Category: News Release
First run of TEXRail train!
Tarrant County College will provide Trinity Metro bus rides for students
Tarrant County College (TCC) students will soon have a free option for getting around town. Thanks to an agreement between TCC and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority, students will be able to ride any of the 38 bus routes in Tarrant County and TCC will pick up the tab. The transit agency, formerly known as The T, recently rebranded as Trinity Metro.
Starting May 15, TCC students will be able to use their student identification cards to access any of the bus routes in Trinity Metro’s system. The rides will then be paid by TCC.
As part of the EasyRide agreement, Trinity Metro will provide new bus service to TCC Northeast and TCC Southeast campuses beginning in August, prior to the start of the fall semester. Trinity Metro currently serves TCC’s other locations: Trinity River Campus, South Campus, Northwest Campus and the Erma C. Johnson Hadley Northwest Center of Excellence for Aviation, Transportation and Logistics.
“This agreement exemplifies a partnership designed for the future of Tarrant County,” said Paul Ballard, president/CEO of Trinity Metro. “Having an educated workforce strengthens the roots of a community and helps it grow and prosper in the future. Transportation is essential to the economic growth of our region. We are delighted to continue our partnership with Chancellor Giovannini and TCC as we help students achieve their goals by increasing their mobility in Tarrant County.”
Students enrolled in TCC’s 2018 summer term will be among the first students eligible for the EasyRide Program. Students issued TCC identification cards after May 15 will be automatically activated with EasyRide eligibility. Students with TCC identification cards issued prior to May 15 must have their cards activated for the EasyRide program. They will need to take their ID card to a TCC Copy Center for activation.
“Our students report that access to transportation is one of the greatest barriers they face when achieving their educational goals,” said Tarrant County College Chancellor Eugene Giovannini. “By partnering with Trinity Metro to cover the cost of a student’s transportation to campus, TCC is continuing to fulfill its mission of providing affordable and open access to quality teaching and learning.”
For more information, contact:
Laura J. Hanna
Director of Communications
Trinity Metro
801 Cherry Street, Suite 850
Fort Worth, TX – 76102
(817) 215-8973 – Office
(817) 721-0734 – Cell
Laura.Hanna@ridetm.org
Rita L.B. ParsonDistrict Manager of Public Relations| Communications, PR & Marketing
Tarrant County College| Trinity River Campus |TREF 3326 B
300 Trinity Campus Circle |Fort Worth, TX 76102
817-515-1543 | Fax 817-515-0817
rita.parson@tccd.edu | www.tccd.edu
Funding partnership makes riding Molly the Trolley free again
Fort Worth residents and visitors will now be able to ride around downtown for free on Trinity Metro’s Molly the Trolley, thanks to subsidies from the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau, Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. and Sundance Square. Downtown hotels are also helping pay for the service, including the Omni, Worthington Renaissance, Sheraton, Hilton, Embassy Suites and Blackstone Courtyard. The fare-free service begins Thursday, March 1.
“We are excited to provide Molly service at no cost to customers, and we appreciate the participation of our community partners to make that happen,” said Paul Ballard, president and CEO of Trinity Metro. “Molly has always been a popular route for getting to the many downtown attractions.”
Having a downtown trolley helps convention goers and travelers take a quick tour of downtown or hop off and visit local shops and restaurants.
“Molly the Trolley is a crucial part of the downtown visitor experience,” said Bob Jameson, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Public transportation is a coveted amenity that many convention planners and other visitors consider when choosing a destination. The CVB is happy to help subsidize Molly the Trolley because this service is a win for downtown and the future of tourism.”
Molly the Trolley is a familiar sight downtown with its distinctive green paint and wood panels on the sides. With stops throughout downtown, the circulator is a popular choice among residents and tourists.
“Sundance Square is pleased to once again sponsor this service and provide rides to our customers and guests,” said Johnny Campbell, president and CEO of Sundance Square “For years this has been a very popular service for hotel guests who visit to easily move around downtown Fort Worth and enjoy everything Sundance Square has to offer.“
Rick Baumeister, chairman DFWI Board of Directors, shared that sentiment.
“We look forward to the increased ridership on Molly with this change in fare structure,” Baumeister said. “We are pleased to partner with the CVB, Sundance Square, downtown hotels and Trinity Metro to bring this valued service back to Downtown.”
The cost of operating Molly the Trolley is approximately $1 million each year. The Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau, Downtown Fort Worth, Inc., Sundance Square and downtown hotels will be contributing a total of nearly $136,800 annually to help offset some of that cost.
Molly runs every 15 minutes every day of the year from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Fort Worth Transit Agency Rolls Out New Look, New Name
If you’re used to thinking of local public transportation as “The T,” think again. The T has a new name and a new look. Now known as Trinity Metro, the agency will be rolling out its new look this spring in advertising, social media and community outreach.
“Locals have known us for 33 years as ‘The T,’ but that name doesn’t fully encompass what we do,” said Trinity Metro CEO/President Paul Ballard. “Our new name and look will provide a fresh, modern approach to represent all of our services, which include the Trinity Railway Express, buses, Molly the Trolley, TEXRail and MITS paratransit. The name also reflects our current and future expansion into other nearby cities.”
The transition comes as Trinity Metro continues to implement its Transit Master Plan, which specifically calls for improved branding.
Scott Mahaffey, Trinity Metro Board Chair, said the long-anticipated name and logo are coming at the right time.
“Our board and the senior leadership have been working closely together to make major improvements over the last few years,” Mahaffey said. “The timing for this initiative is ideal. We are happy to see it rolled out the same year that we are completing TEXRail.”
