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Category: News Release

TRE Link offers new option to DFW Airport

(FORT WORTH, TEXAS) April 11, 2019 – Trinity Railway Express (TRE) passengers will soon have a new way to travel to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. On April 15, Trinity Metro will begin operating the TRE Link in conjunction with Dallas Area Rapid Transit and DFW Airport.

TRE Link BusTRE Link, which features a paint scheme similar to the TRE, will replace the existing shuttle that connects CentrePort passengers with the airport. Like the current service, TRE Link will operate every 30 minutes on weekdays.

“TRE passengers have expressed their interest in having this airport shuttle service continue, and we are pleased to introduce the TRE Link,” Trinity Metro President/CEO Paul J Ballard said. “We appreciate the North Central Texas Council of Governments for providing grant funding for the first six months of service.”

Trinity Metro will provide three 35-foot buses to begin TRE Link service, and NCTCOG will provide future grant funding to purchase new vehicles for the route.

 

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, annually providing 10 million passenger trips on buses, 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 from downtown Fort Worth to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal B.

Trinity Metro’s downtown rail and bus station renamed

Fort Worth Central Station(FORT WORTH, TEXAS) March 26, 2019 – The downtown Fort Worth station that is the central hub of transportation for Trinity Metro buses and rail will now be known as Fort Worth Central Station. The Trinity Metro Board of Directors approved the name change during its March board meeting Monday.

Long known as the Intermodal Transportation Center – and most often called ITC for simplicity – the downtown station is a stop along the TEXRail and Trinity Railway Express routes, and is a destination and transfer point for multiple Trinity Metro buses. Located at 1001 Jones St., the station is also home to Amtrak and Greyhound.

“Prior to our Trinity Metro rebranding, our marketing firm conducted extensive research about the ITC and what the name meant to customers,” President/CEO Paul J Ballard said. “What we learned is that most customers did not identify with the name, nor did they know what ITC is an acronym for. As we continue to refresh and renew our brand and signage, the timing is ideal to make this change.”

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, annually providing 10 million passenger trips on buses, 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 from downtown Fort Worth to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal B.

 

 

New Trinity Metro “first mile/last mile” ZIPZONE service promotes commuting to work

(FORT WORTH, TEXAS) Feb. 26, 2019 – As an innovative way to help North Texans reach their destinations, Trinity Metro is providing ZIPZONE, a first mile/last mile transportation solution, in select service areas.

The first area Trinity Metro is offering the new ZIPZONE service is in the Alliance corridor. Alliance ZIPZONE is the result of a regional partnership with the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA), allowing riders to connect with the North Texas Xpress that operates between downtown Fort Worth and Alliance and Denton. Alliance ZIPZONE replaces the Alliance Link, a first mile/last mile pilot started by Toyota. That pilot ended in January 2019.  

“When we started North Texas Xpress with DCTA in Fall 2016, we knew the bus route would be a good choice for employees in the Alliance area,” said Trinity Metro President/CEO Paul Ballard. “Now we’re taking it one step further to help Alliance employees arrive at work without having to drive.”

Alliance Texas, a Hillwood development that is celebrating 30 years, is home to more than 500 companies and more than 61,000 jobs. The economic impact of Alliance Texas is estimated to exceed $7 billion.

“Providing connectivity for passengers is essential,” Ballard said. “The addition of our Alliance ZIPZONE is another incentive for employees who work in this area to leave their cars at home.”

Alliance ZIPZONE service is provided through Lyft, an on-demand transportation company. Trinity Metro passengers can conveniently use the Lyft app, entering a specific code to gain access to the first mile/last mile rides. Hours of operation are 4:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. On weekends, hours are from 5:30-7:30 a.m. and 4-7:30 p.m.

Trinity Metro is currently considering implementing ZIPZONE in other parts of its service areas. “It’s an attractive solution for helping riders get to their final destination,” Ballard said.

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, annually providing 10 million passenger trips on buses, 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 from downtown Fort Worth to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal B.

