discover north texas with dart 2 meetings address service ... · $145 million – went to certified...
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To subscribe or update your subscription, contact us:
Online: www.DART.org/publications Phone: 214.749.3249Mail: Inmotion - Marketing Department
Dallas Area Rapid Transit P.O. Box 660163 Dallas, TX 75266-7203
No Coating or Varnish to be used on Mailing Panel Above (TOP half to fold at 5.5˝in middle).
Discover North Texas with DART 2
Meetings Address Service Changes 3
A Winning Proposition 4
Tenants Join Employer Pass Program 4
SEPTEMBER 2015 DART.ORG
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Ask Gary!Why are minority- and women-owned businesses important to DART?In FY 2014, nearly 60 percent of DART’s procurement spending – more than $145 million – went to certified minority- or women-owned businesses. Many of these companies, such as Dikita Enterprises, have grown into larger enterprises and prime contractors from their business with DART.
Dallas-based Dikita Enterprises, a certified disadvantaged and minority-owned business, has held contracts for DART’s
The inside track from President/Executive Director Gary Thomas
Doing Business with DARTAgency seeks qualified suppliers
REGISTER online as a DART vendor.
From ongoing operations to capital projects, DART is a major consumer of products and services and an economic engine in North Texas. Winning a government project is great for business – and active involvement in the bidding process goes a long way toward making that happen.
GET CERTIFIED as a minority- or woman-owned business enterprise.
MONITOR the Upcoming Procurement Opportunities page on DART.org/Procurement.
PARTICIPATE in the bid/proposal process and learn what DART needs and expects from its vendors.
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data-collection and light rail vehicle inspection services since the early ’90s. President and CEO Evalynn Williams said the company’s relationship with DART has helped it win other contracts and grow her family’s company from a four-person operation to one employing more than 60 people.
As a taxpayer-supported entity, DART has a fundamental obligation to the community to create economic opportunities. Our board and staff believe that our suppliers should be as diverse as the North Texas region.
While our agency has a great track record for inclusivity in its procurement practices, we have improved our visibility using focused
outreach and training efforts that identify meaningful opportunities and increase supplier participation.
By increasing the number of North Texas-based companies registered as DART suppliers, the agency benefits from greater competition for our projects, which helps us get better pricing and higher product quality. DART also partners many of these local companies with our prime contractors. The companies, in turn, gain transit-industry experience working on our major projects, which makes them more competitive on a local and national basis.
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Short Trips
Seeking to grow its business, Small Pond Video Productions set its sights on DART. Last year, President and Executive Producer Silvana Rosero attended the transit agency’s Small Business Academy to learn how to access business opportunities.
“I thought government procurement would be challenging to navigate,” Rosero said, “but the process to bid for new business was clear and streamlined and the procurement team answered all the questions we had.”
Efforts are made to reduce red tape and make DART a preferred customer of minority and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBE).
As Vice President of Procurement John Adler explained, the goal of public procurement is to:• Achieve full and open competition • Provide fair and equitable bidding
opportunities• Get the best products or service, at the
best price, with the right terms, and reliable performance and delivery
• Deliver efficient and effective five-star procurement services
“Suppliers who educate themselves on the process, learn what DART expects, and remain engaged throughout tend to win more contracts and purchase agreements,” Adler said.
DART purchases a variety of goods and services, from construction services to bus and train parts to videography, from outside vendors.
Doing Business with DART 8 Continued from Front Page
To submit a bid or proposal, a supplier must register online with DART. The agency notifies registered suppliers of opportunities based on self-selected commodity codes. Although not a guarantee, following these guidelines will help in submitting a competitive bid or proposal.
Attend pre-bid or pre-proposal conferences• Be proactive. Ask questions of project
managers and contract specialists.• Network with others who might become
business partners.
Review contract solicitations carefully• Read all sections thoroughly and
respond to all parts.• Pay attention to all performance and
financial requirements.
