds.”

In February, DCTA began laying the groundwork to accommodate more riders during upcoming I-35E construction.

The DCTA staff presented proposed updates to the five-year operating and capital plan at the annual retreat of the authority’s board of directors. In addition to addressing capital needs and maintenance of the system, the plan focuses on improving the passenger experience with improved amenities and expanded bus and rail services.

“We see the planned expansion of I-35 as an opportunity to grow ridership by providing an alternative,” Cline said. “Our next series of improvements will position us to attract and retain the new users.”

Even at the current pace, Atrain ridership is closing in on daily ridership projections made when the rail line was in its infancy.

DCTA followed the lead of the North Central Texas Council of Government’s travel demand model and set ridership at an average 2,800 per day, a number largely driven by “seasonal” ridership during the school year by service to and from area colleges. Other daily and special event ridership was also factored in.

While actual ridership is still shy of the projected 2,800 trips per day, officials are seeing signs that suggest their goal will be reached sooner than later.

Special promotions are proving successful and first-time week-

end riders are returning, Varner said.

“They try it and like it,” he said. “On the weekend it’s convenient and cost effective to ride our services.”

DCTA is currently offering a couple of promotions to help boost the numbers. Through Aug. 17, families can purchase the Family Fun Pass and six can ride for the price of one. The deal - purchase of an adult day pass for $6 local or $10 regional - is good for not only the A-train but with partnering agencies.

The cost includes two adults and four children for a ride on either the A-train, or Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Trinity Railway Express or the Fort Worth T. Also, a discounted pass that allows youth passengers to travel the DCTA locally during the summer months is available.

The 2013 Summer Youth Pass provides youth, ages 5-18, with unlimited access to the Denton See RIDERSHIP on Page 9

A-train

Denton County Transportation Authority From Page 8

Ridership and Lewisville Connect buses, Connect RSVP, UNT Shuttle and trips within Denton County on the A-train.

The Summer Youth Pass, in its sixth year, is valid during the months of June, July, and August at a cost of $30.

Programs like the Family Fun Pass and Summer Youth Pass, along with adding trains that more easily link with bus routes, are ways that DCTA is striving to improve connectivity, Varner said.

“We are doing a lot to enhance connectivity,” he said.

“We make a concerted effort to make sure that those trips with the A-train provide a last mile connection.”

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Denton County Transportation Authority

A-train schedule changes effective on Aug. 26

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iders of the Denton County Transportation Authority’s A-train and bus services can expect to see some changes to the schedule in August.

DCTA staff regularly reviews system performance and makes recommendations to the board on alterations that can improve service. Those changes are implemented twice a year in August and January. The next round of services changes will be effective Aug. 26.

DCTA staff held open houses in Lewisville, Highland Village and Denton as well as a Twitter Online Chat to gather feedback from the community regarding specific service considerations for August 2013.

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“We took feedback from operators and the public on how we can make better connections between the bus and the train,” said Jim Cline, DCTA president.

“I think they show a great deal of potential. We’re trying to be responsive and set the stage for (possible) increased service in January depending on how the budget works out.”

Service changes passengers can expect to see in August include: Denton Connect I Route 2 – Connection between Denton Regional Medical Center and MedPark Station will only operate upon passenger request. This connection is currently used on a small percentage of trips. The

modification will allow for more recovery time, which will positively impact on-time performance.

I All route schedules have been reviewed to improve connections whenever possible.

Lewisville Connect I Route 21 – The route will be extended to serve the 30-plus businesses within the Water’s Ridge Business Park, providing access for more than 1,500 employees.

I All route schedules have been reviewed to improve connections whenever possible.

A-train I The weekday schedule will be reviewed to ensure connectivity with the modified Green Line schedule.

I The current Late night Friday train 5957 (11:55 p.m. southbound ) will be shifted to 11:15 p.m. in August and will be the last train on Friday night.

I The last train Friday night (5960) and Saturday night (5359) have had very low ridership and will cease running. Those trips will be shifted to allow for earlier trip opportunities on Saturday.

I Saturday morning service will begin 2 hours earlier.

I Saturday northbound service will begin from Old Town Station at 7:40 a.m. rather than 9:40 a.m.

I A southbound departure from downtown Denton will be available at 8:15 a.m. on Saturdays.

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Denton County Transportation Authority

A-train offers respite from I-35E construction work

By Bj Lewis Staff Writer

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otorists who frequent Interstate 35E will soon see TxDOT workers break ground on the expansion of the highway.

That construction will become a familiar sight for the next few years, time motorist can use to give the Denton County Transportation Authority and its A-train a shot.

“I-35 expansion is a great opportunity for DCTA to really be a part of the regional transportation solution. It gives us a chance to provide a reliable alternative for I-35E both northbound and southbound for students, commuters or visitors,” said Jim Cline, DCTA president.

