the a-train magazine, january 2013

JANUARY 2013

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INSIDEA PUBLICATION OF THE DENTON RECORD-CHRONICLE

CREDITS

Upcoming EventsFind fun for the whole family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 7

University PassPackage deal for students, faculty and staff . . . . . . . . . Page 10

Looking AheadDCTA President plans for 2013 and beyond . . . . . . . . . . Page 12

Trip TechnologyNew apps, more help riders plan ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14

Memory LaneDenton councilmen recall train trips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 16

Project BeautifyDenton receives $750,000 grant for enhancements . Page 19

Plan Your CommuteDCTA offers vanpooling for commuters . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 23

Downtown PerksTransit Center part of Denton Hub . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 26

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Upcoming events for the whole family

Area cities along theDenton CountyTransportation

Authority’s A-train line are plan-ning a busy spring and summerin 2013.

From Carrollton to Lewisvilleand Highland Village to Denton— not to mention surroundingcommunities — riders can findmany events to plan family tripsusing DCTA transportation serv-ices.

Here are some of the upcom-ing events:CARROLLTON

Feb. 8 — Wine Walk. Strollthrough the shops of Historic

Downtown Carrollton, 1102 W.Main St. and sample local andimported wines. Event will alsotake place June 14. For moreinformation, visithttp://www.historicdowntown-carrollton.com

April 12 — Chocolate Walk.The Historic DowntownCarrollton shops will featurechocolate and tea and temptguests to find vintage clothing,gifts and much more. For infor-mation, visit http://www.historic-downtowncarrollton.com

April 27 — Live jazz musiciansfrom throughout North Texaswill play from the Downtown

LIBERTY FEST -FARMERS BRANCH

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MEDIEVAL TIMES’ ANDALUSIAN HORSES ARE PART OFDENTON COUNTY’S HORSE COUNTRY

Carrollton gazebo.http://www.historicdowntown-carrollton.comDENTON

Feb. 8 -18 — The only interna-tional documentary film festivalin Denton, the Thin Line FilmFestival, offers 11 days of diversescreen screenings held at theDenton Campus Theatre, 214 W.Hickory St. For more informa-tion, visitwww.thinlinefilmfest.com

March 2 — Guided Tour of theNorth Texas Horse Country. Meetat the Historical Park in themorning and tour working horseranches in the Denton Countyarea. For more information, visitwww.horsecountrytours.com.

March 7 — “Maps, Music andMayhem” is the theme of the28th Annual Texas StorytellingFestival. Guests will hear the sto-ries of the world, especially thosefrom Japan and Africa. DentonCivic Center, 321 E. McKinney St.For more information, visithttp://www.tejasstorytelling.com/festival/index.html

March 7 - 10 — 35 Denton, the

4-day walkable music festival fea-tures the best of indie music withconcerts held at various venues indowntown Denton. DowntownDenton Entertainment District,103 Industrial St. For more infor-mation, visithttp://35denton.com

April 13 — Guided Tour of theNorth Texas Horse Country. Meetat the Historical Park in themorning and tour working horseranches in the Denton Countyarea. For more information, visitwww.horsecountrytours.com.

April 20 — Denton RedbudFestival, a home and gardenshow celebrates the City ofDenton’s Official Arbor DayCelebration.http://www.kdb.org/redbud_fes-tival.shtml

April 27 — 65th Annual “LabBand Madness” Spring Concert.Quakertown Park, 321 E.McKinney St. For more informa-tion call 940-566-3743

April 26 - April 28 — DavidSanborn, Blues Brothers Bandand Brave Combo will be theheadliners of the annual Denton

Arts & Jazz Festival, QuakertownPark, 321 E. McKinney St. Free.For more information, visitwww.dentonjazzfest.com

May — 26th Annual Cinco deMayo Celebration, DentonQuakertown Park, 321 E.McKinney. For more informa-tion, visit www.dentoncinco.org

May 4 — Guided Tour of theNorth Texas Horse Country. Meetat the Historical Park in themorning and tour working horseranches in the Denton Countyarea. For more information, visitwww.horsecountrytours.com.

May 31- June 1 — Celebrateman’s best friend with a caninecouture fashion show , live enter-tainment, demos and perform-ances by canines and their train-ers, and much more during the20th Annual Dog Days ofDenton Celebration, 321 E.McKinney St. For more informa-tion, visithttp://dentondogdays.com

June 13 — Static aircraft andairborne aircraft demonstrations,a children’s pavilion, displays, andother activities take part in the

annual Denton Air Show Airport,5000 Airport Rd. For moreinformation, visitwww.denton.schultzairshows.comFARMERS BRANCH

March — Camping Under theStars. Star viewing, a community-campfire and a performance of asinging cowboy bring many toFarmers Branch Historical Park.For more information, visithttps://www.farmersbranch.info

May — Liberty Fest. Held dur-ing Memorial Day weekend, theevent offers headliners concerts,outdoor activities, a car, truckand motorcycle show and muchmore. For more information,visithttps://www.facebook.com/fblib-ertyfestFLOWER MOUND

April 13 — 14th AnnualFather/Daughter Prom. Fathersand their daughters (ages 4-13)are invited to dress to impress fora memorable evening of dancing,food and fun. For more informa-tion call 972-874-7275.

April 20-21 — 4th Annual

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Running Moms Rock 5K andFunfest at The Shops atHighland Village, 1701 ShoalCreek. The event includes music,face painting, raffle prizes, andfun. Each 5K participant willreceive a Running Moms RockTechnical race shirt. The eventwill benefit the Children’sAdvocacy Center for DentonCounty. For more information,visitwww.runningmomsrock.comHIGHLAND VILLAGE

Jan. 12 — Make a resolution toget healthier, spend more timeoutdoors, and quality time withthe family and pets during theResolution Run at McAuliffeElementary, 2300 Briarhill Blvd.For more information, visithttps://www.terrafirmarac-ingtickets.com

June 1 — Bring area families,

outdoor and entertainmententhusiastic together, the Red,White & Blue Festival, Red willhosts its 14th year. For moreinformation, visithttp://www.highlandvillage.orgLEWISVILLE

Feb. 2 — Princes, andprincesses, ages 4-14, accompa-nied by their kings and queens(parents or guardians) mayattend the Hearts & Roses BallHearts & Roses Ball. HiltonGarden Inn, 785 SH 121. Musicprovided by a DJ, dancing, craftsand a special time with yoursweetheart in a beautiful ball-room setting. Souvenir photosand carnations will be availablefor an additional charge. Formore information, call MonicaWinters at 972.219.5063 or [email protected].