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Bidding process is
easy to navigate
Discover North Texas with DART DART wants to transform how people feel about riding public transportation and inspire a sense of discovery.
“We hope to cultivate a deeper, more personal connection with customers so their relationship with us spans beyond the functional benefits of the service, said Nevin Grinnell, DART vice president and chief marketing officer.
The agency collaborated with Alchemy at AMS, a Dallas-based advertising firm, on the initiative. Leveraging traditional and digital media, the messaging encourages people to use public transportation to explore North Texas.
In July, DART launched a campaign that reflects the new positioning, called “DARTable Gems,” in which consumers learn about trendy hot spots around town on DART.org/DARTable.
If qualified, get certified• Open doors of opportunity by allowing your
certified firm to be utilized toward meeting M/WBE goals.
• Receive more prime- and sub-contractor opportunities if you are a bona fide disadvantaged, minority- or women-owned business enterprise.
• Work with a DART-authorized certification agency:
– North Central Texas Regional Certification Agency
– DFW Minority Supplier Development Council
– Women’s Business Council Southwest
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Learn more:DART.org/Procurement
DART.org/Diversity
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Exciting new development is common in a region growing as quickly as ours. As housing and employment centers change, DART also adjusts its bus service to ensure that people can get where they need to go.
Twice a year, bus routes are reworked to better accommodate patrons, improve connections, increase on-time performance and optimize the agency’s use of resources.
“Wherever customers are, they should, on balance, experience a net improvement in their interactions with DART, owing to added efficiency,” said Robert Smith, assistant vice president of service planning and development.
With each alteration, DART seeks public input. For the service changes that go into effect in March 2016, the agency will conduct no fewer than six community meetings, capped by a public hearing in late September.
According to Lawrence Meshack, DART senior manager of community engagement, the agency schedules these meetings early in the process to give ample time for further analysis, research, planning and implementation.
“Although we expect minimal impact to most customers, their input is important and serves as a guide for our planners every step of the way,” Meshack said.
Changing It Up
The proposed modifications will be cost-neutral, meaning that any reduction in service levels will be offset by improvements elsewhere – such as expanded hours, added Sunday routes or increased frequency. As a result, planners are challenged to examine riding patterns closely.
The community meetings will take place Sept. 8-21, and the public hearing will be held Sept. 22. Information is available on the DART website.
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The agency is seeking public input on bus service changes that will reallocate resources from unproductive routes and strategically alter other routes to improve ridership and on-time performance.
Meetings about next
service change
are underway
Zipcar Expands FootprintThe car-sharing service Zipcar has added a third vehicle at Mockingbird Station and now also has two vehicles at Inwood/Love Field Station in response to growing DART customer demand.
Local Zipcar officials said the company consistently monitors usage and adds vehicles as needed to deliver on the brand promise of “wheels when you want them.”
Zipcar chose the Inwood/Love Field Station based on the growing development in the area, as well as easy access to both the Southwestern Medical District and Dallas Love Field airport.
DART began its collaboration with Zipcar earlier this year in an attempt to solve some of the “last mile” issues surrounding public transportation use.
Learn more:DART.org/meetings
Public Hearing2016 DART Service Change Proposals
6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015
DART Board Room (First Floor)
DART Headquarters
Akard Station
1401 Pacific Ave.
Dallas, TX 75202
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Sales representative Rebecca Maples met with employee transit coordinators at UT Southwestern Medical District to update them on the new contract process and deadlines. Annually, the company purchases more than 1,300 DART passes.
This fall, medical plans and flexible spending accounts aren’t the only benefit decisions to be made. It’s also time for employees to decide to commute by public transportation in the new year.
More than 250 companies participate in DART’s Employer Pass Program. Most companies renew or sign up in the fall, as it typically coincides with their health benefits open enrollment period. The majority of participating companies choose annual passes, but others use monthly passes. The number of prepaid passes issued through the program now exceeds 73,000.