 

TEXRail ridership nears 100,000 in January

Commuter rail line expected to exceed 100,000 on Feb. 1

(FORT WORTH, TEXAS) Feb. 1, 2019 – TEXRail ridership came close to 100,000 during the first 22 days of service, Jan. 10-31. The new commuter rail line from downtown Fort Worth to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport provided 98,582 rides in January. On Feb. 1, the first day of revenue service, ridership is expected to push the grand total to more than 100,000.

“Ridership has been consistently strong throughout the first three weeks of service,” said Trinity Metro President/CEO Paul J Ballard. “The number of passengers commuting to work, taking day trips or traveling to the airport has been phenomenal.” TEXRail Passengers at Grapevine Main Street Station

To give everyone a chance to experience TEXRail, Trinity Metro offered complimentary rides through Jan. 31. Beginning Friday, Feb. 1, the local fare for TEXRail is $2.50 one way or $5 for a local day pass, which includes all Trinity Metro bus and rail service in Tarrant County. A regional day pass is $12 and includes all Trinity Metro, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, and Denton County Transportation Authority trains and buses.

“We anticipate the ridership will fluctuate over the next few months, but we have no doubt that TEXRail will continue to be a popular choice for North Texans, tourists and travelers,” Ballard said. “The target ridership has been 8,000 a day by the end of the first year of service. So far, we are averaging 4,500 a day.”

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, annually providing 10 million passenger trips on buses, 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 from downtown Fort Worth to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal B.

Trinity Metro names Vice President of Human Resources

Kelli Shields HeadshotKelli Shields, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, has been selected as Vice President of Human Resources for Trinity Metro. She brings more than 10 years of experience to the position, including recruitment, employee and labor relations, performance management, training and development.

Shields has been with Trinity Metro since 2011, when she started as a leave specialist in human resources and worked her way up to roles as manager and later director of employee relations and recruitment. Earlier in her career, she worked a human resources specialist for Think Finance, Inc., and a human resources manager for Total Logistic Control.

Shields earned a Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. She belongs to the Society for Human Resource Management and the Fort Worth Human Resources Association.

TEXRail sets new daily, weekend ridership totals

(FORT WORTH, TEXAS) Jan. 28, 2019 – Nice weather, free fares and the desire to experience TEXRail combined to set a new weekend ridership total of nearly 20,000 in two days for the new commuter rail line. With 10,477 on Saturday and 9,111 on Sunday, the total ridership of 19,588 eclipsed the previous weekend record of 18,002, which was set during the three-day holiday weekend that included Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

“The number of people choosing to ride TEXRail continues to exceed our expectations,” said Trinity Metro President/CEO Paul J Ballard. “We offered complimentary fares in January because we wanted everyone to experience TEXRail, and we are delighted that so many North Texans and tourists are riding.”

Prior to this weekend, MLK Day had the highest daily ridership with 8,287 passengers. Since service began on Jan. 10, the grand total is 82,733.

TEXRail fares

Beginning Friday, Feb. 1, the local fare for TEXRail will be $2.50 one way or $5 for a local day pass, which includes all Trinity Metro bus and rail service in Tarrant County. A regional day pass is $12 and includes all Trinity Metro, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, and Denton County Transportation Authority trains and buses.

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, annually providing 10 million passenger trips on buses, 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 from downtown Fort Worth to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal B.

TEXRail ridership reaches 55,000 in first 12 days of service

(FORT WORTH, TEXAS) Jan. 22, 2019 – To say TEXRail is the ride of choice may be an understatement. In the first 12 days of service, nearly 55,000 passengers have ridden on the new commuter rail service.

“We have had a tremendous response to TEXRail,” said Trinity Metro President/CEO Paul J Ballard. “The high number of riders reflects the region’s desire to leave the car behind and choose public transportation.”

