View
1
Download
0
Category
Preview:
Citation preview
8 Continued Page 4
New Routes to Bush Center 2
Ridership Report 3
union at Carrollton square Connects 3
Excellence Honored 4
MAy 2013 DART.ORG
Ask Gary!How can DART afford to replace so many buses at once? We work hard to plan ahead, track when our vehicles will become obsolete, and build asset replacement into the 20-year Financial Plan.
Exercising that level of discipline ensures we can afford to replace our buses when they reach the end of their useful life, which is 12+ years for a transit bus.
Irving’s Big Ride on CampusFor students and staff at Irving’s
University of Dallas and North
Lake College, the Orange Line’s
the new way to get to class.
The inside track from President/Executive Director Gary Thomas
FY 2012
FY 2013
* March FY 2013 sales and use tax revenue not yet available
$60$50$40$30$20$10$0
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar*
In M
illi
ons
Sales and Use Tax Revenue
INFOTAINMENT sYsTEM utilizes LCD monitors to display next stop information and rider alerts.
DEsTINATION sIGNs with large LED letters are easier to read; front sign has a full-color display.
Fleet for the Future ELECTRIC HVAC sYsTEM maintains a consistent temperature, can pre-cool the cabin, and purifies air with ultraviolet light.
DART’s new large bus fleet is loaded with features.
LARGE WINDOWs let in more natural light and increase visibility.
LOW FLOOR allows for easy entry and exit with one-step boarding.
FLIP-OuT RAMP eases boarding for passengers with mobility devices, strollers or luggage.
suRVEILLANCE CAMERAs record passenger areas and allow DART Police live look-in ability.
COMPREssED NATuRAL GAs (CNG) ENGINE reduces fuel costs and emissions.
NEW
FORMAT
Short Trips
DART has a major bus order in progress that’s Big D worthy, and the new larger and smaller buses are big on features that pay attention to the little details.
The fleet replacement provided the perfect opportunity to capitalize on advancements of the past decade and address the lessons learned from previous orders. The agency also found it financially and environmentally advantageous to transition its primary fuel source to compressed natural gas (CNG).
Customers and operators alike have welcomed the new amenities. Some benefits, though, are unseen: a 60 percent cut in fuel costs over diesel and an answer to obsolescence challenges that come with maintaining an older fleet.
An Order of MagnitudeThe fleet replacement began in late 2012 with the delivery of 123 smaller, 26-foot ARBOC buses in use on Flex, On-call and lower ridership routes. In January, the first lot of 459 larger buses arrived from North American Bus Industries (NABI), part of a three-year contract valued at more than $210 million. The NABI order – a mix of 40-foot and 31-foot vehicles – will be complete by the end of 2015.
In 2009, the solicitation was the largest in the marketplace at a time when the bus manufacturing industry was suffering
Customers began riding the new NABI buses on select routes in late January.
Fleet for the Future 8 Continued from Front Page
DART Bus
Transit Centers 15
Routes 120+
Buses 642
Bus Operators 992
Bus Stops 12,500
FY 2012 Bus Ridership 38.7 million passenger trips
By The
NUMBERS
because of the economic downturn. DART’s longstanding policy of prioritizing good repair ensured that the agency could make a major capital reinvestment when other agencies’ financial restraints were delaying purchases.
“The large DART order provides stability and enables NABI to ramp up our low-floor model manufacturing operations at our Anniston, Ala., facility, which we had recently relocated from Hungary,” said NABI CEO/President Jim Marcotuli.
– 2 –
Massive bus order puts
technology in motion
8 Continued on Page 3
The Bush Library and Museum is filled with artifacts and interactive exhibits.
New Routes to Bush CenterAs part of a minor service change effective March 25, DART adjusted weekend routing on Route 521 to transport visitors to the George W. Bush Presidential Center at Southern Methodist University, which opened to the public on May 1. Route 521 – which links Mockingbird and Cityplace/Uptown stations – now loops through SMU on Saturdays and Sundays to serve the Bush Center and the future Residential Commons
at SMU, a residence hall under development. Route 768-Mustang Express will provide weekday service to the Bush Center and the new student housing.
SMU also sponsors a new shuttle, Route 743, which began May 1. The shuttle operates continually to the Meadows Museum, the Bush Center and Mockingbird Station, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. There is no Monday service.
