Category: News Release

(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. 

 

“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.”

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 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.”

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.

(FORT WORTH, TEXAS) Dec. 17, 2018 – The Trinity Metro Board of Directors has named Robert Baulsir as the agency’s new president and chief executive officer, effective April 15, 2019.

Baulsir, who currently serves as senior vice president, has been instrumental in keeping the TEXRail project on schedule and under budget. In addition to his oversight of the new commuter rail line, Baulsir is also responsible for procurement, facilities management and information technology.

Board Chair Scott Mahaffey said Baulsir is the ideal choice for this role. “No one is more suited to step in and lead Trinity Metro into the future. We have the rare opportunity to promote from within and to benefit from Bob’s vast experience and expertise,” he said.

“The board feels that Bob Baulsir has been preparing for this role in the four years that he and Paul Ballard worked together at Trinity Metro,” Mahaffey said. “Their focus and planning has been in sync, and we know Bob can carry that vision forward to benefit our region.”

Trinity Metro President/CEO Paul Ballard, who is retiring in April, supports the board’s decision. “Bob is an integral part of our leadership team, and I can’t imagine anyone more suited to move into this role,” he said. “Shortly after I moved to Fort Worth, I recruited Bob to serve as vice president and project director of TEXRail. I knew he was the right person for the job then, and I feel the same way now.”

Baulsir has more than 30 years of transit experience, including overseeing rail development, construction, rail facilities and bus rapid transit. He has managed transit system procurement, operations and maintenance facilities, and safety and security. Prior to joining Trinity Metro in 2014, he served as General Manager of Administration for the Nashville MTA and the Regional Transportation Authority of Middle Tennessee. Baulsir also worked in public agencies in New York and Ohio. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business management from the University of Phoenix.

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 constructing TEXRail, a 27-mile commuter rail line that will operate from downtown Fort Worth to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal B, with service beginning Jan. 5, 2019.

(FORT WORTH, TEXAS) Nov. 29, 2018 – Paul J Ballard, President and CEO of Fort Worth’s Trinity Metro, will retire in April 2019, with completion of his five-year contract, Trinity Metro Board Chairman Scott Mahaffey announced today.

“Without Paul, the staff he assembled, and our dedicated Board members, there would be no TEXRail,” Mahaffey said, referring to the 27-mile commuter rail line between downtown Fort Worth and DFW Airport, which is set to begin passenger service on Jan. 5, 2019. 

“We’re on track, on time, and under budget,” Mahaffey said.  “Tell me how many government projects can claim that. That level of exceptional performance is why I recruited Paul for the job.”

Ballard previously led the successful startup of the Music City Star commuter train in Middle Tennessee.  He has served 46 continuous years as a general manager, CEO, or president of transit systems in both public and private sectors.  He began his career as a brakeman and trainman on the Boston and Maine Railroad, and he was a bus operator and supervisor of public transit before becoming one of the youngest transit systems general managers in the country. 

During his years in the private contract management industry, he oversaw management of public systems in 47 U.S. cities and 17 states.  He has provided management and consulting services internationally.  Ballard has held numerous leadership positions in the American Public Transportation Association, and he has participated in activities of the National Transportation Research Board, most recently evaluating new transportation research projects seeking federal funding.

 “TEXRail has undoubtedly been the biggest challenge of my career,” said Ballard. “It’s been five years of one really tough issue after another, several of them cliffhangers.”

 Among the most daunting tasks of “working on the railroad” were  funding issues, negotiating agreements among several railroads, concerns from local governments, construction delays, plans for Positive Train Control, compliance with the Federal Railroad Administration and the Federal Transit Administration, and procurement of equipment and property.

 As TEXRail gears up for its New Year’s Eve celebratory event, Ballard said, “This is the perfect time for me to step back and look toward doing a little consulting and traveling the rails around the world.”

 Ballard personally rides buses and trains whenever possible, and he loves to share the experience with visitors from out of town.  “Most of all,” he said, “I want to be known for implementing public transit from the rider’s perspective.”

 

The Trinity Railway Express (TRE) will operate a bus bridge between Fort Worth T&P Station, Intermodal Transportation Center (ITC) Station and Richland Hills Station due to TEXRail construction all day on Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018.

 

Allow for additional time beyond normal commute times if utilizing these three stations. Please arrive at the listed stations several minutes prior to the regularly scheduled departure times to board buses for transfer between stations. 

 

Thank you for your patience during construction.

 

Please consult the TRE website www.TrinityRailwayExpress.org for upcoming service changes.

(FORT WORTH, TEXAS) Nov. 8, 2018 – Teresa Ayala, a commercial contract professional, has been appointed to the Trinity Metro Board of Directors by Council Member Carlos E. Flores, who represents Fort Worth District 2.

Ayala currently serves as a Senior Contracts Compliance & Privacy Administrator with Texas Health Resources and is a member of the national Health Care Compliance Association. Her professional experience extends to mentoring and managing at Top 25 Fortune companies throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada, South America and Asia.

“Teresa brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the board,” said Trinity Metro Board Chair Scott Mahaffey. “She joins us at an important time in Trinity Metro’s history. We will begin TEXRail service in January, and our bus services are going strong. We just started operations in Forest Hill this week, and our Tarrant County College partnership continues to grow. Ridership among TCC students exceeded 14,000 rides in October.”

Ayala is active in the community and serves as the board secretary for the Tarrant County College District Board of Trustees. She is a member of the Association of Community Colleges Trustees, Community College Association of Texas Trustees and the Association of Latino Community College Trustees. She is the Trustee liaison to the college in creating a dynamic cultural and institutional transformation involving the implementation of guided academic and career pathways for all students.

For Ayala, using the public transportation system is a familiar transit option. “Because I grew up in Fort Worth, I have been riding public transit for years,” she said. “I look forward to serving our community by working with fellow board members and Trinity Metro staff to initiate those foundational refinements necessary to meet emergent customer needs while delivering safe and reliable service to Trinity Metro riders.”

Her other volunteerism includes serving on the Executive Council for Read FW, working with youth organizations and serving on boards in the City of Fort Worth including Tax Increment Financing Districts, Parks and Recreation Advisory, Commission for Women and the Community Development Council. In 2016, Ayala was recognized as a Great Woman of Texas for her significant civic contributions; dedication to family and her community.

She attended Tarrant County College and earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in liberal arts from Texas Christian University. She and husband Charles M. Bruton, Jr., have a 12-year-old son.

About the Board of Directors

Trinity Metro is governed by an 11-member board of directors, consisting of eight Fort Worth City Council appointments and three Tarrant County Commissioners Court appointments.

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 constructing TEXRail, a 27-mile commuter rail line that will operate from downtown Fort Worth to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal B, with service beginning Jan. 5, 2019.