Several Trinity Railway Express riders were stranded Monday night in downtown Fort Worth because of a schedule change that resulted in the final train of the night arriving at the station after T buses stopped running.
Fort Worth Transportation Authority officials apologized Tuesday for the mix-up, saying they should have done more to notify the public about a lack of buses for the train arriving at Fort Worth's Intermodal Transportation Center about 10:45 p.m. Most T buses leave the station the last time of the night by about 10:15.The later commuter rail route was one of several schedule changes for area transit systems this week, as Dallas Area Rapid Transit extended its Orange Line light-rail service to Irving's Las Colinas area.In downtown Fort Worth, the T doesn't plan to add late-night buses to fix the problem -- at least not in the short term -- but will try to spread the word to passengers through fliers and other media."You can't have too much communication," T spokeswoman Joan Hunter said. "We feel badly that the change on TRE, which was a positive thing, left a few of them not knowing that the buses wouldn't be there. We wrongly assumed they would know the bus schedule hadn't changed."Eighteen people disembarked at the Fort Worth station Monday night, Hunter said, although it wasn't clear how many were stranded by the lack of buses. Some may have had a car parked downtown or other arrangements to get home, she said.Late-night rescuesOne rider told Star-Telegram columnist Bob Ray Sanders on Tuesday that he and several other TRE passengers were stranded downtown at 10:45 p.m. Monday and had to call friends and relatives to come get them. The man said passengers complained to T representatives Monday night but were told that nothing could be done.The man said that he was accustomed to catching a 9:20 p.m. train from Dallas to Fort Worth -- and that the train typically arrived in Fort Worth at 10:15 p.m. -- just in time to catch the last bus of the night on many routes. With the TRE schedule that took effect Monday, passengers wishing to catch the last train to Fort Worth and use a bus afterward will need to leave Dallas by 8:20 p.m.DART changesThe TRE schedule change was one of many that took effect Monday. The T and Dallas Area Rapid Transit co-own the TRE and realigned schedules this week to coincide with the expansion of the DART Orange Line to Las Colinas. The Orange Line will eventually serve Dallas/Fort Worth Airport.A late-night train to Fort Worth was added after many passengers requested later service, TRE officials said.Gordon Dickson, 817-390-7796Twitter: @gdicksonHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
