Media Relations Contact:
Morgan Lyons
DART
Joan Hunter
The T
Kelly Doherty
DCTA
July 10, 2006
North Texas Free Fare Transit Day - Tuesday, July 18
DALLAS-FORT WORTH (July 10, 2006) -- Try it, you'll like it. The North Texas Clean Air Coalition (NTCAC) -- along with Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) -- invites residents across the Metroplex to get out of their cars and use public transportation for free July 18 for the first ever North Texas Free Fare Transit Day.
Public transit saves money, eases traffic congestion and allows you to do your share for cleaner air in North Central Texas. A commuter who uses public transportation on a regular basis can save from $300 to $3,000 a year, according to the American Public Transportation Association.
"North Texans can positively impact our region's air quality by utilizing our regional transportation systems, simultaneously saving money at the gas pump," said Jim Burke, CEO of TXU Energy, a business unit of TXU Corp., the sponsor for DART promotion of Free Fare Transit Day. "Its vitally important that we all work together to do our part for cleaner air."
To help you plan your trip on North Texas Free Fare Transit Day, here are some tips:
Trinity Railway Express (TRE)
A convenient and popular connection between Dallas and Fort Worth for both work and entertainment, the Trinity Railway Express (TRE) has nine regular stops, plus a special event stop during American Airlines Center events. Jointly owned and operated by DART and The T, the TRE operates from early morning to late at night, Monday-Saturday, carrying an average of 8,000 passengers daily. At $4.50 a round-trip, the TRE gets you across the Metroplex for less than it costs to drive and without the traffic delays. With your premium pass, you'll also ride free all day on the entire DART System and on The Fort Worth T.
The TRE is comfortable and simple to use: Park your vehicle at one of the park & ride locations and hop aboard. The 35-mile trip includes stops in Richland Hills, Hurst and Irving. Destination maps and schedules can be found onboard trains or by visiting www.trinityrailwayexpress.org. You can also speak to a DART Customer Service representative at 214-979-1111, or a T representative at 817-215-8600.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)
Sit back, relax and let DART's network of trains and buses take you all around Dallas and 12 surrounding cities, making it easy to get to your favorite destinations.
DART's 45-mile light rail system includes two lines: The Red Line extends from Plano to West Oak Cliff, while the Blue Line stretches from Garland to East Oak Cliff. There are 35 convenient rail stations along the lines. Nearly 130 bus routes - powered by ultra-low-sulfur diesel and liquefied natural gas -- cover more than 700 square miles of exciting destinations.
Either way you go, the DART System is easy to use. Simply head to a train station, transit center or bus stop, hop aboard and get off at your stop. DART Rail system maps are displayed onboard each light rail vehicle, and operators announce each stop. Comprehensive system maps, as well as bus schedules for each route, are available at DART Transit Centers.
DART's $2.50 Day Pass is the most economical way to ride. It's good all day for both bus and rail trips. Passengers may purchase a day pass from a ticket vending machine at any of the rail stations. High school students (with a photo ID), children (ages 5-14) and seniors (over 65) can ride all day for $1. Single-ride options are available and good for 90 minutes of train travel or a single bus trip (no transfers). Rail-only tickets are not valid on buses. Monthly passes are also available for as little as $40. After riding for free on July 18, find out just how much you can save by visiting www.DART.org/fares and calculating the cost of your commute.
For schedule information or to plan a trip, visit www.DART.org or call 214.979.1111 Monday through Friday from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T)
The T in Fort Worth offers travel aboard clean-emission compressed natural gas buses from 5 a.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday with Sunday service available from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. In addition, four express routes allow virtually nonstop travel weekdays from designated park & ride lots to downtown Fort Worth and to the Trinity Railway Express at the Intermodal Transportation Center (ITC) at Jones & 9th Streets. All buses have accommodations for wheelchairs and exterior bike racks.
The T's frequent service covers Fort Worth's cultural and entertainment districts, in addition to downtown, major employment centers, and connections to the Trinity Railway Express and Amtrak at the ITC. All bus stops and transfer centers have an easily identifiable sign with the T's star logo, the name of the bus route and the customer service phone number. Each bus has a destination sign above the windshield with its route number and name, as well as the bus's final destination.
Bus fares may be paid on board the bus with exact cash, or day and monthly passes may be bought at The T's customer service offices at the ITC, corner of Jones & 9th, or at the T's headquarters at 1600 E. Lancaster. Monthly passes may be purchased online at www.The-Tstore.com and at the following grocery stores: Minyard, Carnival, Sack 'n Save and Fiesta Mart. There are three basic types of pass: A local pass for bus and TRE service in Tarrant County only; a premium pass that covers all T and DART service and the TRE; and a reduced fare pass for qualifying seniors, students and persons with disabilities.
Passengers can use The T's trip planner and find out about bus routes, times and locations by visiting www.the-t.com or calling 817-215-8600 from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.
Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA)
Since DCTA was founded in 2003, it has created options for public transit users in Denton County. Most recently, DCTA launched the Commuter Express service, offering express motor coach trips from park & rides in Lewisville and Denton to downtown Dallas. The Commuter Express shares eight stops in Dallas with DART, making transfers to DART's system seamless for commuters. For those interested in traveling from Dallas to Denton, DCTA has a reverse commute ending at the University of North Texas (UNT) campus and three stops in Denton. To better serve students, professors, and university employees, the Commuter Express is available free of charge with a UNT ID. DCTA plans to run a pilot program using biodiesel fuel on the Commuter Express coaches.
In the City of Denton, DCTA serves more than 1.2 million riders a year through local bus service and the UNT shuttle system. DCTA hopes to increase ridership countywide in 2006 by expanding service in Denton and adding new local fixed-route service in Lewisville. These additional services will be provided by new buses that run on ultra-low-sulfur diesel.
For more information on DCTA services, passengers may visit the website at www.dcta.net or call customer service at 940-243-0077 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.
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