Media Relations Contact:
Morgan Lyons

June 1, 2004

June is Commute Solutions Month

DART helps in the fight against ozone pollution

Summertime is smog time and it's the perfect time for commuters to discover the convenience of transit - not only for getting to work, but also for dining, shopping and recreation.

By taking the bus, DART Rail and the Trinity Railway Express (TRE), or carpooling in a high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane, commuters keep vehicles off the road and help provide a solution to summer ozone pollution, the main ingredient in smog.

Automobiles are responsible for more than 55 percent of North Texas' ozone. "We all need to do our share to leave the car in the garage as much as we can," said Micah Causey, DART assistant vice president of Marketing and Advertising, and incoming Chair of the North Texas Clean Air Coalition (NTCAC).

NTCAC members include DART, the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (the T), the Greater Dallas Chamber, the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, the North Texas Commission and the North Texas Council of Governments.

Clean air alternatives
With its zero-emission electric trains, DART Rail is hard to beat for environmental friendliness. The Red and Blue lines connect Dallas, Garland, Richardson and Plano. DART Rail also connects downtown Dallas to downtown Fort Worth via the TRE, which departs from Union Station.

DART buses are cleaner than ever. New buses and new engine technologies are helping cut nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions - a major contributor to ozone -- by 71 percent over 1996.

Commuters who can't ride a bus or train can still make a positive difference. DART's 31-mile network of (HOV) lanes is the answer. Sharing the ride helps take cars off the road and that cuts pollution along with traffic congestion. Start your own carpool or call 214-747-RIDE for help.

Trip planning made easy
DART's online Trip Planner and convenient customer service make it easy to figure out how to get where you want to go. The DART Trip Planner, available at www.DART.org, allows customers to plan bus and rail trips from their personal computers. Just enter a starting location, destination, date of travel, and preferred times of departure or arrival, and receive a step-by-step itinerary specifying departure locations, transfer points, and departure and arrival times.

Personalized trip planning service is just a phone call away. Contact DART Customer Information seven days a week at 214-979-1111.

It's cheap to be clean
DART Day Passes, available on all DART buses and from ticket vending machines at rail stations, are only $2.50 for a local pass (all DART trains, local buses and TRE service between Union Station and West Irving Station) and $4.50 for a premium pass (all DART, the T and TRE service). Customers can ride more and save more with Local ($40) and Premium ($70) Monthly Passes, which can be purchased online at DART.org, by phone at 214-749-3282, at the DART Store at Akard Station in downtown Dallas, from DART Depot Fast Pass machines across from the DART Store and at 1700 Pacific Ave, and at participating grocery stores.

And employers can help fight smog with DART's Annual Pass program. This popular benefit does more than provide transportation; an Annual Pass offers value-added benefits such as emergency- and executive-ride programs and special product discounts. Details are available at www.DART.org/employers.

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