Phase 1, which is scheduled to break ground this fall, will cover the highway from

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Interstate 635 in Dallas to U.S. Highway 380 in Denton, adding two reversible managed lanes and one general-purpose lane in each direction, mostly within the existing right of way. Phase 2 would involve adding two more managed lanes in each direction and reconstructing the frontage road and all bridges that cross I35E. Phase 2 will begin once construction on the first phase is complete.

Denton County transportation consultant John Polster said work will begin in the corridor by late October. Utilities are currently begin worked on, Polster said.

The work will be done by AGL Constructors, a consortium that includes Archer Western Contractors LLC, Granite Construction Co. and Lane Construction Corp.,

“We have had several meetings with AGL and the stakeholders along the corridor and the cities to make sure everyone understands the plans for staging, construction and traffic control,” Polster said adding those meetings occur monthly.

He said at some point in August, before construction begins, TxDOT will open a public information office in Lewisville, that will be fully staffed with TxDOT staff who will be able to answer any questions people may have on the expansion project. The office will be open for the duration of the project.

As TxDOT prepares for the beginning of construction, Cline said DCTA has been doing some planning well before the start date of expansion. One of the goals of A-train was to have it operation before the expansion

project started.

“That’s a real success story,” Cline said.

The A-train will be ready for the potential flood of new riders who grow weary of navigating the construction work.

“Capacity wise, we built the system to accommodate more passenger than are currently on it,” Cline said.

“And we will certainly look at any changes we have to make in our services and planning to accommodate the influx of folks.”

Cline noted that recent work done to better synchronize bus and rail times as one of the changes he said.

“When the impact is felt, we will be ready to meet the needs of the public,” he said.

BJ LEWIS can be reached at 940-566-6875 and via Twitter at @BjlewisDRC.

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Denton County Transportation Authority

Fare Enforcement Program targets evaders

By Tim Blackwell

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n the eyes of a public transportation provider, more riders are usually better for the system.

But fare evaders, those who ride without paying for their seats, get a few stares and, in the case of the A-train, a citation.

The Denton County Transportation Authority is about four months into its Fare Enforcement Program, which is designed to cull riders who don’t purchase a ticket or pass.

So far so good.

Since March, DCTA enforcement officers have issued more than 300 warnings or citations since training bus operations staff to enforce fares and collection on the Atrain.

The majority of the citations have been warnings to emphasize to those who don’t

purchase a ticket or pass that they will be subject to a hefty fine.

The total of 285 warnings and 71 citations through May pale in comparison to total ridership of about 70,000 but are on par, says Jarod Varner, Vice President of Operations.

“We thought we’d be close to the industry standard of 1 to 2 percent, and I think that’s where we are,” he said. “We haven’t done any detailed analysis.”

While they don’t want to discourage Denton County residents from using public transportation, DCTA officials say it’s just good business and service to the community to encourage a pay-as-you-go mentality. The efforts are a culmination of about two years of planning.

During the 82nd Texas Legislative Session in 2011, DCTA’s board adopted a

legislative agenda that included a provision to allow DCTA the authority to enforce fares and fare collection.

In January 2013, DCTA began training nine members of the bus operations supervisory staff to also serve as fare enforcement officers on the A-train, beginning in March.

Each fare enforcement officer spends about 4.5 hours per week walking trains and checking riders for passes or tickets.

Warning citations were issued for the first two months.

Fare evaders who are cited have 30 days to pay DCTA a $75 fee either by mail, online at the DCTA website or in person at the Downtown Denton Transit Center.

After the 30-day period has passed, citations, which are Class C misdemeanors, are delivered to a justice of the peace for judicial disposition.

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Denton County Transportation Authority

DCTA programs educate on rail safety

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arefree summer days and vacation dreams shouldn’t collide with commuter rail. Now that school is out and thoughts turn to relaxation and fun, the Denton County Transportation Authority reminds that safety around the A-train is something that the community needs to be aware of and take seriously.

DCTA Marketing and Communications Manager Kristina Brevard says now is an opportune time for the public to practice rail safety around Atrain grade crossings, rights of way and at station platforms.

“Trespassing on railroad property is illegal and it’s a fact

that most people aren’t aware of,” Brevard says. “With summer here, we want people if they live near a train track to be mindful of the dangers of train tracks.

We want to tell them to stay off the train track.”

DCTA’s Rail Ready program and Operation Lifesaver are two valuable resources to educate Denton County communities on rail safety, Brevard says. The Rail Ready program focuses on being safe while using the Atrain and how to practice safety around the rail corridor.

The program, begun in 2010, is based on Operation Lifesaver, a national rail safety program.

The rail safety education and

“Trespassing on railroad property is illegal and it’s a fact that most people aren’t aware of.”

