Month: January 2020

TEXRail marks one-year anniversary of service

Time flies when you’re riding in style to the airport.

On Jan. 10, 2020, Trinity Metro TEXRail celebrated one year in operation, and has provided nearly 600,000 rides since Jan. 10, 2019.

At the end of 2019, TEXRail ridership reached 545,345 for the year. December was a record-setting month, with 51,217 passengers and the trains were on schedule 99.15 percent of the time. The previous record for paid ridership was 44,741, which occurred in November.

Jon-Erik “AJ” Arjanen, vice president and chief operating officer for rail, said TEXRail’s reliability is key to increasing ridership.

“Riders want to know that the train is going to pick them up on time and take them safely to their destination as scheduled,” Arjanen said. “If you’re traveling to the airport to catch a flight, you don’t want to worry about when you’ll arrive.”

Ridership patterns emerged during the first year, with DFW Airport Terminal B Station consistently ranking first in ridership on weekdays and Sundays. On Saturdays, Grapevine/Main Street had the highest ridership.

First year fun facts

To put the one-year anniversary in perspective, check out these numbers for Jan. 10, 2019 to Jan. 10, 2020, and other fun facts.

• 528,036 miles traveled
• 560,171 rides
• 1,792 seats (224 per train)
• 832 train washes
• 688 windows (86 per train)
• 41 railroad crossings
• 27 miles each way
• 23 bridges
• 9 stations
• 8 trains

 

Employees enjoying convenient on-site health care

The Trinity Metro Medical Clinic is off to a great start – serving the needs of patients in nearly 900 visits from its opening on Sept. 11 through the end of the year. Here are a few of the stats to show how our on-site clinic is helping to meet the medical needs of our employees and their dependents.

• Number of visits to the clinic: 856
• Number of wellness visits: 650
• Number of patients: 379
• Number of biometric screenings: 301
• Number of flu shots administered: 192
• Number of Vitamin B12 shots: 166

What patients are saying

• “It was so easy to come and get our DOT and re-cert exams now. I did not like driving all the way to Concentra.”
• “This is so exciting that my wife and children can come to the clinic now.”

Success story from LaVonda McLennan, health center manager

A man came to the clinic for his biometric screening. His cholesterol was elevated, glucose was a little elevated, weight indicated obesity and blood pressure was extremely high. He had not had a physical in many years, and he was not taking any medications for his blood pressure or cholesterol. I encouraged him to return for a visit, but he was initially reluctant because he feared his health information would be shared with his employer. I informed him of HIPAA Laws, which protects patient privacy, and scheduled him for a physical. 

At the exam, we conducted lab work and got him started on blood pressure and cholesterol medicine. We executed a lifestyle modification plan for weight loss to decrease his blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol.  I also encouraged him to utilize the Trinity Metro Wellness Center.  When he returned for his follow up visit 10 weeks later, his blood pressure was normal and he had lost 8 pounds. He continuously expressed gratitude, stated his mood was better, felt better about himself and was very excited about the progress he had made in such a short period of time. All it took was a little encouragement, and he is motivated to continue on his healthy journey.  I look forward to his next follow-up visit to see the progress he has made

DASH-ing to the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo

Now that the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo (FWSSR) is in full swing, area residents and tourists alike are finding that The Dash is the easiest way to make their move to western fun.

During the FWSSR opening weekend (Saturday-Monday), The Dash provided 805 rides. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, ridership was 399 – the highest daily ridership in 2020. On FWSSR’s opening day, ridership was 309. So far this month, The Dash has provided nearly 5,000 rides

If you haven’t ridden The Dash yet, you should try it during the 23 days of the FWSSR. You’ll find plenty of stops along the way = 7th Street corridor, Crockett Row’s dining and entertainment options, the Cultural District and Dickies Arena, the new home of the rodeo.

Plus, you’ll enjoy late-night service on Friday and Saturday nights. The Dash operates 9:22 a.m.-10:44 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, and 9:22 a.m.-12:44 a.m. Friday-Saturday

 

Coming soon: New safety programs

Joe Acosta, who was recently hired as chief safety officer, will be leading the implementation of formal safety programs in 2020: Safety Management System (SMS) to meet Federal Transit Administration (FTA) compliance and System Safety Program Plan (SSPP) to meet Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) compliance. 

SMS is designed to enhance safety practices, processes and procedures to establish continuous improvement and a well-established safety culture for transit agencies that receive FTA funding. Trinity Metro’s fixed route buses and paratransit vehicles fall into this category. By July 20, 2020, transit agencies are required to have compliant safety plans in place. Going forward, each agency is required to review, update, and certify their plan annually. 

Trinity Metro’s two passenger commuter rail lines, TEXRail and Trinity Railway Express (TRE) are subject to FRA regulatory compliance to include an SSPP in compliance with 49 CFR Part 270, which currently has a stay from implementation until March 4, 2020. 

Acosta will incorporate an SMS approach within the TEXRail System Safety Program and plan accordingly to establish consistency of safety processes throughout Trinity Metro transit services.

 

Employee Spotlight: Sam Worman

Sam Worman started with Trinity Metro in November as our new Director of Training. If you’ve seen him around, you’ve also probably noticed his colorful socks. His festive collection even includes a pair with flamingo design. Let’s get to know a little more about Sam.

Before working at Trinity Metro, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?

I was a craps dealer for a casino, part time for about 11 years.

If you had to eat one meal every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Surf and turf. Steak and Lobster every day.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Woodworking. No, I’m not very good at it.

What was the first concert you ever went to?

REO Speedwagon

What is an interesting fact that most people don’t know about you?

Most adults can’t have their donated blood be given to infants. After being screened, I learned that I am one of the few who can donate blood that can be transfused to infants.

 

Health Tip: Reduce use of certain fats and oil

We all need some fat in our diet, but eating too much, especially the wrong kinds, increases risks of obesity, heart disease and stroke.  Industrially produced trans fat are the most hazardous for health. A diet high in this kind of fat has been found to raise risk of heart disease by nearly 30 percent

Some tips to reduce fat consumption:

• Replace butter and lard with healthier oils, such as soybean, canola, safflower and sunflower.
• Choose white meat like poultry and fish, which are generally lower in fats than red meat. Trim meat of visible fat and limit the consumption of processed meats.
• Try steaming or boiling instead of frying food when cooking.
• Check labels and avoid processed/fried foods that contain trans fat that is often found in margarine as well as pre-packaged snacks and fried foods.