Agencies offer free train rides to UNT bowl game

[Harry]

University of North Texas fans will be able to catch a free ride on the A-train to cheer on the Mean Green’s first bowl trip since 2004.

While service on New Year’s Day is not usually offered by the Denton County Transportation Authority, the agency is teaming up with Dallas Area Rapid Transit to provide a way for fans to get to and from the heavily anticipated game.

“When we found out we were playing in the Cotton Bowl, the first thing we were excited about was our fans to be able to ride all the way to the game. When we found out it was Jan. 1, not a day they run, we started having discussions with DCTA,” said Jamie Adams, assistant athletic director of marketing for UNT. “They were very excited to work with us and and bent over backwards to make this happen.”

DCTA and DART will run limited service on the A-train and DART’s Green Line for fans with passes, said Kristina Brevard, DCTA vice president of marketing and communications.

The passes needed to ride are free and, beginning Dec. 26, they can be picked up at either the UNT athletics ticket office or the Euline Brock Downtown Denton Transit Center. There is a strict limit on one pass per person, so each rider must pick up a pass in person.

Read more: http://www.dentonrc.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20131220-agencies-offer-free-train-rides-to-unt-bowl-game.ece

[UNTFan23]

They make it seem like DART is running limited service when really they aren't.

[UNT 90 Grad]

They make it seem like DART is running limited service when really they aren't.

Sort of. DART will be running their Sunday schedule rather than their Wednesday schedule. That has everything to do with it being a holiday and nothing to do with the bowl game.

[greenjoe]

I'm reading that each person must pick up their own transit pass. One to one. None of this "Honey, can you pick up my transit pass when you pick up yours ?"

GO MEAN GREEN

[eulessismore]

They make it seem like DART is running limited service when really they aren't.

If you're saying that DART is not running what is variously referred to as "limited", "express", or "limited express", where trains don't make all the usual station stops, I'd have to agree with you, especially since there is no such service available anywhere in the DFW area. To run a service of that kind would require either a.) having triple or quadruple track setups for the section where the "express" is being run, b.) bypassing passengers waiting along the way, affecting the schedule of the "nonexpress" trains, while bypassing passengers waiting at the excluded station stops, many of whom rely on mass transit to get to work, even on New Years Day, or c.) running it at night, when other trains are not scheduled (more likely on intercity routes). Someone has pointed out correctly that the "TRINITY RAILWAY EXPRESSSSSSS" is not an "express" train, as it always makes all its stops.

Anyway, my apologies if you're not complaining about the provision of this wonderful benefit to UNT football fans, but are rather a train nut like me, parsing the terminology being used. However, I have gotten some sense of this not really being appreciated for the gift that it is. If anyone really thinks that there will be any form of express commuter or local rail service in this area, I would have to suggest that they look at their voting patterns, commuting patterns, and transportation expenditures and ask themselves if they and others they know have the political and personal will to do what it would take to at least double the trackage for passenger trains in this area, and get those quadruple tracks going. I know it won't be easy for you, as I have seen careers, political and otherwise, ended for those who were in the forefront of leadership to get us what we have in the way of rail transit for this area, which is a hell of a lot better than probably anything closer than Chicago.

And sorry for the rant, just a lifelong train nut and 12 year TRE rider. Given the train nut disease by my now 82 year old brother in law, who, as I expected, nearly killed himself by coming to Dallas the weekend after Thanksgiving to ride the McKinney Avenue Trolley and passing out on the streets of downtown Dallas. Not anything I looked forward to, since I work in an office with Dallas Fire Rescue staff, and know what they have to go through in their work. Sad thing, he only got to the light rail part, didn't get to the trolley. He'll be back. I tell you, this train nut disease can kill you like any other addiction. I just know I'll never stop riding.

Edited December 21, 2013 by eulessismore

[MEANGREENCOACH2]

So if I have 3 total people going what do I have to do to ride the train we live in Denton?

[GMG24]

Each one of you goes to pick up your ticket at the UNT athletic ticket office.. DUH

[MEANGREENCOACH2]

I will destroy you! ! !

we are leaving out of town tomorrow your gonna have to get ahold of Dani for the Money for the Bowl.

[THOR]

I will destroy you! ! !

we are leaving out of town tomorrow your gonna have to get ahold of Dani for the Money for the Bowl.

I'm not taking the free train so I can grab u a ticket and mail it if u need...

[jredallas]

From: Dallas Area Rapid Transit [mailto:dart@service.govdelivery.com]
Sent: Monday, December 23, 2013 9:34 AM
To: []
Subject: Make New Year's holiday plans with DART and TRE

Make New Year's holiday plans with DART and TRE
12/23/2013 09:30 AM CST

Prepare for the New Year with the following schedules from Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and the Trinity Railway Express (TRE):

. . . DART Rail will provide extra service for the Heart of Dallas Bowl. Blue, Orange and Red Line trains will follow a regular Sunday schedule into Dallas where customers transfer to the Green Line. The Green Line has additional capacity with a special short-line train between Victory and Lawnview stations every 10 minutes to Fair Park. . . .

[greenjoe]

I just got off the phone with DCTA (at least with the nice lady that answered the phone). She told me I must have a game ticket to pick up a transit pass. One game ticket to one transit pass no proxy. I can't even pick up my wife's ticket.

I get what they're doing-preventing someone from coming and grabbing 20 passes that might not be used, however, one person-one transit pass seems a bit rigid.

Anyway, I'm glad they're doing this and I'm going to be happy, happy, happy.

GO MEAN GREEN

Edited December 23, 2013 by greenjoe

[UNT 90 Grad]

I just got off the phone with DCTA (at least with the nice lady that answered the phone). She told me I must have a game ticket to pick up a transit pass. One game ticket to one transit pass no proxy. I can't even pick up my wife's ticket.

I get what they're doing-preventing someone from coming and grabbing 20 passes that might not be used, however, one person-one transit pass seems a bit rigid.

Anyway, I'm glad they're doing this and I'm going to be happy, happy, happy.

GO MEAN GREEN

I'm assuming the will call folks can show a receipt in lieu of tickets?