— Kristina Brevard., marketing and communications manager, Denton County Transportation Authority

outreach program focuses on staying off the tracks and teaching community members to “Look, Listen & Live.”

Much attention to trespassing and grade crossing safety has been generated nationally along the U.S. freight and passenger rail network in recent years. The American Public Transportation

Association (APTA) estimates that 35 million times each weekday, people use public transportation.

Nationwide, railroad safety is improving along the estimated 210,000 grade crossings.

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Denton County Transportation Authority

A day on the A-train lan a trip using the handy trip planner at DCTA.net.

Set up much like the online Google maps, this trip planner requires a point of ori-

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gin (where you’re at), an arrival point (where’d you like to go) and the departure time (when you’d like to leave to get where you are going). You can also

input the day/date to make sure all of the connections are exact.

Once you’ve filled these out, a map complete with detailed instructions - and even alterna-

tive transportation routes - will immediately open on your screen. Below and on the next page are a few destinations we tried on the DCTA Trip Planner.

WHERE: Amerlcan Airlines Center WHAT: Concert, sports event HOW LONG: 1 hour, 42 minutes (estimated) POINT OF ORIGIN: Denton DowntownTransit Center CONNECTIONS: Take A-train to the Trinity Mills Station.

Cross the platform to catch DART’s Green Line. You will then get off at Victory Station. The walk to center is about 4 minutes.

WHERE: Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas in the former Texas School Book Depository that overlooks Dealey Plaza.

WHAT: History HOW LONG: 1 hour, 45 minutes CONNECTIONS: Take A-train to the Trinity Mills Station.

Cross the platform to catch DART’s Green Line. You will then get off at the West End Station. The walk to the museum is about 4 minutes.

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Denton County Transportation Authority

WHERE: The Nasher Sculpture Center (at left) WHAT: Art, downtown Dallas ambiance HOW LONG: 1 hour, 51 minutes (estimated) POINT OF ORIGIN: Denton DowntownTransit Center CONNECTIONS: Take A-train to the Trinity Mills Station. Cross the platform to catch DART’s Green Line. You will then get off at the St. Paul Station.

The walk to center is about 6 minutes.

WHERE: Dallas Zoo (above) WHAT: Fun for the whole family HOW LONG: 2 hours, 5 minutes (estimated) POINT OF ORIGIN: Denton DowntownTransit Center CONNECTIONS: Take A-train to the Trinity Mills Station. Cross the platform to catch DART’s Green Line. You will then get off at the West End Station. Walk to Elm at Market to catch the bus towards 19 Ann Arbor. Then, a 1-minute walk to the Dallas Zoo to see the wildlife.

WHERE: White Rock Lake WHAT: Popular kayaking destination HOW LONG: 3 hours, 5 minutes (estimated) POINT OF ORIGIN: Denton DowntownTransit Center CONNECTIONS: Take A-train to the Trinity Mills Station.

Cross the platform to catch DART’s Green Line. You will then get off at Fair Park Station. Then walk to Parry at Exposition to catch the bus toward 60 S. Garland T.C. From there, White Rock Lake is a 26-minute walk.

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A-TRAIN SCHEDULE

For information on DCTA services, trip planning assistance or disability services, please call 940-243-0077 Monday through Friday 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Informaciòn sobre A-train

Effective August 26, 2013 Please note: schedule subject to change.

Check website for latest schedule information.

RideDCTA.net

Northbound to Denton Norte a Denton Monday - Friday

STATION

Friday Night

lunes - viernes

Vi er nes par l a noche

READ 5302 5304 5306 5308 5910 5912 5914 5916 5918 5920 5922 5924 5926 5928 5332 5334 5936 5938 5940 5942 5944 5946 5948 5950 5952 5954 5956 DOWN AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM

estaciones

Green Line Arrives Trinity Mills Hebron Old Town HV/LL MedPark DDTC

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5958 PM 10:24

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5:40 5:55 6:18 6:43 7:03 7:48 8:48 10:24 12:24 2:04

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3:44 4:04 4:24 4:44 4:59 5:29 5:44

6:14 6:29 7:24 8:04

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5:48 6:10 6:32 6:54 7:16 7:59 8:50 10:26 12:26 2:06

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3:46 4:06 4:28 4:50 5:12 5:34 5:56

6:18 6:40 7:26 8:10

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5:53 6:15 6:37 6:59 7:21 8:04 8:55 10:31 12:31 2:11

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3:51 4:11 4:33 4:55 5:17 5:39 6:01

6:23 6:45 7:31 8:15

10:35

4:52 5:14 5:36 5:58 6:20 6:42 7:04 7:26 8:09 9:00 10:36 12:36 2:16 3:10 3:34 3:56 4:16 4:38 5:00 5:22 5:44 6:06

