Category: News Release

(FORT WORTH, TX – Nov. 30, 2021) – December marks a time of change for Trinity Metro and its customers. The agency is relocating its downtown headquarters from Burnett Plaza to a newly renovated office space at 801 Grove St., which is conveniently located by Fort Worth Central Station at 1001 Jones St.

As part of the move, the customer retail storefront at 800 Cherry St. will relocate to the kiosk at Fort Worth Central Station. Beginning Dec. 1, customers will use that location for any in-person ticket purchases. For questions, contact customer care at 817-215-8600.

Administrative offices have been at Burnett Plaza since April 2016, after relocating from the East Lancaster location that is home to bus operations and maintenance facilities. Trinity Metro purchased the Grove property in 2017 with a plan to remodel and move there when the Burnett Plaza lease expires at the end of this year.

About Trinity Metro

Trinity Metro is a regional transportation system that provides public transportation to meet the mobility needs in Tarrant County. The agency offers connections throughout the North Central Texas region, providing passenger trips on buses, TEXRail, ACCESS paratransit, ZIPZONEs, vanpools and the Trinity Railway Express (TRE), a 34-mile commuter rail line jointly owned and operated with Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). Trinity Metro is the sole owner and operator of TEXRail, a 27-mile commuter rail line that runs between downtown Fort Worth and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal B.

(FORT WORTH, TX – Nov. 16, 2021) – Trinity Metro TEXRail is proud to announce another first – its first female engineer.

Amy Anderson, who became an engineer in November, began her transit career as a conductor on TEXRail.

“While working at TEXRail, I realized there were no female engineers, and I made it my goal to become the first,” she said. “As I gained more experience as a conductor, my list of reasons for wanting this position became longer.”

“The vast majority of railroad engineers are male, and we are so proud of Amy for taking the initiative to pursue her dream of becoming our first female engineer,” said Jon-Erik “AJ” Arjanen, vice president and chief operating officer for rail at Trinity Metro. “She’s a trendsetter for our industry. Amy’s promotion to engineer perfectly aligns with our vision of an inclusive workplace.”

Anderson cited her experience and the chance for great responsibility among her reasons for wanting to become an engineer.

“Every train has two crew members: the conductor and the engineer. The two work as a checks-and-balances system. As an engineer, you are typically the more seasoned of the crew members,” Anderson said. “You take on a role of leadership, teaching, and you are required to use your best judgment and skill to safely get passengers to their destinations. I was ready for the responsibility that comes with position, and I am thankful to be given this opportunity.”

Doug Bourne, general manager with Herzog Transit Services, Inc., praised Anderson for her efforts. “Amy has shown what can be achieved with determination and a strong work ethic. She serves as an example to others, and I believe her new role could generate more interest among women wanting to become railroad engineers.”

Anderson had been wanting to work in the railroad industry for a number of years, and her opportunity came along in July 2019, when she was hired as a conductor for TEXRail. As part of her training to transition to the engineer position, she completed 40 hours of classroom training and 180 hours at the controls.

About Trinity Metro

Trinity Metro is a regional transportation system that provides public transportation to meet the mobility needs in Tarrant County. The agency offers connections throughout the North Central Texas region, providing passenger trips on buses, TEXRail, ACCESS paratransit, ZIPZONEs, vanpools and the Trinity Railway Express (TRE), a 34-mile commuter rail line jointly owned and operated with Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). Trinity Metro is the sole owner and operator of TEXRail, a 27-mile commuter rail line that runs between downtown Fort Worth and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal B.

THURSDAY, NOV. 25, 2021 Regular service TEXRail Alliance ZIPZONE The Dash Molly the Trolley Modified service Buses, Southside ZIPZONE and ACCESS paratransit operate on a Sunday/holiday schedule. No Trinity Railway Express No Mercantile or South Tarrant ZIPZONE service. Customer care locations, including the Ticket Sales Kiosk at Fort Worth Central Station and the Ticket Sales Center at 800 Cherry St., are closed. Customer care representatives are available 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at 817-215-8600. FRIDAY, NOV. 26, 2021 Regular service Buses TEXRail ACCESS paratransit All ZIPZONE services The Dash Molly the Trolley Modified service Trinity Railway Express (TRE) operating on Saturday schedule Ticket Sales Kiosk at Fort Worth Central Station open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Ticket Sales Center at 800 Cherry St. closed Customer care representatives are available 5 a.m.-10 p.m. at 817-215-8600.

(FORT WORTH, TX – Nov. 10, 2021) – The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has honored Trinity Metro with the 2021 Rail COVID-19 Gold Award for Commuter/Intercity Rail. The award was bestowed as part of the 2021 Bus and Rail Safety, Security and COVID Response Excellence Awards, which recognize advancements in the transit industry across North America.

At the onset of the pandemic, Trinity Metro quickly implemented plans for safe operations, clear communications agency-wide, and reduced risk of contact for all. The agency implemented enhanced cleaning and safety measures. Social distancing, reduced seating capacity and mask wearing quickly became the new normal.

The agency created a safe environment for passengers and promoted that through a marketing campaign to encourage everyone to get on board and to provide assurances that their safety was the top priority.

A critical strategy throughout was to communicate with employees and customers to keep everyone informed about the latest developments. Throughout the pandemic, the agency often had to pivot and adaptability was key to successfully executing plans.

