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The Source for Public Transportation News and Analysis June 15, 2012
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COVERAGE OF THE 2012 APTA RAIL CONFERENCE
Host Forum Presents Speakers Citing Regional Accomplishments
BY KATHY GOLDEN, Editor

Regionalism and coordination were the topics at the June 3 Host Forum during the APTA Rail Conference in Dallas, with speakers focusing on the many accomplishments of the North Central Texas area.

Timothy H. McKay, chair, APTA Rail Conference Planning Subcommittee, and executive vice president, growth and regional development, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), served as moderator.

Richard L. Ruddell, president and executive director, Fort Worth Transportation Authority, told the audience, “You really can’t talk about regionalism in transportation without talking about the Trinity Rail Express (TRE),” which he noted is jointly operated with DART. Calling the commuter rail system “fantastically successful” in its well over 10 years of operation, he said it is used as a model throughout the country.

Ruddell noted that TRE is owned and operated by two separate and independent transit authorities and provides passenger rail service between downtown Fort Worth and downtown Dallas. “It works well,” he said, “because of that cooperation.”

He also was enthusiastic about TEX Rail, a large upcoming commuter rail project in Tarrant County and Fort Worth that will encompass approximately 40 miles with 11 stations. It will operate over three different railroads, which Ruddell called “our biggest challenge.” The line will provide direct service into Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport while also transporting riders across the county.

James C. Cline Jr., P.E., president, Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA), spoke next about the authority—a county-wide agency serving Denton, Lewisville, and Highland Village with rail and bus service.

DCTA’s focus on education has an impact on ridership, with the system providing more than 2.5 million rides last year. It serves more than 50,000 college students and moves students from North Central University of North Texas and Texas Women’s University while also operating a campus shuttle.

Strategic partnerships, such as these with universities and with FTA, FRA, and DART, Cline said, “have been keys to our agency’s success.”

But, he noted there are challenges ahead. For example, he said, “If you look at the North Central Texas area, more than 40 percent of the population is not served in a region that will have a population of nine million.”

To better address this, DCTA is examining ways to expand these areas, close the gaps, and identify unique funding mechanisms. “We build on what we can do best,” Cline said.

DCTA is working hard to implement the new Stadler rail vehicle, a key initiative of his agency, and Cline said the agency is looking forward to operating outside this corridor. “The ability to have a lighter vehicle that can also operate in other corridors opens up many opportunities, not just for DCTA but also for the whole region,” he said.

Noting the presence of a Stadler rail car on display at Dallas Union Station, Cline hinted that there would be a positive announcement the following day. In fact, the next day at a special press event, FRA announced that it had granted DCTA’s request for an alternate vehicle technology waiver to operate the Stadler rail cars on the same tracks as freight trains—the first such waiver the FRA has granted.

Cline then introduced Gary C. Thomas, APTA chair and DART’s president/executive director, giving him credit for the DART Green Line—“the longest light rail project that was under construction and then opened in North America.” Thomas in turn acknowledged Bob Strauss, vice chairman of the DART Board of Directors, for his leadership.

Thomas discussed a key challenge facing his system: how to continue to provide transportation choices more quickly than what is currently available, but simultaneously with DART’s growth in a 12-county area where there are three public transit authorities.

“We need to get people out of cars and off the road,” he said. “Out of parking lots and onto buses and trains.” And even though he acknowledged this was the Rail Conference, he still took a moment to recognize that DART was named the Grand Champion at the recent APTA Bus Roadeo; he followed this with a short video of the winners.

Back to the subject of trains, Thomas said that another challenge is how to convince people to dedicate funding to continue to expand public transit service in North Texas.

He followed with a brief history of DART, noting that the system opened its first light rail line in 1996, followed by commuter rail. DART operates 72 miles of light rail, he said, “more than anyone in the country.”

Noting that a comprehensive public transit system pays off in many ways, Thomas pointed out that around the light rail system stands more than $8 billion in current and projected transit-oriented development.

“Put all this together, and what all three agencies are doing,” said Thomas, and “you’d be hard-pressed to find a better example of regional cooperation in the United States.” He also stressed that partnerships, particularly with FTA and FRA, are critical and “made the system what it is today.”

He added that workforce development—especially supporting the next generation of  public transit industry leadership—is critical. In response to this need, he said, DART created the Leadership DART program—modeled after Leadership APTA—to prepare future mid-level managers.

Thomas concluded by inviting the members in the audience to come back in late July for the opening of the DART Orange Line or in the fall to see new buses in operation.

 

Gary C. Thomas, at podium, addresses the Host Forum, "Regionalism Through Tri-Party Coordination." Additional speakers are James C. Cline Jr., left, and Richard L. Ruddell. 

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