May 10 — Firefighters from

35DENTON - MARCH

across the country will partici-pate in the annual KeepingTradition Alive Old Town JamSession held in Old TownLewisville. For more informationcall 972-219-3401.LAKE DALLAS

Feb. 12 — The “Big Easy”parade will roll down the streetsof Lake Dallas and the distinctive

sounds of New Orleans jazz willfill the air during Mardi Gras -‘Fat Tuesday. The event features amask contest and offers food anda vendor market. For more infor-mation contact Julie Chapman,City of Lake Dallas at 972-497-2226 x 132 or visithttp://www.lakedallas.com/mardigras.html

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Program offers package deal for students, faculty and staff

University Pass

By Tim BlackwellFor the Denton Record-Chronicle

Denton County Transportation Authority ismaking it easier – and cheaper – to get to andfrom school in the New Year.

Beginning in January, Local SystemUniversity Passes valid on all DCTA fixedroute buses and the A-train will be reduced asmuch as 33 percent, plus another train isbeing added to serve those needing to be oncampus later in the evening.

Five semester, summer and annual passesare being reduced, effective Jan. 14, toencourage more students, faculty and staff toutilize DCTA, says DCTA Marketing ManagerKristina Brevard. Fares have been reduced for

three student passes and a pair of faculty/staffpackages. Savings range from $35-$65,including a $50 reduction on the Student FullSemester Pass.

Local System Passes are valid on A-train,Connect, Connect RSVP and UNT Shuttle.The rate cut doesn’t affect RegionalUniversity Passes, which are necessary fortrips taken out of the DCTA system on DART,Trinity Railway Express and the Fort Worth T.

“We really want to encourage travel withinthe DCTA system,” Brevard said. “For stu-dents, faculty and staff who live in the DCTAservice area, it’s a cost-effective option to takethe A-train and Connect Bus Service inLewisville and Denton.”

With a University Pass, students and facul-ty/staff at the Denton County campuses of theUniversity of North Texas, Texas Woman’sUniversity and North Central Texas Collagecan board the A-train within the DCTA sys-tem or connect through Dallas Area RapidTransit in Carrollton. Bus connections at theDowntown Denton Transit Center (DDTC)provide access within short walking distancesof TWU and UNT and are connected by threeregular bus routes that run every few minutes.NCTC is also accessible via bus or a shuttle.

TWU is serviced by bus routes 4, 5 and 6service and UNT by 7, 8 and 9. Passengersneeding access to NCTC can take the A-trainor Route 2 to the MedPark Station and trans-

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fer to the NCTC Shuttle.As an added incentive, DCTA

is reaching out to faculty/staffand students who are on campuslater in the evening Mondaythrough Friday by adding anoth-er train. The last southboundtrain from the DowntownDenton Transit Center (DDTC)will leave at 9:15 p.m. and runthe length of the system to TrinityMills. In all, there are now ninesouthbound trains that leavedowntown after 5 p.m., includingeight with service to Trinity Millswhere riders can connect toDallas. The 8:30 p.m. departureruns only as far as Old Town.

“By having the additional trainin the evening, DCTA will enablestudents and faculty with eveningclasses to take the A-train,”Brevard said. “It will also servethose individuals who have later

work schedules.”DCTA has served Denton

County higher education institu-tions since 2010 with theUniversity Pass Program. Morethan 1,500 passes have beenissued, contributing largely toDCTA’s northbound ridership.With a link to DART’s system atTrinity Mills, DCTA also providesan opportunity for students tocommute into Dallas for theweekend.

University Passes may be pur-chased on DCTA’s website(www.RideDCTA.net or at theDowntown Denton TransitCenter (604 E. Hickory, Denton)during regular business hours.Local System University StudentFull Semester Pass** $125

Local System University StudentSummer Semester Pass** $80

Local System University StudentAnnual Pass** $300

Local System UniversityFaculty/Staff Full SemesterPass** $170

Local System University Faculty/Staff Annual Pass** $420

**Students, faculty and staff ofcolleges with physical campuseswithin Denton County are eligi-ble to participate in theUniversity Pass Program. Proof ofenrollment/employment isrequired.

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Looking ahead to 2013A-train in perfect position for start of I-35E construction


When bulldozers arrive andtraffic on Interstate 35E begins tosnarl later this year, DentonCounty TransportationAuthority’s A-train will keep onrolling alongside what is expectedto be a virtual parking lot. Atleast that’s what transit agencyofficials are banking on.

Last year’s start of mid-dayservice and a few bus and trainschedule tweaks in the New Yearhave positioned the 1-year-oldrail line to provide a sound alter-native to commuting from

Denton to Lewisville and pointssouth during the highway’sexpansion. Widening of I-35 to asmany as eight lanes from CookeCounty to Dallas County isexpected to go on for the next fewyears.

DCTA President Jim Cline saysthe A-train is in perfect positionfor when dirt starts flying anduntil the last lane marker istamped down. Instituting mid-day service in August plus addingan evening train and changingsome bus routes in January givescommuters more optionsthroughout the day to take the

train.“All of that is in preparation for

when I-35E goes under construc-tion,” Cline said. “There is greatopportunity and we’re well poisedfor that right now. We now havethe scope of service for the A-train, and that’s certainly at theright period of time. Because weadded mid-day, I believe we’rewell-positioned to support com-muters and students during theI-35E construction.”

Closing the afternoon gap oftrain service on the original A-train schedule last summer hasalready paid dividends. The two

to three northbound and south-bound trains added between10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., plusexpanded Friday and Saturdayevening trains, helped boostDCTA’s system-wide ridership 17percent from 2011 to 2012.

The A-train hauled 411,389passengers in its first full year ofoperation, and Cline believes rid-ership will grow in 2013 becausethe line is now an establishedpart of Denton County’s land-scape and is building a reputa-tion for dependable service.October, the first month of FiscalYear 2013, got off to a good start

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with a 52 percent increase inboardings from October 2011.Ridership, fueled by double-digitincreases in mid-day service,jumped from 36,430 to 55,515.Southbound mid-day boardingswere up 36 percent; northboundup 24 percent.

“The midday service is the key,because it brought the opportuni-ty for more people to use it on aconsistent basis,” Cline said. “Itwas a big jump. The system hasnow been in place for a year, andwe’ve been able to provide veryreliable service for folks throughword of mouth,” he said. “Peopleare seeing that it’s working, see-ing that it’s an ongoing deal, see-ing that they can depend on it.”