Tracking Progress
Leader in Alternative FuelsDART is one of many U.S. transit agencies transitioning their fleets to natural gas to save money, improve air quality and reduce dependence on foreign oil. As a good steward of both the environment and taxpayer dollars, DART has been a forerunner in the use of cleaner fuels.
“When other entities announce they are using a ‘new’ alternative fuel, DART has already been there,” said President/Executive Director Gary Thomas. “We’ve been ahead of that curve for a long time.”
Better by DesignThe incoming buses boast features that operators and customers now expect: spacious interior, comfortable seating, efficient air
Union at Carrollton Square ConnectsIdeally located between downtown Carrollton and its namesake DART Rail station, the Union at Carrollton Square community links suburban living with big-city destinations. Phase I of the mixed-use, transit-oriented development – which opened in July 2012 – is 97 percent leased.
Union at Carrollton Square is a joint venture by High Street Residential (a subsidiary of
Trammell Crow Company), the city of Carrollton and Frost Bank to catalyze downtown revitalization. The successful project sparked the interest of Twisted Root Burger Company, which has signed a long-term lease for ground-level restaurant space.
High Street Residential announced it has broken ground on Phase II of the Union at Carrollton Square community. Phase II is expected to begin leasing this fall with units ready for move-in by early 2014.
– 3 –
Fleet for the Future 8 Continued from Page 2
conditioning, low-floor boarding and the like. But it’s the upgrades, like real-time travel information and purified air, which provide a great ride for DART’s largest category of customers.
Input from operators was paramount, from the location of air vents to the placement of a cup holder. These transit buses incorporate a newly designed barrier door that gives the driver an option of a protective shield from entering patrons while still enabling fare collection.
The NABI buses are equipped with so many communications subsystems that Mike Hubbell, DART vice president of maintenance, refers to the vehicles as “mobile data transmission platforms.” Each bus houses a 4G cellular modem that can transmit data by both Wi-Fi and broadband connections.
“DART’s attention to detail and quality have simultaneously challenged us and inspired us to be better in what we do,” Marcotuli said.
The well-considered design of the new buses illustrates the leadership thinking the transit industry expects from the agency that’s also built the largest light rail system in the United States.
Yet as Thomas puts it, “Having additional information continues to make us more efficient. That’s not so much leadership but just good, common sense.”
Read additional content online at DART.org/publications.
Union at Carrollton Square Phase II is under construction
Note: LRT APC data used beginning October 2011
Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
Ridership: Fixed-Route and Systemwide
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
In M
illio
ns
Systemwide: April 2011- March 2012
Systemwide: April 2012- March 2013
Fixed-Route: April 2011- March 2012
Fixed-Route: April 2012- March 2013
Fixed-route: Bus, DART Rail, Trinity Railway Express Systemwide: Bus, DART Rail, Trinity Railway Express, Van Pool, Paratransit, HOV
Chris Williams and Megan Best are among the many UD students who use the Orange Line from the University of Dallas Station to explore Dallas.
University of Dallas Station opened in late July 2012, shortly before the academic year began. During the inaugural year, University of Dallas offered regional passes to all undergraduates for $20 per semester and subsidized the rest. In the fall semester, approximately 75 percent of the students purchased one.
Almost all UD undergrads live on campus, so DART Rail lets students leave the premises without a car. For many, transit helps them spend less on gasoline and travel more safely.
“My friends and I have taken the trains on the weekends to go to Uptown, the Dallas Museum of Art or the square in Denton,” said Coppell junior Megan Best. “I can go places with a large group of people without thinking about a designated driver or how many seats are in the car.”
For Chris Williams, a car-free freshman from Florida, exploring Dallas by DART is practice for the university’s signature semester abroad in Rome, which most UD students attend their sophomore year.
“It’s great preparation for when we go to Europe and travel. We are all learning public transport smarts from the upperclassmen that have been to Rome.”
A Rail EducationIn early December 2012, the Orange Line arrived at North Lake College Station. For the many students who already commuted to class by DART, the trains provide more flexibility. Tina Bullard, who’s earning a network engineering certificate with her veteran’s education benefits, likes the options that rail offers for getting her from Addison to the college, work and errands.
