DCTA Board Action on Service Changes

May 24, 2012

On May 24, 2012, the Denton County Transportation Authority Board of Directors approved additional rail service for the A-train to include mid-day rail service Monday through Friday.

This action follows a series of public meetings and community surveys where the implementation of mid-day rail service was identified as the top priority. Other improvements considered and approved include improved connections between transit systems, earlier and later service on Saturday, and the relocation of the DCTA fare boundary to Trinity Mills. These changes will be effective August 20, 2012.

DCTA’s challenge has been determining the best investment of funds to increase the overall utilization of the system.  Based on our research over the last six months, DCTA has determined and the board has confirmed that mid-day rail service is the smartest investment and will generate the highest ridership.

“The core of our challenge is to meet the needs of riders in a fiscally responsible way. Our staff has done strong planning work and the DCTA Board has been involved in some rather spirited discussions,” DCTA president Jim Cline stated in a previous blog. Today’s action reflects the agency’s commitment to building ridership in a fiscally responsible way.

In a separate, but highly debated action, the board voted to discontinue extended A-train service on Friday night effective June 30, 2012. Beginning July 1, Friday service will mirror the spans of service for Monday through Thursday. Service levels and schedules will be revisited in the fall in anticipation of another series of changes in January 2013.

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