While Cline hesitates to lookinto his crystal ball and projectthe specific impact of the I-35Eproject, he feels confident that

DCTA can meet commuter railneeds at current scheduling andequipment levels.

Trains are made up of twoStadler GTW 2/6 Diesel MultipleUnits that have a combined pas-senger capacity of 400 riders.DCTA operates four of the setswith a fifth as a “hot standby”that could be used if ridershipdemand exceeds two-car sets.

Stellar performance of theSwiss-built articulated cars havegiven DCTA officials a high levelof operational comfort since theDMUs were placed in service last

fall. With the exception of someblock detection issues that havebeen corrected, the cars haveoperated seamless for the mostpart and are a hit with riders.

“Passengers love them,” Clinesaid. “The cars are operating well.Every system has issues, but weseem to be working throughthose in good step. We’re quitehappy.”

Such service dependabilityonly makes convincing potentialriders that the A-train can pro-vide an efficient means of trans-portation during the I-35E

rebuild easier. In the meantime,DCTA will hone its rail-to-busconnections so that transfers areconvenient and riders can stay onthe move as much as possible.Planning to improve service afterthe I-35E project begins is underway.

“I think we will be respondingto the needs for the I-35E expan-sion work,” Cline said. “We willcontinue to look at how we canbetter link the bus to the train,and improve those connections.We’ll be looking at what makessense to improve our servicedelivery and how we bring thattogether.

“And it’s really important thatwe not just look at the train. Youhave to look at the whole trip.That’s the benefit of having thebus changes and everything elsethat goes with it in place.”

“We’ll be looking at what makes sense to

improve our service delivery and how we

bring that together.”

— Jim Cline, president of DCTA

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Trip technology

New apps and more help riders plan ahead By Tim Blackwell

For the Denton Record-Chronicle

Appy days are aheadfor Denton CountyTransportationAuthority.

DCTA plans to roll out several technogadgets for riders with cell phones and smartphones to determine real-time location oftheir bus or train and buy tickets. The pro-grams, which are scheduled to begin as earlyas summer, not only sends DCTA deeper intothe digital age but will also provide new dataresources to help the agency plan for thefuture.

The Where’s My Ride and Mobile Ticketingapplications are expected to roll out beforethe end of 2013, and DCTA Vice President ofOperations Jarod Varner hopes their arrivalswill better help the public to realize that usingpublic transportation is easier than thought.

“Our customers are evolving to technology,so we’re creating as many tools as we can toeliminate the unknowns of public transporta-tion,” he said. “There is some trepidationwhen using transit, but we want to make it sothat we take guess work out of it with newtechnology.”

The Where’s My Ride app, due to come outby fall, is expected to provide a real-time pas-senger information system for riders who takebuses and the A-train and use iPhones and

Androids. Through a GPS-like device mount-ed in buses and trains, up-to-date informa-tion on the next arrival or departures and thenext two scheduled trips will be providedbased on the rider’s location.

For those who don’t use smart phones,DCTA is also rolling out interactive voice andtext updates with the same information.Regular cell phone users can dial a * numberand get an automated voice response, whilethose with text capabilities can get updates.

Varner said each bus stop and station willhave a number that riders will reference usingeither the interactive voice or texting systems.At the voice or text prompt, the rider entersthe stop number and the system replies withreal-time information.

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A web-based solution accessi-ble from laptops and desktops isalso in the works.

“We want to make sure we takecare of the folks who don’t havesmart phones,” Varner said. “Thesystem will respond with thesame information that one wouldget with a smart phone.”

Varner is hopeful that theWhere’s My Ride program will beready by fall of 2013, althoughthere are many details to workout. An update to DCTA’s currentrider alert system should be outbeforehand, however.

DCTA is revamping the cur-rent system for buses and trainsto include texts. Riders now cansign up for alerts on the websiteand receive emails about routechanges, construction delays,detours, fare change and any-thing else that can affect a trip via

email. The new program willsend the same information bytext.

“Once we have the system inplace, they can select whether toreceive by email or text,” saidDCTA Marketing ManagerKristina Brevard. “It’s just anoth-er way for us to stay in communi-cation with our passengers.”

RFPs were expected to go outin December for a targeted sum-mer implementation date.

About the same time, the firstphase of the Mobile Ticketingapp that will eventually tag ontothe Where’s My Ride app shouldroll out. The application allowssmart phone users to purchasetickets, store ticket passes andtickets that have been bought butnot activated. The app will alsoenable riders to plan trips and getregion-wide alerts.

In addition to purchasing tick-ets for DCTA services, app userscan buy fares from Dallas AreaRapid Transit and the Fort WorthT. A second phase of the app thatwill incorporate special eventswill be rolled out later, Varnersaid. Another initiative that has-n’t quite been ironed out is incor-porating fare payments otherthan by cash or pass on buses.Varner envisions riders one dayboarding buses and swiping theircredit cards to pay fares.

Deciding on the appropriatetechnology is currently underreview. “It’s very much a movingtarget, but we hope to come upwith more options for people topay their fares while boarding thebus,” Varner said.

Once the technology changesare in place, DCTA is hopefulthat it can gain faster access to

critical rider information by busor train stop that can help withfuture planning. Today, theagency has limited resources toget detailed ridership informa-tion at each of the 245 bus stopsin the system.

With the new technology,DCTA officials should be able topin-point the number of ridersand better determine peak- orlow-volume patterns, as well ashow much revenue is being gen-erated. “We’ll get more informa-tion by stop,” Varner said. “All thestops will be GPS-located and tellus how many people get on andoff and how much they paid. It’sstreamlining and greatly improv-ing data collection that we use tomake very important decisionsthat affect our customers. It’show we can better serve our cus-tomers.”

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City councilmen recall recent train tripsBy Bj LewisStaff Writer

The trip was a fewyears ago, but Dentoncity councilman KevinRoden easily recallshis trip from Dentonto Austin using purelypublic transportation.

“I’m a strong proponent of public trans-portation,” he said. “Anytime I can come upwith a crazy schedule to take the train some-where, I will. In that case, I thought how canI get from my house to Austin without gettinginto a car?”

Roden noted that the trip from Denton on

Denton CountyTransportation Authority‘sA-train to Dallas Area RapidTransit and then to Amtrakwas not a quick trip.