Approximately a third of companies in the employer annual pass program pay 100 percent of the cost for their employees and another third cover a portion of the cost. Those that do not subsidize passes do allow for payroll deduction – making it convenient and cost-effective for employees who are able to pay using pretax dollars.
Bob English, DART senior manager of consumer programs, said employers credit transit commuter programs with reducing employee turnover and absenteeism. Employees enjoy a less stressful commute and lower transportation expenses.
“For many workers – particularly the younger demographic – access to public transportation
plays a significant role in deciding where to work,” English said. “Offering a prepaid transit pass is a perk that will appeal to many employees, particularly for those looking to slash the cost of their commute.”
In addition to corporations, colleges and universities can participate in DART’s prepaid pass program.
El Centro College was the first of now 18 colleges that participate. The Dallas-based institution signed up 11 years ago in lieu of building parking garages downtown.
A Winning Proposition
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Prepaid pass program
benefits employers
and employees
Approximately 64 percent of students said the ability to get to college via DART influenced their decision to enroll. Before attending El Centro, 39 percent of the students said they rode DART regularly. After enrollment, that number jumped to 76 percent.
“For employers, the prepaid pass program enhances their company’s overall employee package. For colleges and universities, it can be the deciding factor on which school to attend,” English said. “For North Texans, DART is helping lower commuting costs, reduce traffic congestion and contribute to cleaner air.”
Tower at Cityplace TenantsJoin Employer Pass ProgramThe companies that office at Tower at Cityplace are a perfect fit for DART’s Employer Pass Program. After all, there’s a namesake station literally underneath the 42-story office building, and it’s served by three of four light rail lines. The only problem: Many of those companies are too small to enter into a contract with the agency on their own.
Enter Parmenter Realty Partners, which manages the property, and an innovative new program at DART. Through this new approach, companies that aren’t large enough to contract directly with the agency can obtain discounted annual passes through their landlords. “The response has been great,” said Eric Tatro, Parmenter’s assistant property manager who oversees Tower at Cityplace. “It helps those companies bridge the gap and we’re providing a great benefit to our tenants.”
WhiteRockLake
Lake RayHubbard
Tr in i ty R iver
LOVE
DFW
GARLAND
ROWLETT
PLANO
RICHARDSON
IRVING
FARMERSBRANCH
ADDISON
CARROLLTON
UNIVERSITYPARK
COCKRELL HILL
GLENNHEIGHTS
HIGHLANDPARK
DALLAS
UNT DALLAS
CAMP WISDOM
ROYAL LANE
WALNUT HILL/DENTON
TRINITY MILLS
FARMERS BRANCH
DOWNTOWN CARROLLTON
BACHMAN
BURBANK
SOUTHWESTERNMEDICAL DISTRICT/PARKLAND
MARKETCENTER
INWOOD/LOVE FIELD
NORTH CARROLLTON/FRANKFORD
CENTREPORT/DFW AIRPORT
WEST IRVING DOWNTOWN IRVING/HERITAGE CROSSING
UNION STATION
CEDARS
CONVENTION CENTER
8TH & CORINTH
MORRELL
PEARL/ARTS DISTRICT
ST. PAUL
AKARD
WEST END
ILLINOIS
KIEST
VA MEDICAL CENTER
LEDBETTER
DALLAS ZOOTYLER/VERNON
HAMPTON
VICTORY
MEDICAL/MARKET CENTER
WHITE ROCK
LAKE HIGHLANDS
PARK LANE
WALNUTHILL
FOREST LANE
SPRING VALLEY
ARAPAHO CENTER
GALATYN PARK
BUSH TURNPIKE
DOWNTOWN PLANO
LOVERSLANE
LBJ/SKILLMAN
FOREST/JUPITER
DOWNTOWNGARLAND
DOWNTOWNROWLETT
CITYPLACE/UPTOWN
MOCKINGBIRD
WESTMORELAND
PARKER ROAD
UNIVERSITY OF DALLAS
LAS COLINASURBAN CENTER
NORTH LAKECOLLEGE
BELT LINE
DFWAIRPORT
IRVING CONVENTION CENTER
LBJ/CENTRAL
HATCHER
LAWNVIEW
LAKE JUNE
BUCKNER
DEEP ELLUMBAYLOR UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
FAIR PARKMLK, JR.