“Being from Detroit, I’m comfortable with taking public transportation and DART lets me live without a car and still gets me where I need to be,” Bullard said. “When I hear traffic reports, transit seems like a better choice.”
Alyssha Lewis lucked into her proximity to a rail station after moving near the Las Colinas Urban Center and discovered the stop at the college after she enrolled.
“The trains are clean, faster than a car or bus, and the scenery isn’t bad,” Lewis said. “Plus it’s cheaper than paying for gas. Public transportation has been a big help in going to North Lake.”
A Study in ValueMarianne Wilson, administrative manager at UD’s College of Business, was newly hired when the rail line opened. She drives from Sachse to take the Orange Line from Richardson on an employer annual pass.
Irving’s Big Ride on Campus 8 Continued from Front Page
Excellence HonoredThe agency’s capital projects are shining in the national spotlight, with colleagues in the engineering and construction industries bestowing several recent honors.
Engineering News-Record Texas & Louisiana named DART its 2013 Owner of the Year for the DART Rail expansion, particularly the opening of the Orange Line.
The Regional Hispanic Contractors Association presented DART with a Pillar Award as Public Entity of the Year. The contractors group also recognized DART’s Orange Line, Blue Line and Northwest Plano Park & Ride expansions, each as Project of the Year finalists.
DART earned a National Recognition Award for the DART Police Headquarters at Illinois Station in the American Council of
– 4 –
Orange Line creates
campus connections
8 Continued on Page 6
Engineering Companies’ 2013 Engineering Excellence Awards competition.
Meanwhile, President/Executive Director Gary Thomas received the Ebby Halliday Executive Excellence Award from Executive Women International of Dallas. The professional women’s organization honored Thomas for his support of EWI and serving as an advocate for the group to other executives.
WhiteRockLake
Lake RayHubbard
Tr in i ty R iver
LOVE
DFW
President George Bush
Turnpike to I-20
GARLAND
ROWLETT
PLANO
RICHARDSON
IRVING
FARMERSBRANCH
ADDISON
CARROLLTON
UNIVERSITYPARK
COCKRELL HILL
GLENNHEIGHTS
HIGHLANDPARK
DALLAS
UNT-DALLAS
CAMP WISDOM
ROYAL LANE
WALNUT HILL/DENTON
TRINITY MILLS
FARMERS BRANCH
DOWNTOWN CARROLLTON
BACHMAN
BURBANK
SOUTHWESTERNMEDICAL DISTRICT/PARKLAND
MARKETCENTER
INWOOD/LOVE FIELD
NORTH CARROLLTON/FRANKFORD
CENTREPORT/DFW AIRPORT
WEST IRVING DOWNTOWN IRVING/HERITAGE CROSSING
UNION STATION
CEDARS
CONVENTION CENTER
8TH & CORINTH
MORRELL
PEARL/ARTS DISTRICT
ST. PAUL
AKARD
WEST END
ILLINOIS
KIEST
VA MEDICAL CENTER
LEDBETTER
DALLAS ZOOTYLER/VERNON
HAMPTON
VICTORY
MEDICAL/MARKET CENTER
WHITE ROCK
LAKE HIGHLANDS
PARK LANE
WALNUTHILL
FOREST LANE
SPRING VALLEY
ARAPAHO CENTER
GALATYN PARK
BUSH TURNPIKE
DOWNTOWN PLANO
LOVERSLANE
LBJ/SKILLMAN
FOREST/JUPITER
DOWNTOWNGARLAND
DOWNTOWNROWLETT
CITYPLACE/UPTOWN
MOCKINGBIRD
WESTMORELAND
PARKER ROAD
UNIVERSITY OF DALLAS
LAS COLINASURBAN CENTER
NORTH LAKECOLLEGE
BELT LINE
DFW
IRVING CONVENTION CENTER
LBJ/CENTRAL
HATCHER
LAWNVIEW
LAKE JUNE
BUCKNER
DEEP ELLUMBAYLOR UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
FAIR PARKMLK, Jr.