“I could have gotten theirmuch quicker if I drove, butit was a comfortable ride,” he

said. “I got a lot of work done.”The relative ease of using the public trans-

portation services is one of many reasons whyRoden and other councilmen are staunchsupporters of public transportation in DentonCounty, though they know that it will takecontinued work and effort to help others seethe benefits of the DCTA

“We’re in Texas. We’re in a difficult place forseveral reasons,” he said. “People are verymuch committed to their cars. It makes theperception of public transportation difficult

compared to Boston or New York City.” Roden said people generally see driving in

the car as the thing that gives them the mostfreedom, while he thinks that if he can keephis car in one place, not have to worry aboutgas, parking spots and if he is out walkingmore, that is where the freedom lies.

There are a lot of factors contributing topeople wanting to maintain a firm grip on thekeys to their vehicles, Roden said. One ofthem is how cities are built and developed.

“We build our cities with the car in mind.Everything is so spread apart, it’s difficult toconnect,” he said. “Now we need to rethinkthat when we’re planning cities. How do wekeep things tighter together? We have to bedisciplined on how we plan cities going for-ward and making sure we’re not contributingto sprawl.”

Roden said the presence of the A-train has

Roden

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already caused a lot of new apartment devel-opments and restaurants near main stops.

“Slowly the market will start to catch up,and in planning, cities will put a lot of densityaround the core and build out from there.”

Dalton Gregory has been an avid user ofthe A-train and said it must be doing a goodjob for its ridership to keep growing.

“I think especially in the south, especially inTexas and especially folks in my generation,I’m 60, we don’t think first of all about bussesor trains or bicycles often times being a viableoption for getting ourselves from one place tothe other,” Gregory said. “And there may besometimes a stigma attached, that buses arefor poor people. I have ridden the buses andtrains in Dallas. There are a lot of folks clearlynot poor riding those trains. I’ve been on theline from downtown out towards Plano andit’s nothing but suits on that train.”

Gregory said it is just a matter of peoplebeing a little more open-minded about thatbeing a choice.

“It’s a chicken/egg thing. Until there are

more frequent buses on aroute, it is less convenientand less likely people usingthe buses as an option aregoing to use it as opposed topeople who use it out ofnecessity. I think as theroutes get more frequent,

people will use it more.”DCTA officials have said they are taking

steps to adjust routes and bump up frequencyon some routes and trains. The latest sched-ule change is set for Jan. 14.

As for gaining new riders, Roden has saidhe has talked back and forth between city andDCTA officials on how to increase ridershipand people trying public transportation forthe first time.

Roden said there could be a number of funinitiatives, a number of free days or being ableto simply take a cup of coffee on the buseswhich is currently banned.

“I suggested the A-train should createFriday evening bar car, like in the old days - a

car dedicated to cocktails,” he said. “There’dbe a lot of brainstorming that needs to takeplace but it will take some initiative to focuson those people”

BJ LEWIS can be reached at 940-566-6875. His e-mail address is [email protected].

Gregory

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A Bertelsen Family Business

Open 7 days a weekOn The Historic

Courthouse Square

110 West Oak StreetDenton, TX 76201

(940) 382-1001

Step back in time and enjoy thefinest in gourmet chocolates,

new and nostalgic candies andconfections. Also, Sugar-Free.

Besides the classics, find some of themost unique items available from around

the world.

We also have the finest “slow-roasted”gourmet coffees

(whole bean or ground).Also, by the cup!


Project BeautifyDCTA receives $750,000 grant for community enhancement

By Bj LewisStaff Writer

Local officials hope to use agrant the Denton CountyTransportation Authorityreceived to beautify areas ofSoutheast Denton near the A-train tracks and the planned busand maintenance facility.

When the transit agencyreceived a $750,000 grant fromthe Texas Department ofTransportation for a communityenhancement project, discussionswith the city on how to spendthat grant turned the focustoward the Southeast Denton

area.“DCTA is trying to be a good

neighbor to this community mov-ing forward with the A-train andbus maintenance and operationfacility,” said DCTA spokes-woman Dee Leggett. “So wewanted to give back to the com-

munity in a way that would bene-fit the Southeast Denton area,but also users of the [hike andbike] trail that would be enteringinto the area and downtown.”

Some of the improvements tothe area will include additionalsecurity fencing in some areas,

landscape improvements andtrees to provide shade along thetrail, among other things, Leggettsaid.

In addition, a committeeformed by Denton’s HistoricLandmark Commission has beenworking on historical markers forthe trail to note some of the keypoints in the city’s history. Someof those include the history ofQuakertown as well as FredMoore and his contributions tothe community.

“In the last couple months, we

“DCTA is trying to be a good neighbor to

this community moving forward with the

A-train and bus and mainenance operation

facility.”

— Dee Leggett, DCTA spokeswoman

See BEAUTIFY on PAGE 32

A-TRAIN SCHEDULEInformaciòn sobre A-train

Effective January 13, 2013Please note: schedule subject to change.

Check website for latest schedule information.

A-TRAIN SYSTEM MAPInformaciòn sobre A-train

35W377 35E

380Denton

HigHlanDVillage

lewisVille

ToDowntown

Dallas

N

121

720

1171

407

2181

Mayhill

McKinney

Round Grove Rd.

Hebron

Justin Rd.

Swisher

1

2

3

4

5

6

College

121

Denton CoUntYDALLAS CoUntY

RideDCTA.net

Potential Ad space 10.25” x 1.5”

Follow us on

For information on DCTA services, trip planning assistance or disability services, please call 940-243-0077 Monday through Friday 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

604 East Hickory St., Denton

1 Downtown Denton Transit Center (DDTC) - Served by all Denton Connect Routes and A-train

City Hall

Oak St.

Hickory St.

Sycamore St.

Prairie St.

Bell

Ave

.

Mulberry St.

Indu

stria

l

T

617 East Main St., Lewisville

4 Old Town Station - Served by Connect Route 23

Main St.

Church St.

College St.

Legacy Dr.

Walters St.T

FM 1171

3220 MedPark Drive, Denton

2 MedPark Station - Served by Connect Route 2

Quail Creek

Colorado Blvd.

Medpark Dr.

H

H

T

Denton RegionalMedical Center

North TexasHospital

35E

952 Lakeside Circle, Lewisville

5 Hebron Station - Served by Connect Route 21

Hebron Pkwy.

Lakeside Cir. T

2525 Blanton Drive, Carrollton

6 TriniTy MillS STaTiOn - Served by A-train & DART Green Line

Broadway St.

MacArthur Dr.

Trinity Mills Rd.

Mayes Rd.