6:28 6:50 7:36 8:20

10:40

4:30 4:36

4:58 5:20 5:42 6:04 6:26 6:48 7:10 7:32 8:15 9:06 10:42 12:42 2:22 3:16 3:40 4:02 4:22 4:44 5:06 5:28 5:50 6:12

6:34 6:56 7:42 8:26

10:46

4:47

5:09 5:31 5:53 6:15 6:37 6:59 7:21 7:43 8:26 9:17 10:53 12:53 2:33 3:27 3:51 4:13 4:33 4:55 5:17 5:39 6:01 6:23

6:45 7:07 7:53 8:37

10:57

4:52

5:14 5:36 5:58 6:20 6:42 7:04 7:26 7:48 8:31 9:22 10:58 12:58 2:38 3:32 3:56 4:18 4:38 5:00 5:22 5:44 6:06 6:28

6:50 7:12 7:58 8:42

11:02

Southbound to Carrollton Sur a Carrolton Monday - Friday

STATION

Friday Night

lunes - viernes

Viernes par la noche

READ 5901 5903 5905 5907 5909 5911 5913 5915 5917 5919 5921 5923 5925 5927 5931 5933 5935 5937 5939 5941 5943 5945 5947 5949 5951 DOWN AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM/PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM

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q DDTC MedPark Denton q q HV/LL q Old Town q Hebron q Trinity Mills Green Line Departs q

5:04 5:25 5:48 6:10 6:32 6:54 7:16 7:38 7:57 8:50 9:34 11:30 1:15 3:00 3:46 4:06 4:28 4:50 5:12 5:34 5:56 6:17 6:38 7:02

7:48

5353 PM 8:30

5:09 5:30 5:53 6:15 6:37 6:59 7:21 7:43 8:02 8:55 9:39 11:35 1:20 3:05 3:51 4:11 4:33 4:55 5:17 5:39 6:01 6:22 6:43 7:07

7:53

8:35

9:20

11:20

5:20 5:41 6:04 6:26 6:48 7:10 7:32 7:54 8:13 9:06 9:50 11:46 1:31 3:16 4:02 4:22 4:44 5:06 5:28 5:50 6:12 6:33 6:54 7:18

8:04

8:46

9:31

11:31

5:26 5:47 6:10 6:32 6:54 7:16 7:38 8:00 8:19 9:12 9:56 11:52 1:37 3:22 4:08 4:28 4:50 5:12 5:34 5:56 6:18 6:39 7:00 7:24

8:10

8:52

9:37

11:37

5:31 5:52 6:15 6:37 6:59 7:21 7:43 8:05 8:24 9:17 10:01 11:57 1:42 3:27 4:13 4:33 4:55 5:17 5:39 6:01 6:23 6:44 7:05 7:29

8:15

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9:42

11:42

5:36 5:57 6:20 6:42 7:04 7:26 7:48 8:10 8:29 9:22 10:06 12:02 1:47 3:32 4:18 4:38 5:00 5:22 5:44 6:06 6:28 6:49 7:10 7:34

8:20

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9:47

11:47

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9:57

11:59

Saturday

Southbound to Carrollton Sur a Carrolton Saturday

sábado

READ 5370 5972 5974 5976 5978 5980 5982 5984 5986 DOWN AM AM AM PM PM PM PM PM PM

STATION

Green Line Arrives Trinity Mills Hebron Old Town HV/LL MedPark DDTC

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9:14 11:04 1:24 3:04 5:24 7:04 9:04 11:04

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9:17 11:06 1:30 3:06 5:26 7:06 9:06 11:06

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9:22 11:11 1:35 3:11 5:31 7:11 9:11 11:11

estaciones

DDTC MedPark Denton HV/LL Old Town Hebron Trinity Mills Green Line Departs

7:46 9:33 11:22 1:46 3:22 5:42 7:22 9:22 11:22 7:57 9:44 11:33 1:57 3:33 5:53 7:33 9:33 11:33 8:02 9:49 11:38 2:02 3:38 5:58 7:38 9:38 11:38

Informaciòn sobre A-train

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City Hall

McKinney

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- Served by Connect Route 2

Routes

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Downtown Denton Transit Center (DDTC) - Served by all Denton Connect

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READ 5971 5973 5975 5977 5979 5981 5983 5985 5987 DOWN AM AM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM/AM

STATION

7:40 9:27 11:16 1:40 3:16 5:36 7:16 9:16 11:16

A-TRAIN SYSTEM MAP

N

5957 PM 11:15

5:43 5:58 6:28 6:43 7:14 7:28 7:58 8:15 8:30 9:30 10:10 12:10 1:50 3:41 4:26 4:41 5:11 5:30 5:50 6:10 6:30 6:50 7:10 7:50

Northbound to Denton Norte a Denton estaciones

5955 PM 9:15

TRANSIT FARE STRUCTURE Effective January 14, 2013

RideDCTA.net

CONNECT ONLY

UNIVERSITY PASS PROGRAM

Connect Passes can be purchased to travel on Connect local bus routes in Denton and Lewisville.

