Founded | 2002 |
---|---|
Headquarters | 1955 Lakeway Drive #260 Lewisville, Texas |
Service area | Denton, Highland Village, Lewisville |
Service type | Bus, Demand Response, Commuter Rail |
Routes | 12 UNT, 3 Denton, 1 Regional |
Daily ridership | 12,100 (weekdays, Q4 2023) [1] |
Annual ridership | 2,852,000 (2023) [2] |
Fuel type | Primarily diesel |
Chief executive | Paul Cristina |
Website | dcta |
The Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) is the transit authority that operates in Denton County, Texas. It operates transit service in three cities within Denton County, as well as the A-train, a regional commuter rail line to Carrollton. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 2,852,000, or about 12,100 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2023.
In 2001, Texas House Bill 3323 created Chapter 460 of the Texas Transportation Code, which authorized the creation of Coordinated County Transportation Authorities (CCTAs) by county commissions, subject to a vote by the county population. [3] In accordance with the code, on November 5, 2002, the voters in Denton County approved the creation of DCTA, with 73% in favor. [4] DCTA is the first, and so far only, CCTA in the state of Texas.
In 2006, DCTA absorbed LINK, the mass transit service operated by the City of Denton since 2002. LINK's bus routes were absorbed into DCTA's local Denton services (now called Connect). Paratransit services in the three member cities were also absorbed and renamed DCTA Access. Neither Lewisville nor Highland Village (the other current members of DCTA) operated bus lines prior to DCTA's formation.
The following cities voted to join DCTA and levy a 1⁄2¢ sales tax to finance the system on September 13, 2003: [5]
The following cities also participated in the September 2003 election but declined to join: [5]
No other cities have joined DCTA since its inception, and none of the original cities have elected to withdraw.
Texas Transportation Code Chapter 460 governs the DCTA board.
DCTA is governed by a five-member board appointed by respective entities: one member appointed by each of the "founding municipalities" (Denton, Highland Village, and Lewisville) and two members appointed by the Denton County Commissioners Court from areas other than the founding municipalities. Each party (the cities and the county) may also appoint an alternate member to preside in the absence of a voting member; the member can attend and participate in all meetings (except closed and executive sessions) but cannot vote and is not counted toward a quorum. A DCTA board member must reside either within DCTA's territory, or outside it but within a city which is partly located within DCTA's territory.
All members serve two-year terms. Board members must have professional experience in the field of transportation, business, government, engineering or law. In accordance with DCTA By-laws, the Board adopts the annual operating budget and is responsible for setting policy. The president oversees the day-to-day operations of the DCTA and implements policies set forth by the Board.
The Denton County Transportation Authority offers several services to the general public in and around Denton, Lewisville, and Highland Village. These services include fixed-route service in Denton, an on-demand service in Highland Village and Lewisville, shuttle routes serving UNT, a regional commuter bus service connecting Denton and downtown Fort Worth, and a train service connecting Denton and Lewisville with neighboring Carrollton (linking to DART light-rail service). Additionally, DCTA offers paratransit service throughout its service area.
DCTA Connect is a fixed-route bus service operating within the city of Denton. The current system consists of three routes, all of which use Downtown Denton Transit Center as a shared hub. Buses operate Monday through Saturday. [6]
Route | Headway (min.) | Route Description | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Weekday | Saturday | |||
3 | 45 | 45 | East from DDTC to Loop 288 and Billy Ryan High School, passing city hall and the county courthouse | |
6 | 20 | 40 | North from DDTC to UNT Discovery Park, passing Quakertown Park and Texas Woman's University | |
7 | 20 | 45 | West from DDTC to Texas Health Presbyterian through downtown Denton, passing the University of North Texas |
DCTA Connect originally had ten routes (eight in Denton and two in Lewisville), but most were discontinued in 2021 and 2022 in favor of GoZone service. [7] [8]
DCTA operates the University of North Texas shuttle system, which consists of fourteen routes. Most routes are only available during weekdays. UNT students, faculty, and staff can ride at no cost with their ID, while other riders can use standard DCTA fare. [9]
DCTA does not currently operate shuttles for Texas Woman's University or NCTC Denton, but both institutions are serviced by Connect buses (routes 6 and 7, respectively). Like with UNT, discounted passes are available to students, faculty, and staff. [10]
Operated in partnership with Trinity Metro, North Texas Xpress is a twice-daily weekday bus that travels between downtown Denton and the North Park and Ride in Alliance using Interstate 35W. Riders can travel further to downtown Fort Worth using Trinity Metro's North Park and Ride Xpress (Route 63X). [11]
DCTA operates the A-train, a regional commuter rail line connecting Carrollton and Denton, to meet growing transportation demands in eastern Denton County. The 21-mile rail line parallels Interstate 35E and meets the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Green Line at Trinity Mills Station in Carrollton.
It has six stations (two in Denton, three in Lewisville, and one in Carrollton) and opened June 20, 2011. [12]
GoZone is an on-demand curb-to-curb service operated in partnership with Via Transportation. The service allows passengers to schedule trips by van, similar to UberPool. [13] The service was established in September 2021 to increase DCTA's network coverage, and it has since fully replaced most of DCTA's bus routes. [7] [8]
GoZone service is divided into two zones: one consisting of the Denton city limits, and one consisting of the Lewisville and Highland Village city limits. Riders may travel to and from any location so long as the start and end of the trip are within the same zone. Travel between zones is permitted on Sundays and holidays, and travel from either zone to DART's Trinity Mills station is allowed late at night. The service has a $1.50 base fare, though the Denton zone adds a 50¢-per-mile surcharge for trips over four miles. [13] GoZone service is not included in multi-ride passes. [14]
DCTA Access offers ADA-compliant paratransit service to people with physical, cognitive, or visual disabilities who are incapable of utilizing Connect Bus service. This service allows curb-to-curb trips to be scheduled (at least one day in advance) so long as both the start and end of the trip are within 3⁄4 miles of a Connect Bus route. [15]
ADA paratransit in Denton County outside of DCTA Access's service area is provided by the nonprofit Special Programs for Aging Needs (SPAN).