Extensive research went into the rebranding and design process – focus groups, surveys and in-person interviews with current riders and non-riders. The rebranding effort was led by J.O. Design, the marketing and design firm for Trinity Metro.
“Our firm bases everything we do on research,” said Jennifer Henderson, president of J.O. “We coordinated a two-month market research project throughout Tarrant County to better understand consumer behaviors. These insights helped us redefine the brand identity to prepare for the generational growth of the organization,” she said.
“The Trinity River is a natural geographical feature in North Texas that represents not only a mode of transportation, but also has historical significance as the lifeline of civilization. Commerce and residential growth still surrounds the Trinity River in Fort Worth, Denton, Dallas and beyond. Trinity Metro’s logo is a symbolic trifecta (Trinity) of the community, commerce and future growth, which is why we illustrate the name using three triangles and reversing out the letter M.”
To keep up with the latest brand implementations, follow us on Twitter and Facebook at @TrinityMetro. For more information about the rebranding efforts, contact Laura Hanna, director of communications, at Laura.Hanna@ridetm.org or 817-215-8973.
Services Changes Effective March 11, 2018
• Increased frequency on weekends and later evening service 7 days a week.
Route 5 – Evans Ave. & Glen Garden
• Multiple timepoints adjusted.
Route 12 – Samuels/Mercantile Center
• Route adjusted off East 1st Street and onto East 2nd street.
• Multiple timepoints adjusted.
• Adjusted last two late-night eastbound trips from Miller & Mansfield on.
Route 26 – Ridgmar Mall/Normandale
• Added Sunday service and later evening service 7 days a week.
• Outbound stops at Azle & Tipton moved 2 minutes earlier.
Route 57 – Como/Montgomery
• NO LONGER IN SERVICE.
• 6:00 AM route to downtown: All timepoints moved 5 minutes earlier to meet TRE at ITC.
Route 65 – South Fort Worth Park & Ride Express
• 6:01 PM route to downtown: All timepoints moved 15 minutes later to meet TRE at ITC.
METRO ARLINGTON XPRESS (MAX) BUS SERVICE TO END DECEMBER 29
The City of Arlington will launch a new on-demand rideshare pilot program as of December 11, 2017.
For information about this rideshare pilot program, go to: www.RideWithVia.com
Metro Arlington Xpress (MAX) bus service will end service on December 29, 2017.
Parade of Lights attendees can ride the bus or train
To make it easy for everyone to get to the Parade of Lights, the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (FWTA) will offer expanded bus service on Route 7, beginning at 3:15 p.m., between Farrington Field and FWTA’s Intermodal Transportation Center (ITC). The parade begins at 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 19, in downtown Fort Worth.
For parade attendees parking at Farrington Field, FWTA will pick up every 15 minutes from the Route 7 bus stop on West Lancaster and University with service between Farrington Field and ITC. The last Route 7 bus going back to Farrington Field will depart from the ITC at 10 p.m. There is no charge to park at Farrington Field.
Bus Routes 2, 4, 6, 10 and The Spur* will operate normal service schedules with one added trip from the ITC at 8:15 p.m.
Other bus routes to travel to and from downtown include Routes 1, 11, 12, 14, 15 and 46. These routes will all operate normal service schedules.
The downtown Molly the Trolley circulator will end operation at 4 p.m. due to street closures and will resume a regular service schedule at 10 a.m. on Monday, November 20.
Roundtrip bus fare is $4.00 for adults and $2.00 for reduced fare.
For visitors traveling from the east, the Trinity Railway Express (TRE) will have a special Sunday service for the parade. Trains departing from Dallas Union Station West to Fort Worth at 1:30 p.m. and 4:10 p.m. Trains departing from Fort Worth T&P Station East to Dallas at 2:50 p.m., 8:00 p.m. and 10:40 p.m.
Roundtrip TRE fare for travelers departing from T&P Station, ITC, Richland Hills Station, Bell Station or CentrePort Station is $5.00 for adults and $2.50 for reduced fare. Roundtrip TRE fare for travelers departing from West Irving Station, Downtown Irving Station, Medical Market Station, Victory Station or Union Station is $10.00 for adults and $2.50 for reduced fare. Traveling in both Tarrant and Dallas Counties will require a regional fare.
Local Day Passes are sold for $5 and include unlimited rides on FWTA buses and TRE train service in Tarrant County.
Regional Day Passes are sold for $10 and included unlimited rides on services in Tarrant, Dallas and Denton Counties.
2017 Thanksgiving Holiday Service Schedule
Thanksgiving Day – Thursday 11/23/17
No Trinity Railway Express train service. Fort Worth Transportation Authority bus and MITS paratransit services operating on Sunday schedules.
Fort Worth Transportation Authority Customer Service locations closed. The Customer Service phone line, 817-215-8600, operates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Day After Thanksgiving – Friday 11/24/17
Trinity Railway Express train service operating on a Saturday Schedule. Fort Worth Transportation Authority bus and MITS paratransit services will resume normal schedules.
Intermodal Transportation Center Customer Service Kiosk open. Customer Service Retail and Bulk Sales Center closed. The Customer Service phone line, 817-215-8600, operates from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
FWTA operating on holiday schedule for Labor Day
In honor of Labor Day, the Fort Worth Transportation Authority will operate on a holiday schedule on Monday, Sept. 4. Buses will operate on a Sunday schedule on Labor Day, and the Trinity Railway Express will not have service that day.
Molly the Trolley will continue its daily service from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Customer service lines will be open 5 a.m.-7 p.m. and can be reached at 817-215-8600.
Administrative offices will be closed. For more information, go to www.FWTA.org.