Students, faculty and staff of colleges with physical campuses within Denton County are eligible to participate in the University Pass Program. Proof of enrollment/employment is required. Visit the Downtown Denton Transit Center for more details.

Connect One-Way Connect One-Way Reduced* Ten Ride Connect Book

$1.50 $0.75 $13.00

Monthly/31-Day Connect Pass

$45.00

Monthly/31-Day Connect Pass Reduced*

$25.00

Annual Connect Pass

$450.00

LOCAL SYSTEM Local System Passes allow a passenger to travel on DCTA services; Connect, Connect RSVP, UNT Shuttle and the A-train.

Local System University Student Full Semester Pass

$125.00

Local System University Student Summer Semester Pass

$80.00

Local System University Student Annual Pass

$300.00

Local System University Faculty/Staff Full Semester Pass

$170.00

Local System University Faculty/Staff Annual Pass

$420.00

Local System 2 Hour Pass

$3.00

Local System 2 Hour Pass Reduced*

$1.25

Regional University Student Full Semester Pass

$250.00

Local System Day Pass

$6.00

Regional University Student Summer Semester Pass

$160.00

Local System Day Pass Reduced*

$2.50

Regional University Student Annual Pass

$600.00

Local System 7-Day Pass

$25.00

Regional University Faculty/Staff Full Semester Pass

$340.00

Local System Monthly Pass

$90.00

Regional University Faculty/Staff Annual Pass

$840.00

Local System Monthly Pass Reduced* Local System Annual Pass Summer Youth Pass

$40.00 $650.00 $30.00

NCTC SHUTTLE NCTC Shuttle serves the North Central Texas College - Corinth and Flower Mound Campuses with stops in Denton and Lewisville. Passengers can pay the cash fare upon boarding or show the bus operator their NCTC ID.

REGIONAL SYSTEM Regional Passes provide a passenger complete access to bus and rail service on DCTA, DART, TRE and The T (except paratransit services).

Regional 2 Hour Pass Regional Day Pass Regional Day Pass Reduced* Regional 7-Day Pass Regional Monthly/31-Day Pass Regional Monthly/31-Day Pass Reduced* Regional Annual Pass Regional Annual Pass Reduced*

$5.00 $10.00 $2.50 $50.00 $160.00

NCTC Shuttle One-Way

$3.00

NCTC Shuttle One-Way Reduced*

$1.50

DEMAND RESPONSE ACCESS Access is a curb to curb ADA paratransit service for the elderly and disabled in Denton and Lewisville/Highland Village.

Access One-Way

$3.00

Ten Ride Book

$30.00

$40.00 $1600.00 $480.00

DCTA fares and passes may be purchased online, at ticket vending machines located at all A-train station platforms, or at one of the ticket outlets listed below.

• Downtown Denton Transit Center, 604 E. Hickory St., Denton, TX 76210 • TWU Student Union, 304 Administration Dr., Ste. 209, Denton, TX 76204 • Lewisville City Hall, 151 W. Church St., Lewisville, TX 75057 • Highland Village City Hall, 1000 Highland Village Rd., Highland Village, TX 75077

* Reduced Fair = Seniors (65+), disabled, Medicare cardholders and students (Ages 5-18, students over the age of 14 require a valid high school or DCTA issued ID).

STAY INFORMED Sign up for customized DCTA Rider Alerts at RideDCTA.net and receive new information regarding the A-train and other DCTA services.

And don’t forget to follow DCTA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and FourSquare.

Ticket vending machines and some ticket outlets do not sell all fare types.

20

A-train

Denton County Transportation Authority

Dream comes true as city dedicates pedestrian bridge

By Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe Staff Writer

R

esidents and dignitaries made beelines for seats in the shade recently as Denton dedicated a pedestrian bridge for Martin Luther King Jr. About 75 people attended the formal ceremony dedicating the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Pedestrian Bridge to the slain civil rights leader, which included remarks and a ribbon-cutting at the foot of the 793-foot-long span.

The unveiling of the plaque that commemorates Martin Luther King Jr. revealed a second marker for former Denton City Council member Charlye Heggins, who advocated for the naming.

Heggins died May 29. Her son, James Fonteno, was included at the podium with officials from the city and Denton

A-train

County Transportation Authority.

Fonteno told the crowd that he knew his mother had wanted to be at the dedication, and he had told her not to worry, she would be represented well. He said he understood his mother’s likely motives for naming the bridge for King.

“When someone comes across the name on this bridge, they will know there was a great story behind it,” Fonteno said.

His mother often told stories to him and his brothers to help them see more clearly or understand things better, he said.

“She was trying to introduce the value of stories to us,” Fonteno said. “Sometimes you can’t say what you need to say.”

