A year since launch, its full steam ahead for Trinity Metro’s TEXRail.
The 27-mile railway service that connects Dallas Fort Worth International Airport to downtown Fort Worth celebrates one year in operation on Jan. 10.
There were several hitches along the way to overcome and years of planning before Trinity Metro could finally start the service. Ridership number from the year now suggests commuters have green-lighted TEXRail as a convenient transportation service for Tarrant County.
TEXRail ended 2019 with ridership reaching 545,345 for the year. December 2019 was the record month with 51,217 passengers. The previous record for paid ridership was 44,741, which occurred in November.
TEXRail was also reliable. The trains were on schedule 99.15 percent of the time.
“Riders want to know that the train is going to pick them up on time and take them safely to their destination as scheduled,” Jon-Erik Arjanen, vice president and chief operating officer forTEXRail said. “If you’re traveling to the airport to catch a flight, you don’t want to worry about when you’ll arrive.”
The eight TEXRail trains traveled a total of 528,036 miles in its first year.
TEXRail makes stops in Grapevine and North Richland Hills. On Saturdays, the Grapevine station had the highest ridership. While DFW Airport Terminal B Station consistently ranking first in ridership on weekdays and Sundays.
“We found that more business and leisure travelers are choosing to leave their cars at home and not worry about getting stuck in traffic,” Arjanen said. “In 2020, we expect our commuter base to grow as more companies take advantage of the 25 percent discount we offer through our EasyRide program.”