Texas Transit Association

*Small pieces of the puzzle are important to regional strategy*

With the Frisco City Council studying the possibility of funding a fixed-route bus line, we thought the time was right for a Collin County Transit Pop Quiz. Pencils ready.

Editorial: Dallas Morning News Saturday, February 14, 2004
*Transit Quiz*

Go:
1) True or False: Only Dallas Area Rapid Transit cities like Plano have fixed bus routes.

2) Who has access to other forms of transit besides DART?

3) Essay portion: Discuss how a small fleet of 37 small buses and vans on a handful of fixed routes can become part of a seamless regional transit solution for North Texas.

4) What needs to happen next?

OK, ready for the answer key? Here it is:

1) False. Collin County Area Rural Transit is part of the Collin County Committee on Aging, a nonprofit agency. The group offered more than 93,000 rides last year; that’s 254 a day. The group has fixed bus routes in McKinney and Plano, and a second route is in the works for McKinney. This is the group working with Frisco officials to create a city-subsidized fixed route that would include links to the new senior center and stops around Stonebriar Centre.

2) Anyone. Yes, CCART exists under the umbrella group designed to serve the elderly, but there are no age restrictions on these fixed routes.

3) To properly answer the essay portion of the test, you should point out the fact that there are two main types of transit: the kind that moves people around within a city, and the kind that moves commuters to major employment zones. Cities in Collin County need both because there is an increasing number of residents with limited transit options (families without cars, seniors, disabled residents) and a growing pool of people commuting to other parts of the area. By working with CCART to help with the first type of transit, officials can focus more on seeking regional commuter solutions.

4) Frisco needs to solidify its agreement with CCART. For less than $100,000 a year, Frisco can take a first bold step toward public transit. Allen should follow soon after.

And more officials should recognize that the answer to No. 1 is “false” and that CCART needs help to help others, not just with fixed routes, but also with contract door-to-door services. CCART, by working with cities in Collin County, is becoming a growing part of the right answer to the most important transit question: What will we do about our clogged roads and lung-scorching ozone in North Texas?