As North Texans traveled during the holiday weekend, more than 18,000 chose to take their journey on TEXRail. The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday carried the highest number of daily riders to date with 8,287 passengers. Ridership on Saturday, Jan. 19, totaled 4,710 and Sunday, Jan. 20, ridership peaked at 5,005. The total for the three-day weekend was 18,002. TEXRail at Grapevine Main Street Station

One of Monday’s eastbound trains picked up 247 riders at the Fort Worth Texas & Pacific Station and another 162 at the Downtown ITC/Fort Worth Station. On one of the westbound trains, 264 passengers boarded at DFW Airport Terminal B Station and another 168 boarded at Grapevine/Main Street Station. At full capacity, a train carries 488 passengers.

“Throughout the weekend, we have heard from riders who tried TEXRail for the first time – and a few who have ridden every day since we began service,” Ballard said. “The feedback is overwhelmingly positive, and everyone loves the smooth ride.”

At the inaugural run of TEXRail, Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price discussed the possibility of extending TEXRail’s route to new stations in the Medical District and in the TCU/Berry Street area.

Passengers on TEXRail Train“We agree that extending the TEXRail route is a viable option to pursue,” Ballard said. “The initial response indicates that the extension would be a popular option for medical employees to travel to work and for students to go to class.”

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, annually providing 10 million passenger trips on buses, 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 from downtown Fort Worth to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal B.

TEXRail ridership exceeds 11,000 in opening weekend

(FORT WORTH, TEXAS) Jan. 16, 2019 – North Texans gave TEXRail a warm welcome during the commuter rail line’s opening weekend, Jan. 12-13. More than 11,000 riders experienced the new TEXRail train that travels across a 27-mile route from downtown Fort Worth to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal B.

 

Ridership on Saturday reached 6,489 and Sunday’s ridership was 4,625, yielding a weekend total of 11,114. Passengers on TEXRail Train

 

“We couldn’t be more pleased with the ridership numbers,” said Trinity Metro President/CEO Paul J Ballard. “We anticipated a strong turnout, but the number of riders exceeded our expectations.”

 

Numbers from the weekend show that some of the most popular places to board were the Fort Worth Texas & Pacific (T&P) Station, Grapevine/Main Street Station and DFW Airport Terminal B Station. The Downtown ITC/Fort Worth Station and North Richland Hills/Smithfield Station also reflected strong ridership

 

On Saturday, 220 riders boarded at the Fort Worth T&P Station for one of the trains. At Grapevine, 170 riders boarded a morning train. An afternoon train had 236 riders board at the DFW Airport Terminal B Station. On one of the Sunday trains, 201 passengers boarded at the T&P Station. On the other end of the line, 167 riders boarded the train at the DFW Airport Terminal B Station.

 

“From the feedback we received, riders were trying TEXRail for a number of reasons,” Ballard said. “Some were taking day trips with their families, and others were testing out the route in anticipation of commuting to work during the week. We also saw travelers with luggage going to or from the airport.”

TEXRail at Grapevine Main Street StationAbout 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, annually providing 10 million passenger trips on buses, 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 from downtown Fort Worth to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal B.

TEXRail Passenger Service

Trinity Metro has received word from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) that the entire 27-mile TEXRail route has been approved for passenger service. We expect to begin full service from the T&P Station to DFW Airport’s Terminal B on Thursday, Jan. 10.

 

BACKGROUND

On Friday afternoon, Jan. 4, Trinity Metro discovered a signal issue that interrupted train operations. We determined the issue was caused by a hardware installation problem by our signal contractor. We are testing each piece of hardware to make sure that all components are working properly before we begin passenger service.

 

President/CEO Paul Ballard credits the FRA for continuing to work with Trinity Metro during a time when they are short-handed. “We greatly appreciate all of the efforts to move TEXRail from the testing phase to full service by all of the personnel at FRA.”

TEXRail Commuter Service

Trinity Metro TEXRail commuter rail service will not begin passenger service as planned on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019.

We have been unable to get clearance to operate the entire 27-mile corridor from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). We will announce the start of passenger service as soon as we obtain full clearance from the FRA to operate the entire railroad.