BlantonT35E

190

161

2998 N. Stemmons Frwy., Lewisville

3 HigHlanD Village/ lewiSVille lake STaTiOn - Served by Connect RSVP

Bogard Ln.

Pinehurst

Eagle Pt.

Garden Ridge Blvd.

35E

T

Northbound to Denton Norte a Denton Saturday sábado

READDOWN

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STATIONestaciones

Green Line ArrivesTrinity MillsHebronOld TownHV/LLMedParkDDTC

5372 5974 5976 5978 5980 5982 5984 5986 5988 AM AM PM PM PM PM PM PM AM

— 11:04 1:24 3:04 5:24 7:04 9:04 11:04 12:34

— 11:06 1:30 3:06 5:26 7:06 9:06 11:06 12:37

— 11:11 1:35 3:11 5:31 7:11 9:11 11:11 12:42

9:40 11:16 1:40 3:16 5:36 7:16 9:16 11:16 12:47

9:46 11:22 1:46 3:22 5:42 7:22 9:22 11:22 12:53

9:57 11:33 1:57 3:33 5:53 7:33 9:33 11:33 1:04

10:02 11:38 2:02 3:38 5:58 7:38 9:38 11:38 1:09

Southbound to Carrollton Sur a Carrolton Saturday sábado

READDOWN

qqqqqqq

STATIONestaciones

DDTCMedPark DentonHV/LLOld TownHebronTrinity MillsGreen Line Departs

5973 5975 5977 5979 5981 5983 5985 5987 5389 AM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM/AM AM

10:15 12:15 2:15 3:55 6:16 7:52 10:20 11:53 1:30

10:20 12:20 2:20 4:00 6:21 7:57 10:25 11:58 1:35

10:31 12:31 2:31 4:11 6:32 8:08 10:36 12:09 1:46

10:37 12:37 2:37 4:17 6:38 8:14 10:42 12:15 1:52

10:42 12:42 2:42 4:22 6:43 8:19 10:47 12:20 —

10:47 12:47 2:47 4:27 6:48 8:24 10:52 12:25 —

10:50 12:50 2:50 4:30 6:57 8:27 10:57 12:26 —

— — — — 5:40 5:55 6:18 6:43 7:03 7:48 8:48 10:24 12:24 2:04 — — 3:44 4:04 4:24 4:44 4:59 5:29 5:44 6:14 6:29 7:24 8:04 10:24 12:44

— — — — 5:48 6:10 6:32 6:54 7:16 7:59 8:50 10:26 12:26 2:06 — — 3:46 4:06 4:28 4:50 5:12 5:34 5:56 6:18 6:40 7:26 8:10 10:30 12:47

— — — — 5:53 6:15 6:37 6:59 7:21 8:04 8:55 10:31 12:31 2:11 — — 3:51 4:11 4:33 4:55 5:17 5:39 6:01 6:23 6:45 7:31 8:15 10:35 12:52

4:30 4:52 5:14 5:36 5:58 6:20 6:42 7:04 7:26 8:09 9:00 10:36 12:36 2:16 3:10 3:32 3:56 4:16 4:38 5:00 5:22 5:44 6:06 6:28 6:50 7:36 8:20 10:40 12:57

4:36 4:58 5:20 5:42 6:04 6:26 6:48 7:10 7:32 8:15 9:06 10:42 12:42 2:22 3:16 3:38 4:02 4:22 4:44 5:06 5:28 5:50 6:12 6:34 6:56 7:42 8:26 10:46 1:03

4:47 5:09 5:31 5:53 6:15 6:37 6:59 7:21 7:43 8:26 9:17 10:53 12:53 2:33 3:27 3:49 4:13 4:33 4:55 5:17 5:39 6:01 6:23 6:45 7:07 7:53 8:37 10:57 1:14

4:52 5:14 5:36 5:58 6:20 6:42 7:04 7:26 7:48 8:31 9:22 10:58 12:58 2:38 3:32 3:54 4:18 4:38 5:00 5:22 5:44 6:06 6:28 6:50 7:12 7:58 8:42 11:02 1:19

Monday - Friday lunes - viernes

READDOWN

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5302 5304 5306 5308 5910 5912 5914 5916 5918 5920 5922 5924 5926 5928 5332 5334 5936 5938 5940 5942 5944 5946 5948 5950 5952 5954 5956 5958 5960AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM AM

Northbound to Denton Norte a Denton

STATIONestaciones

Green Line ArrivesTrinity MillsHebronOld TownHV/LLMedParkDDTC

Friday NightVi er nes par l a noche

Southbound to Carrollton Sur a Carrolton

Monday - Friday lunes - viernes

READDOWN

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5901 5903 5905 5907 5909 5911 5913 5915 5917 5919 5921 5923 5925 5927 5931 5933 5935 5937 5939 5941 5943 5945 5947 5949 5951 5353 5955 5957 5359 AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM/PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM/AM AM

5:04 5:25 5:48 6:10 6:32 6:54 7:16 7:38 7:57 8:50 9:34 11:30 1:15 3:00 3:44 4:06 4:28 4:50 5:12 5:34 5:56 6:17 6:38 7:02 7:48 8:30 9:15 11:55 1:30

5:09 5:30 5:53 6:15 6:37 6:59 7:21 7:43 8:02 8:55 9:39 11:35 1:20 3:05 3:49 4:11 4:33 4:55 5:17 5:39 6:01 6:22 6:43 7:07 7:53 8:35 9:20 12:00 1:35

5:20 5:41 6:04 6:26 6:48 7:10 7:32 7:54 8:13 9:06 9:50 11:46 1:31 3:16 4:00 4:22 4:44 5:06 5:28 5:50 6:12 6:33 6:54 7:18 8:04 8:46 9:31 12:11 1:46

5:26 5:47 6:10 6:32 6:54 7:16 7:38 8:00 8:19 9:12 9:56 11:52 1:37 3:22 4:06 4:28 4:50 5:12 5:34 5:56 6:18 6:39 7:00 7:24 8:10 8:52 9:37 12:17 1:52

5:31 5:52 6:15 6:37 6:59 7:21 7:43 8:05 8:24 9:17 10:01 11:57 1:42 3:27 4:11 4:33 4:55 5:17 5:39 6:01 6:23 6:44 7:05 7:29 8:15 — 9:42 12:22 —

5:36 5:57 6:20 6:42 7:04 7:26 7:48 8:10 8:29 9:22 10:06 12:02 1:47 3:32 4:16 4:38 5:00 5:22 5:44 6:06 6:28 6:49 7:10 7:34 8:20 — 9:47 12:27 —

5:43 5:58 6:28 6:43 7:14 7:28 7:58 8:16 8:30 9:30 10:10 12:10 1:50 3:41 4:26 4:41 5:11 5:30 5:50 6:10 6:30 6:50 7:10 7:50 8:30 — 9:57 12:29 —

STATIONestaciones

DDTCMedPark DentonHV/LLOld TownHebronTrinity MillsGreen Line Departs

Friday NightViernes par la noche

A-train22

TRANSIT FARE STRUCTUREEffective January 14, 2013

DCTA fares and passes may be purchased online, at ticket vending machineslocated at all A-train station platforms, or at one of the ticket outlets listed below.