Denton Mayor Pro Tem Pete Kamp and DCTA board chairman Charles Emery both told the crowd building the bridge, and naming it for King, took a

long time.

In 2008, the bridge was one of many projects funded from the North Texas Tollway Authority’s $3.3 billion payment to build and operate State Highway 121 as a toll road.

About $1.1 million was allocated to the bridge to help pedestrians and cyclists safely cross the six lanes of Loop 288 near Colorado Boulevard.

Denton had applied for and received the toll road grant, pledging about $291,000 in matching funds.

When construction costs came in higher than expected, the city staff cobbled together money from several other sources, including leftover funds from parks capital improvement projects, parks gas well revenue, interest earned on capital improvement bonds and other funds.

The city also used $30,000 it

received from the Denton Crossing development project.

A bridge was torn down when Loop 288 was widened and the shopping center was built. In May 2012, the Denton City Council awarded a $1.7 million contract to Massana Construction to build the bridge, and adopted the resolution naming it.

The mid-June event was ceremonial. The bridge was opened to bike and pedestrian traffic on May 29.

The bridge is one of the last elements needed to complete an 18-mile trail that follows the DCTA’s A-train rail line from Denton to Carrollton, all of which was first conceived in 2001, Emery said.

PEGGY HEINKEL-WOLFE can be reached at 940-5666881 and via Twitter at @phwolfeDRC.

21

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Denton County Transportation Authority

Fall debut: Mobile apps to offer information at fingertips

By Bj Lewis Staff Writer

A

ccess to real-time travel information is inching closer and closer to reality for Denton County Transportation Authority passengers.

Work has been ongoing over the past few months with Strategic Mapping to get ready for the fall debut of the “Where’s My Ride?” app. The service will predict the arrival of the next bus or train at a passenger’s stop through a mobile application, text message, automated phone message or through the DCTA website.

“We’re still in the design phase. The app design company just finished the vehicle surveys to identify the best design for the hardware,” said Kristina Brevard, marketing and com-

A-train

munications manager.

The company will then work on both the hardware and software and make sure they can work together to provide passengers with the necessary information.

“Where’s My Ride?” will use location data provided by a global positioning device mounted inside each DCTA Connect bus and A-train rail car. That information will be integrated with the route, run and destination sign code and will be transmitted wirelessly to a server.

The server will combine that information with schedules and map files to predict arrival information.

Passengers can subscribe to specific routes through the system so that alerts can be automatically sent based on individ-

ual preferences.

Passengers will be able to access the information using a mobile app and a portal on DCTA.net. Also passengers can access the information through SMS text messaging or automated voice recognition. With texting, they can text a certain phone number and include the stop ID number, which all stops will have, and they will get info through text. For the automated voice recognition passengers can call a phone number and speak their stop ID number and they would get information for the next bus at that particular stop.

The project cost for the app is about $940,000. Much of the funding for the project is coming from federal funds, including the American Reinvestment Recovery Act and a local match

from sales tax revenue.

In addition to the “Where’s My Ride?” system, Brevard said DCTA is partnering with DART and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority on the Go Pass, a regional mobile ticketing application being developed by DART. The Go Pass app will allow passengers to purchase transit passes by smart phone for any of the three transit agencies. The app is expected to be available in the fall.

“That way they can just use one mobile app that will have both mobile ticket and real time information,” Brevard said. “It’s just one more travel tool for our passengers to improve the transportation experience.”

BJ LEWIS can be reached at 940-566-6875 and via Twitter at @BjlewisDRC.

23

Denton County Transportation Authority From Page 14

Lifesaver The grade crossing collision rate has fallen nearly every year since 1978 with the 2012 grade crossing collision rates down 7.9 percent from 2011. From 19802012, the number of grade crossing collisions on U.S. passenger and freight railroads fell 82 percent; injuries associated with collisions fell 77 percent; and fatalities fell 72 percent.

The improvements, however, are overshadowed by an increase in deaths last year from trespassing, even though the Association of American Railroads proclaimed 2012 as the safest year ever on the nation’s freight railroads.

DCTA has had a handful of grade crossing incidents since

starting A-train service two years ago, but none that injured passengers, says Jarod Varner, DCTA’s vice president of operations.Closer to home, Brevard and other DCTA officials give a number of Rail Ready presentations at area schools and community centers. The message extends to all age groups.

“For adults, the heavy focus is motorist safety at grade crossings, as well as trespassing.

When it comes to children we focus on instances of trespassing.”

Presentations are customized to fit the individual needs of school groups, driver education classes, community audiences, professional drivers, law enforcement officers and emergency responders. Presentations range from 15 minutes to 30

minutes and can include a video specific to the special interest of the particular group.