For more information about the awards, see the Railway Age and Progressive Railroading articles. 

About Trinity Metro

Trinity Metro is a regional transportation system that provides public transportation to meet the mobility needs in Tarrant County. The agency offers connections throughout the North Central Texas region, providing passenger trips on buses, TEXRail, ACCESS paratransit, ZIPZONEs, vanpools and the Trinity Railway Express (TRE), a 34-mile commuter rail line jointly owned and operated with Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). Trinity Metro is the sole owner and operator of TEXRail, a 27-mile commuter rail line that runs between downtown Fort Worth and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal B.

 

Have an opinion about public transportation in River Oaks? Plan to attend a public hearing Nov. 22 with Trinity Metro and the City of River Oaks to listen to options and share your feedback.

A virtual public meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 16, to discuss the environmental assessment pertaining to the proposed 2.1 mile extension of the TEXRail commuter rail line. Participants can use this link to register and to access the meeting. 

The Environment Assessment is now available on the project website and the comments are welcome Nov. 1-30, 2021.

TEXRail, which operates between Fort Worth and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal B, is proposing an extension to the Fort Worth Medical District. In Fall 2020, Trinity Metro began conducting the Environmental Assessment and Preliminary Engineering for a 2.1-mile TEXRail extension project. Commuter rail service would continue south from the Fort Worth T&P Station to a proposed new station south of Mistletoe Boulevard, near Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center. 

For more information, visit the project website to comment or view public input.

(FORT WORTH, TX – Oct. 26, 2021) – Trinity Metro President and CEO Bob Baulsir, who has led the agency since April 2019, is retiring as of Oct. 31, 2021 because of ongoing health issues. Baulsir joined Trinity Metro in November 2014 and was instrumental in constructing and launching TEXRail, the commuter rail line between Fort Worth and DFW Airport’s Terminal B.

During Baulsir’s tenure, the agency also started The Dash, the battery-electric bus route, plus ZIPZONE services in Mercantile, Southside and South Tarrant. In addition, A Better Connection was implemented in September to provide a new, more efficient bus network. Plans are underway for a TEXRail extension to the Fort Worth Medical District.

On Monday, the Trinity Metro Board of Directors named Paul J Ballard as the interim president and CEO. He preceded Baulsir in the role and retired in April 2019 after serving at the helm for five years.

“We are really sorry to see Bob leave the agency, and we are so very grateful for everything he has done for Trinity Metro and public transportation in North Texas,” said Trinity Metro Board Chairman Jeff Davis. “While we search for a permanent replacement, we are delighted that Paul has agreed to step in and fill the void.”

While Ballard serves as the interim president and CEO, the Board of Directors will be working with the executive search firm Krauthamer & Associates, LLC to conduct a national search for a permanent replacement.

Under Ballard’s leadership, the agency rebranded to Trinity Metro, developed a transit master plan and implemented new services, including TEXRail, Alliance ZIPZONE, bus service north of I-820, and the EASYRIDE commuter program. In addition, he developed a partnership with Tarrant County College for Trinity Metro to provide service to all TCC locations and the college to pay the fares for student rides.

Shortly after leaving Trinity Metro, Ballard served as interim general manager and CEO for the Regional Transportation District in Denver.

About Trinity Metro

Trinity Metro is a regional transportation system that provides public transportation to meet the mobility needs in Tarrant County. The agency offers connections throughout the North Central Texas region, providing passenger trips on buses, TEXRail, ACCESS paratransit, ZIPZONEs, vanpools and the Trinity Railway Express (TRE), a 34-mile commuter rail line jointly owned and operated with Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). Trinity Metro is the sole owner and operator of TEXRail, a 27-mile commuter rail line that runs between downtown Fort Worth and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal B.

(FORT WORTH, TX – Oct. 20, 2021) – On Saturday, 40 teams will hit the streets to participate in Trinity Metro’s second annual Bus Stop Clean Up Day.

“The event is a widespread community effort to make sure our bus stops are clean and appealing to provide a great transit experience,” said Detra Whitmore, vice president of customer experience and the driving force behind the event. “Our volunteers are from companies, organizations and community groups throughout our service area. We are so excited to have so much participation.”

The day kicks off with breakfast and opening remarks. Then the teams go to their designated routes to pick up trash, clean, or trim weeds and grass. Afterwards, everyone reconvenes for lunch and the awards for Most Creative Team Name.

About Bus Stop Clean Up Day

The first clean up event, which had 37 teams, was held in 2019 to help beautify bus stops throughout Trinity Metro’s service area. Sponsors for this year’s event are Locke Lord Law Firm, Central Market, Cox Racing, Tolar, and Keep Fort Worth Beautiful. 

Trinity Metro and the sponsors provide safety vests, gloves, trash bags and T-shirts to all volunteers.

(FORT WORTH, TX – Oct. 20, 2021) – Route 71 Forest Hill will cease operations after 6:50 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22.

The nearest public transportation options provided by Trinity Metro include multiple bus stops along Mansfield Highway for route 25 Miller/E. Seminary and route 28 Mansfield Highway/Sierra Vista. In addition, just to the west of Forest Hill, the South Tarrant ZIPZONE provides on-demand ridesharing service within certain boundaries including Crowley, Everman and portions of south Fort Worth. 

Please contact Customer Care at 817-215-8600 for assistance in identifying the closest alternative.