• Downtown Denton Transit Center, 604 E. Hickory St., Denton, TX 76210

• TWU Student Union, 304 Administration Dr., Ste. 209, Denton, TX 76204

• Lewisville City Hall, 151 W. Church St., Lewisville, TX 75057

• Highland Village City Hall, 1000 Highland Village Rd., Highland Village, TX 75077

Ticket vending machines and some ticket outlets do not sell all fare types.

LOCAL SYSTEMLocal System Passes allow a passenger to travel on DCTA services; Connect, Connect RSVP, UNT Shuttle and the A-train.

Local System 2 Hour Pass $3.00

Local System 2 Hour Pass Reduced* $1.25

Local System Day Pass $6.00

Local System Day Pass Reduced* $2.50

Local System 7-Day Pass $25.00

Local System 10 Pack of Day Passes $40.00

Local System Monthly Pass $90.00

Local System Monthly Pass Reduced* $40.00

Local System Annual Pass $650.00

Summer Youth Pass $30.00

CONNECT ONLYConnect Passes can be purchased to travel on Connect local bus routes in Denton and Lewisville.

Connect One-Way $1.50

Connect One-Way Reduced* $0.75

Ten Ride Connect Book $13.00

Monthly/31-Day Connect Pass $45.00

Monthly/31-Day Connect Pass Reduced* $25.00

Annual Connect Pass $450.00

Regional University Student Full Semester Pass $250.00

Regional University Student Summer Semester Pass $160.00

Regional University Student Annual Pass $600.00

Regional University Faculty/Staff Full Semester Pass $340.00

Regional University Faculty/Staff Annual Pass $840.00

*REDUCED FARES ARE AVAILABLE TO• Youth ages 5-14 or students with a valid high school or DCTA-issued ID• Seniors age 65+

• People with disabilities who show: - A Medicare card - A Texas DMV notifi cation - A disabled veteran ID card

NCTC SHUTTLE

NCTC Shuttle serves the North Central Texas College - Corinth and Flower Mound Campuses with stops in Denton and Lewisville. Passengers can pay the cash fare upon boarding or show the bus operator their NCTC ID.

NCTC Shuttle One-Way $3.00

NCTC Shuttle One-Way Reduced* $1.50

DEMAND RESPONSE ACCESSAccess is a curb to curb ADA paratransit service for the elderly and disabled in Denton and Lewisville/Highland Village.

Access One-Way $3.00

Ten Ride Book $30.00

Students, faculty and staff of colleges with physical campuses within Denton County are eligible to participate in the University Pass Program. Proof of enrollment/employ-ment is required. Visit the Downtown Denton Transit Center for more details.

Local System University Student

Full Semester Pass $125.00


Summer Semester Pass $80.00


Annual Pass $300.00

Local System University Faculty/Staff

Full Semester Pass $170.00

Local System University Faculty/Staff

Annual Pass $420.00

UNIVERSITY PASS PROGRAM

Sign up for customized DCTA Rider Alerts at RideDCTA.net and receive new information regarding the A-train and other DCTA services.

And don’t forget to follow DCTA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and FourSquare.

STAY INFORMED

RideDCTA.net

REGIONAL SYSTEMRegional Passes provide a passenger complete access to bus and rail service on DCTA, DART, TRE and The T (except paratransit services).

Regional 2 Hour Pass $5.00

Regional Day Pass $10.00

Regional Day Pass Reduced* $2.50

Regional 10 Pack of Day Passes $70.00

Regional 7-Day Pass $50.00

Regional Monthly/31-Day Pass $160.00

Regional Monthly/31-Day Pass Reduced* $40.00

Regional Annual Pass $1600.00

Regional Annual Pass Reduced* $480.00

A-train 23

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Plan your commuteDCTA offers vanpooling program for commuters


Even though gasprices are dropping,the cost for drivingindependence isn’tgetting any cheaper.

U.S. drivers are reaching more into theirpocketbooks to own and operate a car, mak-ing mass transit and carpool options moreattractive to some.

So much that Denton County

Transportation Authority’s vanpooling pro-gram is noticing growth as commuters areteaming to shuttle themselves to work fromDenton County to parts of Dallas/Fort Worthand beyond.

Currently eight vanpools run within theDenton County system and three more are onthe way.

DCTA’s vanpools, operated in conjunctionwith Arlington-based VPSI, Inc., are designedfor groups of six to 15 people to share costs ofcommuting to and from work while also hav-ing a little downtime during the ride.

About 55 riders participate in the program– commuting from Denton County to as faraway as Marietta, Okla., – and that number is

expected to grow in January with two van-pools serving Peterbilt and another atLabinal, Inc., which recently relocated toDenton from Corinth.

Depending on the size of van used, com-muters pay as little as $33.79 per month toshare a ride.

The cost pales in comparison to averageannual expenses to own and operate a car.

According to AAA’s annual “Your DrivingCosts” study released in April, U.S. driversspent 1.9 percent more in expenses associatedwith using their own sedan.

Average costs rose 1.1 cents per mile to 59.6cents per mile, or $8,946 per year, basedupon 15,000 miles of annual driving. SUV

A-train24

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costs jumped to $11,360 yearly,75.7 cents per mile.

“Commuting with a vanpool isa cost savings,” says DCTAMarketing Manager KristinaBrevard. “Plus, you can do otherthings during the ride, like read-ing the paper, checking youremail and texting.”

Anyone who lives and worksalong an existing route and iswilling to share the ride areprime vanpool candidates. Toqualify, passengers should have atleast a 30-minute drive or travelmore than 15 miles one-way towork and maintain a consistentwork schedule.

VPSI spokeswoman MichelleSaye said that participants don’thave to work at the same compa-ny, but just be commuting to andfrom the same general area. Thecurrent list of vanpools serving

DCTA make trips from Denton,Lewisville and Coppell to Irving,St. Jo/Muenster, Grand Prairie,Dallas, Marietta, Okla.,Gainesville and Sherman.