While the public can benefit from any of DCTA’s Rail Ready programs, Operation Lifesaver offers six things to know about light rail and commuter train safety: 1. STAY ALERT. Trains can come from either direction at any time and can be very quiet. Around train tracks or in stations, obey all warning signs and signals and use caution when using headsets or cell phones.

2. WATCH THE OVERHANG. Trains are wider than the tracks; never sit on the edge of a station platform.

3. STAND AWAY FROM THE PLATFORM EDGE.

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Pay attention to painted or raised markings at the platform edge, and stay at least three feet from the train while it is coming in or out of the station.

4. WHEN ON BOARD, HOLD ON. Hold on tight to poles or seats, and listen carefully to directions from the train operator or conductor.

5. WATCH YOUR STEP. Be careful getting on and off the train - there may be a gap between the train and platform or steps.

6. DON’T TAKE SHORTCUTS WITH YOUR LIFE! Follow directional signs and markings that let you know where it is safe to cross the tracks. Crossing the tracks anywhere else is illegal.

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Denton County Transportation Authority

DCTA works with area schools, community groups

D

enton County Tr a n s p o r t a t i o n Authority services provide convenience for students, commuters and those just seeking an alternative to the often congested North Texas highways. Recently, community groups and educators have begun to use DCTA services to plan special trips for leisure and education.

“We have been using DCTA since the start of our program, Focus on the Future, a post secondary program for young adults in the Lewisville school district,” said Marcia Gackle, who works in post-secondary transition for LISD. “We really started accessing the bus about four years ago, doing the train-

ing with the students and getting them to access public transportation so they could, once they are finished with LISD, access their community through shopping, meeting friends and employment.”

Gackle said Project Search, a new program focusing on teaching students job skills, is ready to launch and DCTA services will play a role in that program.

“The young adults will take public transportation to an internship that will begin in August and continue through the school year at the Medical Center of Lewisville,” Gackle said.

Anywhere from 10 to 12 interns will be part of this pro-

gram. Each intern will go through three separate intern sites. One might be in the cafeteria, one might be in the records department and one might be assisting in stocking patient rooms. They will rotate on a schedule to be established.

Gackle said this will help give them vocational skills for career employment.

“What this program really promotes is not necessarily a job, but something that promotes a lifelong career.”

Gackle said the students could potentially access many of DCTA’s services. Some will be using Access’ door-to-door pick up services from home or another job they may have. Some live in Carrollton and The Colony

and will make use of the bus and the train services to reach the hospital.

“DCTA has been great to work with for us. They have come and done talks, showing information and they have done a lot of work to help our young adults to be able to ride the trains and buses,” Gackle said.

She has taken students to Denton and down to Carrollton to teach them they can get around in their community and beyond.

Gackle isn’t the only educator to use DCTA’s services. Kristina Brevard, marketing and communications manager for DCTA

See EDUCATION on Page 28

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A-train

Denton County Transportation Authority

NCTCOG: Tips on improving air quality

I

f you could do something to help control the weather, would you do it? A lot of people check the weather every day so they can plan their days. What they’ll wear, what they’ll do in their free time, how much time they want to spend outside. The weather, whether we realize it or not, dictates many of our decisions every day.

Air quality is a lot like the weather.

However, many people don’t pay much attention to air quality conditions and forecasts. You can’t see it and you can’t feel it like you can feel heat, cold, wind, snow or rain, but air quality conditions affect us in a very real way because we breathe it. When it’s good and clean, it’s good for us. But when it’s not, our health can be negatively affected.

Poor air quality, specifically ozone, is dangerous for people who have asthma or respiratory problems as they may experience increased frequency of asthma attacks and

“What will the air quality be like today?”

healthcare needs. Young children may also be at risk for developmental problems associated with ozone exposure.

People without respiratory problems or asthma can also experience health effects from ozone exposure such as coughing, throat irritation, chest tightening, shortness of breath and pain, burning or discomfort when taking a deep breath.

We can’t control the weather, but we can do things to help manage our air quality.

Depending on our actions, we can make it better or worse.

Driving our personal vehicles has a huge

impact on the quality of our air. On-road vehicles such as cars, trucks and buses account for nearly half of our air quality problem. So, the less our vehicles are running, the better.

You can drive your vehicle less by using other forms of transportation such as mass transit, biking, walking, carpooling or vanpooling. TryParkingIt.com offers a rideshare matching resource for those interested in carpooling or vanpooling. Try Parking It also allows you to log your alternative commute and keep track of the pollution you’re preventing in addition to the money and miles you’re saving.

When you must drive, you can minimize the impact your vehicle has by maintaining a consistent driving speed, avoiding quick

See NCTCOG on Page 28

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27

Denton County Transportation Authority From Page 27

From Page 26 that way they have a reduced fair cost while traveling with DCTA.�

Brevard said when they have their regular meetings with school officials, they mention how great DCTA can be for the schools.

