Texas Transit Association

Dick Ruddell, the T’s president and executive director, was interviewed by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram after completion of his first year on the job.

A FEW MINUTES WITH THE LEADER OF THE T
SPECIAL TO THE STAR-TELEGRAM/JESSICA KOURKOUNIS Aug. 11, 2003

Dick Ruddell’s first year on the job is turning out to be eventful.

The leader of the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (the T) is trying to prevent a mutiny by Richland Hills and Lake Worth, who are discussing dropping their T membership because they don’t feel they’re getting value in bus or rail service for their tax dollars invested.

Now, Metroplex leaders are talking about creating a regional authority to assume control of passenger trains in Tarrant, Denton, Dallas and Collin counties. The new entity might even take over the region’s bus services, which could weaken or even eliminate the T’s role. Even so, Ruddell believes there needs to be a candid discussion about the issue.

The following interview, conducted last week in Ruddell’s office, was edited for space and clarity.

Your Commute: The T already has cut some costs. Are you also considering eliminating early morning and late evening trains on the Trinity Railway Express?

Dick Ruddell: That’s only a possibility. We’re in tough economic times. But, even if we had a good economic year, we still wouldn’t have enough money to build another rail line, or the Cotton Belt, or a line in Arlington. Those are problems that can’t be solved by themselves without expanding (the T) or becoming a part of a regional service.

YC: The T is in charge of public transportation for Tarrant County, but only Fort Worth, Richland Hills, Lake Worth and Blue Mound are paying members. With only those cities as members, can the T generate enough money to meet Tarrant County’s needs?

DR: Not with the current service districts as they are. If it (the T) included all of Tarrant County, hmm, that might work. If it had a full cent like DART does in Dallas, that might work. But, there may be some other solutions out there. We need to first work on a process, to find a solution that has a chance of reaching consensus in the Metroplex.

YC: The T set a precedent when it agreed to build a commuter rail that attracts riders from Northeast Tarrant County cities without requiring those cities to join the T. Has that decision created an expectation that cities can enjoy the benefits of rail service …?

DR: … Without paying for it? Yes. I don’t think that’s the right attitude to have. If you try to dump the costs on one community, it will fail. The TRE is a great success (in terms of ridership). But, do we want more successes like it? Other cities are going to have to step up to the plate.

YC: What would the T’s role be in a regional transportation authority?

DR: All those communities, their voices have to be heard. Politics will be involved. The needs in the communities are different.

This meeting on (Friday, at the Texas Transportation Summit) is a great start to that. We talked earlier about a regional authority that has control over everything. Whether we all really want to create that, I don’t know. Maybe we do.

Maybe the individual transit system with (a separate) regional rail authority is the way to go — maybe something along the lines of what Chicago has. In Chicago, they have a regional transportation authority, but it only controls regional funds. But there’s still a Chicago Transit Authority under that. There’s suburban service, which is called Pace, and there’s the regional commuter rail service also. They operate their own service within their area. Something needs to be worked out that’s probably different than all those systems, but works for the Metroplex.

Running the T

Dick Ruddell is president and executive director of the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (the T).

• Experience: Ruddell Joined the T in February. He replaced John Bartosiewicz, who had been the T’s leader for a quarter-century. Ruddell was general manager of the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority for 13 years, and also was general manager of transit systems in Topeka and Wichita, Kan.

• Highlights: In his first six months on the job, Ruddell has proposed slashing the T’s budget and cutting routes to meet expenses. Fares also were increased.

More belt-tightening may be on the way. Ruddell says it may be necessary to cut some early-morning and late-evening routes on the Trinity Railway Express in the coming months.

• About the T: The T has four members cities: Fort Worth, Richland Hills, Lake Worth and Blue Mound. Those cities pay a half-cent sales tax, and the proceeds are used to operate buses and trains in Tarrant County.

• Did you know? Although Ruddell is in charge of the T, he actually works for a private company, McDonald Transit Associates, which manages the T under a contract. The T is a public entity that operates on tax dollars, but has been privately managed by McDonald since 1971.