Persons interested in the pro-gram should contact vRide todetermine basic route, scheduleand passenger costs. Oncerequested, the route is advertisedand riders are signed.

Each vanpool is assigned acaptain who coordinates usagewith VPSI and DCTA and pas-sengers. Drivers must be 25 orolder, have a valid license in the

state they reside, five years ofconsecutive driving history andproof of personal auto insurance(to show they are insurable). Acredit check is run on the pri-mary driver, who cannot havemore than one moving violationor at-fault accident in the last 12months.

Each van is allowed up to fivealternate drivers who are subjectto the same criteria as the pri-mary driver. If the primary driveris unavailable, one of the alter-nate drivers would drive.

VPSI owns the eight- and 15-

passenger vans and providesinsurance, maintenance, repairs,license and registration.?

Brevard likens the process torenting a van, and being the cap-tain has its perks. The captainnot only has driving duties but isentitled to partial use of the loan-er van after work and on theweekends.

“The driver can take it homeand use it on the weekends for alimited number of miles,” saidBrevard, who added that somedrivers choose to park the van ata convenient location overnightwhere participants meet for theride.

DCTA’s vanpool program isonly a couple of years old andslowly growing, but Brevard

“The driver can take it (DCTA van) home

and use it on the weekends for a limited

number of miles.”

— Kristina Brevard, DCTA Marketing Manager

See VANPOOL on Page 32

A-train 25

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Downtown perks

Transit center part of Denton hub

“We see the DDTC as the east-ern anchor of downtown and theclock tower as the eastern gate-

way into the downtown area,”said Dee Leggett, vice presidentof communications and planning

Those who live here are already inthe know, but for those of youusing the A-train or those thinkingof using the A-train, there’s a num-ber of reasons why your last stopshould be the Downtown DentonTransit Center.

By Bj Lewis/Staff Writer for Denton CountyTransportation Authority. “We’restarting to see through the city’sefforts, private developers andsmall business…things filling in.Restaurants, entertainment,store fronts, it’s creating thaturban walkable environmentespecially when you add the citystreet improvements.”

The changes invite people tocome to downtown Dentonwhether they walk or take thebus, she said.

“Hopefully that will sparksome additional developmentaround the transit center so you

have some activity on the eastside of the Union Pacific tracks.”

Downtown Denton combinesall the best elements anyonecould want in a small townatmosphere but with a real twistand the twist is entertainment,said Denton Mayor MarkBurroughs.

“Denton offers unparalleledentertainment for the size city weare — married between a historicdowntown that has all of the bestcharm, the definition of the cen-ter of a small town city, but withthe vibrancy of a growing, hap-pening place.”

A-train 27

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Burroughs noted that within a two-block radiusof the Courthouse on the Square there are 25 livemusic destinations in addition to the HickoryStreet corridor where the city is investing signifi-cant resources to expand the walkway into grandplaza area

“We have numerous new dining and entertain-ment destinations that have grown up with DCTAand, in my belief, in great measure because ofDCTA and the opportunity it brings.”

He said there are events like 35Denton that area child of the A-train and the concept of having thewalkable community and arts and entertainmentdistrict.

“We are attracting an unprecedented number ofvisitors,” Burroughs said. “It’s the best of all worlds.You feel safe and it’s a place you can bring yourfamily but also a place you can really enjoy your-self. We didn’t have to make it artificial like somany other cities. We have this incredible charm-ing downtown with a lot of unique local businessand destinations.”

BJ LEWIS can be reached at 940-566-6875.His e-mail address is [email protected].

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Sit back and enjoy the passing sceneryCatch up on reading, homework or prepare for

an office meeting.Take a nap (but make sure you don’t snooze

through your intended stop)Meet new peopleRest your legs between bicycle rides (the trains

now have handy racks to stash bicycles during thetrip)

Read “The Little Train That Could” to youryoungster while on the train.

Propose to your seatmate, preferably someoneyou know and have dated awhile and want to spendmany more rides with.

Whip out the handy calculator app on yourphone and calculate how much you’re saving ingasoline.

Listen to those songs (with ear buds please) thatyou’ve stored on your iphone or ipod that have beenpiling up.

Note that all could apply to a bus ride as well.

Make sure you have the appropriate fareAllow plenty of time to buy your ticket

and board the trainIf you require a connection with DCTA

bus or the DART train plan approrpriately

Sign up for DCTA Ride Alerts to bealerted of service/schedule issues

Travel with a friend, everything is morefun with a friend

Ask for a copy of the schedule to keep

A-train Tips

A-train 31

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Downtown highlightsLewisville’s the-

atre sits in the

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square.

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celebrates with

the Christmas

Tour of Lights with

some 300,000

lights on display.

Carrollton’s annual Festival at the Switchyards in

November draws crowds to its downtown district.

A-train32

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From Page 19

Beautifyhave been meeting with them tosee how we can integrate thesehistorical markers,” Leggett said.She said an idea was to place themarkers at the entrances to thetrail to help freshen up the visualtransition from the trail to thecommunity.

DCTA has been meeting withrepresentatives from theSoutheast Denton Neighborhood Association on thesechanges to get feedback andideas as the project continues toevolve.

The project must receive envi-ronmental clearance fromTxDOT, and DCTA must workwith the city on addressingissues such as the location ofutility lines and what types of

From Page 24

Vanpoolbelieves interest will increase asInterstate 35E begins itsmakeover later in 2013.

“We’d like for vanpooling togrow, especially when I-35E getstorn up,” she said. “The more carswe get off the road the better foreverybody. It’s just fitting theright person with the right sched-ule.”

Vanpools operate on a month-to-month basis and offer assis-tance to riders who have extenu-ating circumstances, like over-time or an illness, that wouldprevent riding at assigned times.

The Guaranteed Ride Home(GRH) Program provides a sub-sidized ride home in the case ofan emergency or unexpectedovertime on a day the personused DCTA services to get towork. The program is an attemptto ease the concerns of somecommuters using public trans-

portation who are worried abouthow they will get home when anemergency arises, Brevard said.

“It’s really a good deal.” How to start a vanpool in 10

easy steps:Call us at 1-800-VAN-RIDE.Determine basic route, sched-

ule and estimated costs.Advertise the route and sign

on riders.Hold group meeting with

potential riders.Identify candidates for volun-

teer and alternate drivers.Set policies and payment of

each rider’s share of the cost.Select your vanpool vehicle.Set start date and collect first

month’s payment.Establish the ground rules

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trees can be planted. “There are some areas where

we’re proposing some fencingwhere we have to work withsome private property owners,”Leggett said.