Officials are beginning to pick up on that, she said. “I believe now it’s become word of mouth in the schools that DCTA provides a viable option instead of them renting a school bus to go to Denton or Dallas,� she said. “We’re part of the regional transportation net work. We are here and they can call us and we can help them incorporate it into their field trip plans,�

Brevard said.

Education said different school groups from Lewisville and Denton school districts as well as some senior groups are looking at the bus and rail. “Senior groups out of Denton have used it to do some social field trips, going to Babe’s in Carrollton for lunch. We have had some school groups from Denton use the A-train for trips to the Perot Museum in Dallas.�

Brevard said the agency has been contacted by some summer camps interested in incorporating transit into their field trips. “We like to work with these special groups and help them plan their trip and even provide them with the bulk fair pricing,

By Bj Lewis Staff Writer

NCTCOG accelerations and hard braking, reducing idling, combining trips, keeping your tire pressure at the correct level and ensuring your vehicle maintenance is up to date.

Other ways to minimize driving include working from home, taking your lunch to work, carpooling to lunch and holding conference calls instead of on-site meetings.

These are just a few examples of the things you can do to influence our air quality. Even things like conserving water and conserving electricity impact our air, so little things like turning off lights, unplugging electronics, switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs

and pursuing energy efficient home improvement projects make a big difference.

Air North Texas, the region’s clean air campaign and comprehensive air quality resource, offers even more ideas about ways North Texans can help improve air quality. Visit www.airnorthtexas.org to learn more about air quality and what you can do to help all of North Texas breathe clean.

Air North Texas also offers information on current air quality conditions and allows you to sign up for Air Pollution Action Day Alerts so you’ll always know when to take extra measures to protect your health and improve the air. What can you start doing today to help improve the air quality in North Texas?

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Denton County Transportation Authority

Upcoming events for the region Denton AUGUST: North Texas Fair and Rodeo Aug. 16-24 Location: North Texas Fairgrounds Our 85th annual world championship rodeo will have music, carnival rides and games, fiddling contest, petting zoos and barbecue cook-offs.

SEPTEMBER: Arts, Antiques & Autos Extravaganza Sept. 14 Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Location: Downtown Square Hot rods, classic and custom cars lining the square, antique appraisals and dealers, juried

art show and strolling entertainment.

Blues Fest Sept. 21-22 Time: 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. each day Location: Quaker Town Park NOVEMBER: Beaujolais & More Wine and Food Tasting Nov. 21 Time: 5:30 p.m.

Location: Denton Civic Center Enjoy Beaujolais Nouveau shipped directly from France and sample cuisine from various local restaurants.

One O’Clock Lab Band Fall Concert Nov. 26 See EVENTS on Page 30

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Denton County Transportation Authority From Page 29

Events Time: 8 p.m.

Location: University of North Texas, Winspear Hall, UNT Murchison Performing Arts Center Join them for our 53rd annual One O’Clock Lab Band’s Fall concert and enjoy some great tunes.

DECEMBER: Holiday Lighting Festival of Denton Dec. 6 Time: 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Location: Downtown Square The festivities at our 25th annual Holiday Lighting Festival will start at 5:45 p.m. on the Courthouse Square. Events include: Lighting of Christmas

Tree on Historic Courthouse Lawn, visits with Santa, a children’s arts and crafts area, Wassail Fest and live music by local musicians.

Reindeer Romp December 2013 (date to be determined) Time: 7-8:30 p.m. (check-in starts at 6:30 p.m.)

Location: South Lakes Park Run the 4.2-mile run or walk the 2.5-mile family walk, through Denton neighborhoods decorated for the holidays.

Lewisville Western Days Festival Sept. 27-28 Location: Old Town Lewisville The Western Days Festival is designed to showcase Lewisville’s rich history, and See EVENTS on Page 31

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A-train

Denton County Transportation Authority

From Page 30

Events includes live music, arts and crafts vendors, gunfight reenactments, trick ropers, car show, KidZone, Tailwaggers Ranch pet zone, Stickhorse Rodeo for kids, and the annual World Tamale Eating Championship.

Holiday at the Hall Dec. 7 Location: Old Town Lewisville Kick off the holiday season at Lewisville’s award winning Holiday at the Hall festival with an assortment of free family events and activities.

Festival activities include: visits with Santa Claus, Motorcycle Toy Run, three stages of enter-

tainment, Breakfast with Santa and the Old Town Holiday Stroll.

Carrollton Festival at the Switchyard Nov. 2 Location: Downtown Carrolton This free festival features delicious food from many different vendors, unique shopping in Historic Downtown Carrollton, games and rides (such as bungee trampolines, zip line, bounce houses, zero gravity inflatable, photo booth, swinging pirate ship, model train exhibit, rock climbing, and more), arts and crafts, great vendors and a free concerts throughout the day, ending well known headliners.

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