DCTA Access also offers a non-ADA demand-response service for residents of Lewisville, Highland Village, and Denton that are disabled or elderly (65 years and older). These trips can start and end anywhere within these three cities, but they are provided on a first-come, first-serve basis and are subject to capacity constraints. [15]
DCTA also operates a paratransit service for the city of Frisco in neighboring Collin County, which provides trips (scheduled a day in advance) within Frisco and some parts of Plano. The service is available to Frisco residents who are elderly, disabled, or traveling to medical care. [16]
DCTA ridership fluctuates greatly with the academic calendar, as a considerable portion of passengers are UNT and TWU students, faculty, and staff. Bus ridership greatly exceeds rail ridership, primarily driven by university students. For 2020, the agency reported 1.36 million bus trips alongside 221,316 rail trips. [17] Like many transit agencies across the world, DCTA's ridership was greatly impacted by the effects of the [COVID-19 pandemic]. Ridership in 2019 was 2.4 million bus trips and 393,400 rail trips, for comparison. [18]
Denton County is located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 906,422, making it the seventh-most populous county in Texas. The county seat is Denton. The county, which was named for John B. Denton, was established in 1846. Denton County constitutes part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. In 2007, it was one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States.
Denton is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Denton County. With a population of 139,869 as of 2020, it is the 20th-most populous city in Texas, the 177th-most populous city in the United States, and the 12th-most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex.
Highland Village is a city in Denton County, Texas, United States. It is a suburb of Dallas and Fort Worth, located on the south side of the far western branch of Lewisville Lake. As of the 2020 United States census the city's population was 15,899.
Lewisville is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, located in Denton County with portions extending into Dallas County. As one of the Mid-Cities within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the 2020 census reported a population of 111,822.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is a regional public transportation authority that operates bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolleybus services for nearly four million people in five counties in and around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It also manages projects that maintain, replace and expand its infrastructure, facilities and vehicles.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is a transit agency serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex of Texas. It operates buses, light rail, commuter rail, and high-occupancy vehicle lanes in Dallas and twelve of its suburbs. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 50,463,300, or about 166,900 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2023.
Trinity Metro is a transit agency located in and serving the city of Fort Worth, Texas and its suburbs in surrounding Tarrant County, part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. Since 1983, it was previously known officially as the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (FWTA), and branded itself as The T. As of January 29, 2018 the Board of Directors has voted to rebrand bus services as Trinity Metro, replacing the previous and long standing name. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 5,717,800, or about 20,500 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2023.
The Green Line is a 28.6-mile (46.0 km) light rail line in Dallas, United States, operated by the Dallas Area Rapid Transit authority (DART). The US$1.7 billion project opened in phases, starting in 2009. It operates in addition to the Blue, Red, and Orange lines.
Lynx is a transit system serving the greater Orlando, Florida area. Operated by the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority, it provides bus, curb-to-curb, and paratransit services in three counties: Orange, Seminole, and Osceola. Bus routes are referred to as Links.
The Delaware Transit Corporation, operating as DART First State, is the only public transportation system that operates throughout the U.S. state of Delaware. DART First State provides local and inter-county bus service throughout the state and also funds commuter rail service along SEPTA Regional Rail's Wilmington/Newark Line serving the northern part of the state. The agency also operates statewide paratransit service for people with disabilities. DART First State is a subsidiary of the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT).
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is a governmental agency and its purpose is to "provide safe, effective, and efficient movement of people and goods" throughout the state. Though the public face of the agency is generally associated with maintenance of the state's immense highway system, the agency is also responsible for aviation in the state and overseeing public transportation systems.
Marin Transit is a public bus agency in Marin County, California, in the United States. Originally formed in 1964 as Marin County Transit District (MCTD). Marin Transit was re-branded on 30 July 2007 and now provides a variety of fixed-route and demand-response services using contractors. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 2,814,700, or about 8,800 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2023.
MetroAccess is a shared-ride public transportation service for individuals in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area who are unable to use fixed-route public transit due to disability. It is managed by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and is operated by various companies that contract to provide the service. "Shared ride" means that multiple passengers may ride together in the same vehicle.
The A-train is a hybrid rail service in Denton County, Texas, United States. The service is operated by Rio Grande Pacific under the authority of the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA).
The Downtown Denton Transit Center is an intermodal public transit station in Denton, Texas. The station, operated by the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA), serves as the northern terminus of the A-train, a transfer center for the DCTA Connect bus system, and a hub for the GoZone Denton microtransit system. The station also hosts DCTA's customer service center.
MedPark station is a A-train commuter rail station in southern Denton, Texas. The station is operated by the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA).
Highland Village/Lewisville Lake station is an A-train commuter rail station in Lewisville, Texas. It is operated by the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA).
Charles Emery Old Town Station is an A-train commuter rail station in Lewisville, Texas. The station is named for Old Town Lewisville, the city's historic downtown district, which it is 0.5 miles (0.80 km) east of.
Hebron station is an A-train commuter rail station in Lewisville, Texas. The station is a park-and-ride lot serving southern Lewisville, including the Vista Ridge Mall retail area.
DART Light Rail is the light rail system serving the metropolitan area of Dallas, Texas and is owned and operated by Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). The DART Light Rail system opened June 14, 1996 and serves 65 stations and four lines, covering 93 miles (149.7 km): the Blue Line, the Red Line, the Green Line, and the Orange Line.