To Fort Worth
A-Train to Denton (operated by DCTA)
Da
llas
No
rth T
ollw
ay
President Geo rge Bush Turnpike
Pre
sid
en
t G
eo
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Bush
Turn
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DART Current and Future Services to 2016
BELL
RICHLAND HILLS
FORT WORTH ITCT&P STATION
TRE to Fort Worth
FORT WORTH
Rail System LegendCurrently Operating
DART Rail Red LineDART Rail Blue LineDART Rail Green LineDART Rail Orange LineDART Rail Orange Line
(Selected Weekday Trips Rush Hour Only)
Trinity Railway Express (TRE)DCTA A-train
Under Design/Construction
DART Rail Blue LineExtension to UNT Dallas opens 2016.
RED BIRDTRANSIT CTR.
GLENN HEIGHTS PARK & RIDE
ADDISONTRANSIT CTR.
JACK HATCHELLTRANSIT CTR.
NW PLANOPARK & RIDE
S. GARLANDTRANSIT CTR.
LAKE RAYHUBBARDTRANSIT CTR.
UNION STATIONCONVENTION
CENTER
PEARL/ARTS DISTRICT
ST. PAUL
AKARDWEST END
VICTORYDEEPELLUM
ROSA PARKS PLAZA
WESTTRANSFER
EASTTRANSFER
Downtown Dallas
Terminal A
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WhiteRockLake
Lake RayHubbard
Tr in i ty R iver
LOVE
DFW
GARLAND
ROWLETT
PLANO
RICHARDSON
IRVING
FARMERSBRANCH
ADDISON
CARROLLTON
UNIVERSITYPARK
COCKRELL HILL
GLENNHEIGHTS
HIGHLANDPARK
DALLAS
UNT DALLAS
CAMP WISDOM
ROYAL LANE
WALNUT HILL/DENTON
TRINITY MILLS
FARMERS BRANCH
DOWNTOWN CARROLLTON
BACHMAN
BURBANK
SOUTHWESTERNMEDICAL DISTRICT/PARKLAND
MARKETCENTER
INWOOD/LOVE FIELD
NORTH CARROLLTON/FRANKFORD
CENTREPORT/DFW AIRPORT
WEST IRVING DOWNTOWN IRVING/HERITAGE CROSSING
UNION STATION
CEDARS
CONVENTION CENTER
8TH & CORINTH
MORRELL
PEARL/ARTS DISTRICT
ST. PAUL
AKARD
WEST END
ILLINOIS
KIEST
VA MEDICAL CENTER
LEDBETTER
DALLAS ZOOTYLER/VERNON
HAMPTON
VICTORY
MEDICAL/MARKET CENTER
WHITE ROCK
LAKE HIGHLANDS
PARK LANE
WALNUTHILL
FOREST LANE
SPRING VALLEY
ARAPAHO CENTER
GALATYN PARK
BUSH TURNPIKE
DOWNTOWN PLANO
LOVERSLANE
LBJ/SKILLMAN
FOREST/JUPITER
DOWNTOWNGARLAND
DOWNTOWNROWLETT
CITYPLACE/UPTOWN
MOCKINGBIRD
WESTMORELAND
PARKER ROAD
UNIVERSITY OF DALLAS
LAS COLINASURBAN CENTER
NORTH LAKECOLLEGE
BELT LINE
DFWAIRPORT
IRVING CONVENTION CENTER
LBJ/CENTRAL
HATCHER
LAWNVIEW
LAKE JUNE
BUCKNER
DEEP ELLUMBAYLOR UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
FAIR PARKMLK, JR.