Denton City Council memberKevin Roden, who has beenworking with DCTA and the his-torical commission on the proj-ect, said the transit agency hasbrought a lot of change to thearea and he has seen opinions onthose efforts become more posi-tive in recent weeks.

More people are using the trailto hike and bike, he said.

“We’re starting to see there arecertain aspects that are benefi-cial. And I think it’s very impor-tant we try to add to the naturalbeauty that was taken away,” hesaid. “That is DCTA’s goal, andwe’re trying to find out whereDCTA wants to put that effort.”

A-train 33

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Cotton Belt CorridorDCTA works with others on expanding regional transportation

To keep up with the needs and demands ofa growing region, transportation officials arestarting to look at ways to connect to theCotton Belt Corridor.North Central TexasCouncil of Governments transportation direc-tor Michael Morris lauds the opportunities pre-sented in this corridor to expand transporta-tion in the region and better accommodate therapid population growth.

The Cotton Belt connection would provide a62-mile corridor extending from southwestFort Worth to Plano and Richardson and pro-vide a connection to Dallas/Fort WorthInternational Airport.

Morris recently briefed the Denton CountyTransportation Authority board members onthe Cotton Belt plan.

“We are working with our regional partnersto find good solutions for the whole area,”

DCTA President Jim Cline said. “As we look at expanding the regional rail

system, it’s going to take innovative solutions todeliver for our public. We need to be open toalternatives.

“We have established a good partnershipbetween DART, DCTA and the Forth Worth T[Fort Worth Trans por ta tion Authority] andwe feel the three agencies working together cancontinue to expand the system.”

Cline could not get into specific details sur-

rounding the possible expansion as he andother members of the board signed nondisclo-sure agreements.

Morris said planning for the Cotton Beltbegan about three years ago. DART officialshad said they could not get to the eastern sideof the Cotton Belt Corridor until 2035. Coupledwith some other areas in the region that havenot had rail service in a number of years andForth Worth trying to get to the airport by2015, Morris said there had to be ways to

“As we look at expanding the regional rail system, it’s

going to take innovative solutions to deliver for our public.

We need to be open to alternatives.”

— Jim Cline, DCTA president

A-train34

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A-train 35

Denton Community Theatre at the Campus TheatreOur 43rd Season continues in 2013 with

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The King & Iby Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II

April 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14

Sly Foxby Larry Gelbhart

June 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16

Greater Tunaby Jaston Williams & Joe Sears

June 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30

The Color Purple the MusicalFrom the novel by Alice Walker and the fi lm by Steven Spielberg. Adapted for the stage

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Tickets available through Campus Theatre Box Offi ceMon - Fri 1pm to 5pm

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develop partnerships for everyoneto benefit.

“Where we are now, the nextphase of the report is to do thefinancial analysis [on how] toinvolve the money and then pay itback,” Morris said in a Tuesdayinterview.

Morris said there is interest onthe part of the private sector to dotheir own financial analysis on thecosts of constructing the new con-nection, saving the transportationagencies anywhere from $5 mil-lion to $20 million.

“The companies involved inthis are the largest in the world,”Morris said.

“These aren’t mom-and-poporganizations.

“They are putting in an awfullot of time; they probably have 20people working on it right now.They are betting on themselvesthat they will somehow be able to

get it across the goal line.” Morris said with millions of

people still moving into theregion, there’s an opportunity tobuild a rail line across the spine ofthe region and create higher den-sities around the rail stations.These developments will helpreduce highway costs and vehicleemissions, Morris said.

Morris said future steps wouldinvolve talking to DART about railright of way to help with the con-nection.

In Denton County, talks wouldfocus on finding a seamless wayfrom Denton to the airport,requiring some conversations withofficials in the Carrollton area.Morris said Grapevine is puttingin money.

The Regional TransportationCouncil and the Texas Department of Transportation are invest-ing $100 million combined.

Morris said officials also hope toget federal funding.

In addition, Morris noted thatofficials are looking at building arail manufacturing plant in theregion.

Morris said many peoplearound the country are watching

Texas to see and take notes onhow things develop.

“We anticipate an unsolicitedproposal somewhere in theThanksgiving-Christmas timeframe, and then everyone will beable to see what the proposal is,”he said. - Bj Lewis/Staff Writer

A-train36

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Rate changes

Mid-January timetable for DCTA fare increasesDenton County Transportation Authority

customers are set to see a bump in some localand regional fares.

Fare increases were recommended to keepup with fare changes at Dallas Area RapidTransit and the Fort Worth TransportationAuthority (the T), with which the DCTA is in apartnership. Fare changes will be effective Jan.14, though no changes will be made toConnect, Connect RSVP or Access fares.

“We did have three public meetings on this,receiving feedback and through social media.While [transit users] certainly don’t like theincrease in fares, they do value the importanceof the regional system,” said Jim Cline, DCTApresident.

One of the new initiatives will allow passen-gers on DCTA’s local system to buy a two-hour

pass instead of a one-way pass, allowing unlim-ited travel during that two-hour period. DCTAalso is implementing a midday pass to encour-age travel during that time. This new pass isvalid for unlimited travel from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.on a weekday.

Those two new passes are valid on the A-train, Connect bus service, Connect RSVP andUNT Shuttle, and are only available from ticketvending machines at the five A-train stations.

Cline said the two-hour pass does twothings. It gives riders more options over theshorter time of the one-way passes, and it helpsstandardize the passes alongside DCTA’s transitpartners.

“When we look at what DART and the T aredoing, it makes it easy for everyone to under-stand and build that picture of a seamless tran-

sit system,” Cline said. Passengers regularlytraveling the regional system will see anincrease in the monthly and annual regionalday pass retail rate. DCTA officials are toutingthe benefits of the university pass program orDCTA bulk pass program, as rates within thoseprograms will not increase in 2013. The 2013fare structure also will implement changes tothe reduced fares available for seniors over theage of 65, the disabled, Medicare cardholdersand children. A new reduced annual pass willbe offered in addition to slightly higher reducedfares on the local and regional systems.

“We do think we have a good balance toaddress keeping the solid, seamless system andat the same time providing new options andsustaining the old options to serve our citizens,”Cline said. -By Bj Lewis/Staff Writer

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the a-train magazine, january 2013

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