Dallas-DART Isn't the Problem, Train Names, & More

News & Updates

May 31, 2024 Issue

TCNT Annual Luncheon, September 20, 2024

Registration is Open!

The Transit Coalition of North Texas is hosting its annual luncheon on September 20, on the State of Transit. We will hear a report on the TxDOT Multimodal Plan and the results of a TTI economic impact analysis of transit. In addition to individual speakers, the luncheon will feature a panel of our transit CEOs who will discuss what the State's plans and the statewide economic impact analysis mean for North Texas.

Don’t Break DART to Fix the Pension

dallasnews.com

Opinion

Bert Lance, former adviser to President Jimmy Carter, popularized the old expression, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” I’ll offer a corollary: if it’s already broke, don’t break something else.

The Dallas City Council is considering a plan that would remove 25% of the sales tax funding it provides to DART as a way to solve its giant, complicated and vexing pension problem. That’s not fixing a problem; it’s creating a new one.

It’s not DART’s fault the pension fund is broken. When my dryer breaks, I don’t try to teach it a lesson by destroying the washing machine.

The city is not addressing more fundamental issues: its spending policies and growing debt service payments.

Additional Article

Dallas City Council Reappoints 2 DART Board Members

dallasexpress.com

A pair of Dallas Area Rapid Transit board members were unanimously reappointed by the Dallas City Council on Wednesday, but three officials urged those representatives to remember who they serve.

“I just want to say, for the record, that it’s good that we’re getting leadership roles in Dallas on this regional entity of a board,” Council Member Adam Bazaldua (District 7) said. “We’ve got some really tough conversations, I think, ahead of us. And I’m hopeful that both Rodney [Schlosser] and Carmen [Garcia] wait out a balancing act that is going to be somewhat tough.”

Schlosser and Garcia were appointed by the City to represent Dallas, as were Michelle Wong Krause, Flora Hernandez, Patrick Kennedy, Randall Bryant, and D’Andrala Alexander. Enrique MacGregor represents both Dallas and Cockrell Hill.

“There’s going to be a fiduciary responsibility that they’re going to have for the board that we’re appointing them on, but there’s definitely a responsibility that they have to the City of Dallas,” Bazaldua said, repeating a sentiment Council Member Cara Mendelsohn (District 12) expressed during a Transportation & Infrastructure Committee meeting in April.

TEXRail’s Train-Naming Contest

ftwtoday.6amcity.com

In January, Trinity Metro launched a contest to help name seven of the trains in its TEXRail fleet in honor of the commuter service’s fifth anniversary.

The commuters didn’t disappoint, submitting over 1,000 suggestions. In addition to the already named Spike train, meet the new trains, each featuring a signature logo:

Maverick sports a spur.
Miles clocks distance with an odometer.
Vaquero dons a cowboy hat.
Ranger is emblazoned with a star-shaped badge.
Panther is printed with a paw.
Bluebonnet sprouts the state flower.
Zippy speeds along with a double-arrow logo.

Some of our favorite suggestions that didn’t make the cut are:

Meghan Trainor
Purple Panther Prowler
Howdy Express
Funkytown Fred
No Train, No Gain

Ready to ride? Hop aboard TEXRail to spend a day in downtown Grapevine or grab a flight from DFW Airport.

Texas Shinkansen May Not Operate Until Early 2030s, Amtrak Says

english.kyodonews.net

A planned high-speed railway service in Texas, using Japan's shinkansen bullet train technology, likely will not be completed until at least the early 2030s, a senior executive of U.S. railway operator Amtrak said recently.

"I do not see the line opening before the early 2030s...But certainly, the early 2030s is still possible," said Andy Byford, senior vice president of the U.S. national passenger rail company, which supports the project led by local railway firm Texas Central Partners LLC, in an interview with Kyodo News in mid-May.

Most recently slated for completion in 2026, the project is receiving technical support from Japanese shinkansen operator Central Japan Railway Co. If it goes ahead, the railway will connect Dallas and Houston, two major Texas cities approximately 380 kilometers apart, in about 90 minutes, but planning has been repeatedly delayed due to financing concerns, among other reasons.

Irving Infrastructure Summit is Back!

infrastructuresummit.org

The City of Irving and the North Texas Commission have teamed up to bring back the Infrastructure Summit. This comprehensive event will span a full day and a half, featuring a celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Regional Transportation Council (RTC), and showcasing panel discussions dedicated to addressing crucial infrastructure vital for sustaining the region's growth.

When: Thursday, August 8 – Friday, August 9, 2024

Where: Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas (500 W. Las Colinas Blvd)

Hosted by: The City of Irving and the North Texas Commission

More Information

Transit Coalition of North Texas

TransitNorthTexas.org