To Fort Worth
A-Train to Denton (operated by DCTA)
Da
llas
No
rth T
ollw
ay
President George Bush Turnpike
Rail System Legend
Currently Operating
DART Rail Red LineDART Rail Blue LineDART Rail Green LineDART Rail Orange LineDART Rail Orange Line
(Selected Weekday Trips Rush Hour Only)
Trinity Railway Express (TRE)DCTA A-train
Under Design/Construction
DART Rail Orange LineBelt Line to DFW opens 2014.
DART Rail Blue LineExtension to UNT Dallas opens 2016.
HOV System Legend
HOV LaneHOV Lane
(Outside DART service area – no DART funding)
Future HOV LaneFuture HOV Lane
(No DART Funding)
RED BIRDTRANSIT CTR.
GLENN HEIGHTS PARK & RIDE
ADDISONTRANSIT CTR.
JACK HATCHELLTRANSIT CTR.
NW PLANOPARK & RIDE
S. GARLANDTRANSIT CTR.
LAKE RAYHUBBARDTRANSIT CTR.
UNION STATIONCONVENTION
CENTER
PEARL/ARTS DISTRICT
ST. PAUL
AKARDWEST END
VICTORYDEEPELLUM
ROSA PARKS PLAZA
WESTTRANSFER
EASTTRANSFER
Downtown Dallas
DART Current and Future Services to 2016
– 5 –
John Carter Danish – Irving Chairman
Robert W. Strauss – Dallas Vice Chairman
Faye Wilkins – Plano, Farmers Branch Secretary
Richard Carrizales – Dallas Assistant Secretary
Jim Adams – Dallas
Michael T. Cheney – Garland
Randall D. Chrisman – Carrollton, Irving
Jerry Christian – Dallas
Pamela Dunlop Gates – Dallas
Mark C. Enoch – Garland, Rowlett, Glenn Heights
Gary Slagel – Richardson, University Park, Addison, Highland Park
William Tsao – Dallas
William Velasco II – Dallas, Cockrell Hill
Paul N. Wageman – Plano
Claude Williams – Dallas
DART Board of Directors:
Customer Information (routes & schedules) 214.979.1111
DART Administrative Offices 214.749.3278 Connect with DART
132-
010-
313
CW
DALLAS AREA RAPID TRANSIT MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS P.O. BOX 660163 DALLAS, TX 75266-7203
Address Service RequestedIrving’s Big Ride on Campus 8 Continued from Page 4
– 6 –
“Financially, DART has made a $300-per-month difference in gas, wear and tear, and tolls,” Wilson said. “Although the train adds a half-hour to my commute, what it subtracts in stress provides so much value.”
Having lived in London, Brian Reinhart, a web writer employed at North Lake College, was no stranger to riding rail. He eagerly bought a 2013 employee annual pass through the Dallas County Community College District and estimates it will pay for itself by summer.
“DART’s safe and reliable and I count on it every day,” Reinhart said. “When I look at the freeway, I’m glad I’m not there.”
Adrianne Settles, North Lake College’s student programs development coordinator, rides the train from LBJ/Central Station in the mornings. In the evenings, she takes Route 234 from the Irving Convention Center Station to get home.
“DART chauffeurs me around while I relax, read or study for my master’s,” Settles said. “I also love taking the train to events in Fair Park or the Trinity Railway Express to Fort Worth.”
According to David Browning, vice president for business affairs at El Centro College, the new North Lake College Station makes it easier for students to take classes at both campuses. DART has been the answer to nonexistent parking at El Centro in downtown Dallas, he noted.
“Our students tell us that by riding DART, they don’t worry about getting to class on time. They even coordinate study groups that meet on the train,” Browning said. “Plus, we know from surveys that we’ve helped create transit converts.”
Higher Education Pass Programs 214.749.2783
www.DART.org/collegepass
Nevin Grinnell Vice President Chief Marketing Officer
Morgan Lyons Media Relations Director
Lyle Miller Senior Manager, Creative Services
Denise Johnson Manager, Customer Information/Production
Karen Ptacek Communications Representative
Christine Wilson Senior Graphic Designer
Thomas Santana Graphic Designer
Joe Swift Photography Photographer
To subscribe or update your subscription, contact us:
Online: www.DART.org/publications Phone: 214.749.3249Mail: Inmotion - Marketing Department
Dallas Area Rapid Transit P.O. Box 660163 Dallas, TX 75266-7203
NEW
FORMAT
Recommended