To Fort Worth
A-Train to Denton (operated by DCTA)
Da
llas
No
rth T
ollw
ay
President Geo rge Bush Turnpike
Pre
sid
en
t G
eo
rge
Bush
Turn
pike
DART Current and Future Services to 2016
BELL
RICHLAND HILLS
FORT WORTH ITCT&P STATION
TRE to Fort Worth
FORT WORTH
Rail System LegendCurrently Operating
DART Rail Red LineDART Rail Blue LineDART Rail Green LineDART Rail Orange LineDART Rail Orange Line
(Selected Weekday Trips Rush Hour Only)
Trinity Railway Express (TRE)DCTA A-train
Under Design/Construction
DART Rail Blue LineExtension to UNT Dallas opens 2016.
RED BIRDTRANSIT CTR.
GLENN HEIGHTS PARK & RIDE
ADDISONTRANSIT CTR.
JACK HATCHELLTRANSIT CTR.
NW PLANOPARK & RIDE
S. GARLANDTRANSIT CTR.
LAKE RAYHUBBARDTRANSIT CTR.
UNION STATIONCONVENTION
CENTER
PEARL/ARTS DISTRICT
ST. PAUL
AKARDWEST END
VICTORYDEEPELLUM
ROSA PARKS PLAZA
WESTTRANSFER
EASTTRANSFER
Downtown Dallas
Terminal A
DART Current and Future Services to 2016
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Tracking Progress
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Robert W. Strauss – Dallas Chairman
Faye Moses Wilkins – Plano, Farmers Branch Vice Chairman
Richard Carrizales – Dallas Secretary
Gary Slagel – Richardson, University Park, Addison, Highland Park
Assistant Secretary
Jim Adams – Dallas
Michael T. Cheney – Garland
Jerry Christian – Dallas
Amanda Moreno Cross – Dallas
Mark C. Enoch – Garland, Rowlett, Glenn Heights
Pamela Dunlop Gates – Dallas
Timothy A. Hayden – Carrollton, Irving
Michele Wong Krause – Dallas
Richard H. Stopfer – Irving
William Velasco II – Dallas, Cockrell Hill
Paul N. Wageman – Plano
DART Board of Directors
Customer Information (routes & schedules) 214.979.1111
DART Administrative Offices 214.749.3278Connect with DART
DALLAS AREA RAPID TRANSIT MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS P.O. BOX 660163 DALLAS, TX 75266-7203
Address Service Requested
Nevin Grinnell Vice President Chief Marketing Officer
Morgan Lyons Assistant Vice President External Relations
Linda Webb-Mañon Senior Manager, External Communications
Lyle Miller Senior Manager, Creative Services
Denise Johnson Manager, Customer Information/Production
Christine Wilson Senior Graphic Designer
Karen Ptacek Communications Representative
Donn CoburnTravis HudsonKaren PtacekLinda Webb-Mañon
WritersLupe HernandezReginald Loftin Photographers
To subscribe or update your subscription, contact us:
Online: www.DART.org/publications Phone: 214.749.3249Mail: Inmotion - Marketing Department
Dallas Area Rapid Transit P.O. Box 660163 Dallas, TX 75266-7203
No Coating or Varnish to be used on Mailing Panel Above (TOP half to fold at 5.5˝in middle).
Connecting Women with OpportunitiesThe YWCA of Metropolitan Dallas recently opened its YW Women’s Center, Ebby’s Place, in Dallas. YW renovated a 50-year-old building to create the state-of-the-art center. Not by accident, the 20,000-square-foot facility is near DART’s Inwood/Love Field Station. “Transit spurs economic development and attracts investment in projects like this,” Dallas City Councilman Adam Medrano said.
The new center focuses on offering financial-empowerment programs, including small business/entrepreneurial and job training courses, as well as educational programs around childbirth and parenting, nutrition and preventive health care.
“We serve women looking to make life better for themselves and their families,” said Jennifer M. Ware, CEO of YWCA of Metropolitan Dallas. “DART is making it easier for our clients to tap into our essential services.”
The new YW Women’s Center provides the space needed to offer programs and services to economically disadvantaged working women.
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