Public Transportation in Arlington -- Well, Sort Of

On Tuesday, Arlington got its first taste of public transportation -- but the taste is mighty small. At peak commuter hours, the bus service picks up at two Park and Ride locations at I-30 and Cooper Street/Lamar Boulevard in north Arlington and I-20 and Park Springs Boulevard in southwest Arlington for three trips to the Fort Worth ITC station in downtown Fort Worth. Three trips in the morning and three trips in the evening is it for mass transportation.

As the third largest city in the Metroplex, Arlington certainly needs public transportation. The reason Arlington has none is the residents consistently vote against it. Arlington's portion of $75,000 for this venture came from a fund to reduce air pollution. On the first day of service, the bus had only a few dozen riders. As more people learn of the service, and with gas prices staying where they are, I'm sure the ridership will increase. The service will last a year and then be assessed to determine whether it will continue.

I wonder, though, why the bus goes to downtown Fort Worth. It seems that a shorter bus trip to the rail line, such as to the CentrePort DFW station, would reduce pollution even more. It would also reduce the travel time for an Arlington resident commuting into Dallas -- about an hour from the Fort Worth ITC station in downtown Fort Worth to Union Station in downtown Dallas riding on the Trinity Railway Express. Travel time from CentrePort DFW is thirty minutes to either Fort Worth ITC or Union Station on the TRE.

A monthly pass, which includes rides on the TRE and DART, costs $80. Gas for a month in most cars will cost more than that, and then there's also the wear and tear on the car. It's definitely worth doing the math for your particular vehicle if you commute.

The T Logo courtesy of the Trinity Railway Express

Source: Star-Telegram "T's Arlington express bus service begins Tuesday", 02 Sep 2008