Local Motion - October 2017

Texas among 10 winners of Hyperloop One competition

Hyperloop One has named a Texas proposal to transport passengers and freight via high-speed pods a winner of its international competition.
 
Selected as one of 10 winners from a list of 35 finalists, the Texas route would serve Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Houston and Laredo.
 
Efforts to develop the Hyperloop, which would operate vehicles with magnetic levitation in giant tubes, are underway, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area could provide an effective test corridor. Earlier this year, the Regional Transportation Council approved a resolution supporting the Texas Triangle proposal.
 
The competition sought applicants able to effectively make the case for how the technology would revolutionize travel in their regions.
 
Hyperloop One will assist the winning teams with further analysis of their proposals, including preliminary ridership forecasts, according to the Hyperloop One website.
 
Hyperloop’s experts will also help with the business cases and conduct workshops with each winning team. It will also provide initial ridership forecasts, business case and preliminary technical analysis of the route and corridor, tailored to the needs of the individual route.
 
In addition to Texas, the other US winners were Chicago-Columbus-Pittsburgh, Miami-Orlando and Cheyenne-Denver-Pueblo. There were six international winners: two each in the United Kingdom and India and one in Canada and Mexico.
 
For more information on the Hyperloop One Global Challenge and the winners, visit www.hyperloop-one.com.

NCTCOG aviation reaching future flyers

NCTCOG recently published an aviation education fact sheet highlighting its efforts to develop a qualified workforce to meet the demands of regional expansion and industry growth.
 
The North Texas Aviation Education Initiative approaches outreach from different angles using gaming, career planning resources, and mentorship to engage students and encourage them to consider aviation and aerospace professions. Locally, the industry has a significant economic impact. Over 300 aviation and aerospace employers are based in North Texas and the industry has an annual economic impact of over $40 billion.
 
A concentrated effort is needed to meet the workforce demands of the future. By 2020, 50,000 skilled workers will be needed in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to meet employment demands and maintain global competitiveness.
 
With efforts such as the aviation education initiative, which depends on partnerships with public and private entities, there will be well-trained workers to meet industry needs.
 
Read more about the education effort at www.nctcog.org/factsheets.  

Ride DART to the State Fair of Texas 

North Texans can ride DART to a wide variety of entertainment, art, agriculture, history and cuisine at the 2017 State Fair of Texas through October 22.
 
Fair Park and MLK Jr., are the best ways to access the fair on DART's Green Line. Extra Green Line trains will be available approximately every 15 minutes between Victory and Lawnview stations from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm weekdays and 9:30 am to 7:30 pm on weekends. All DART Rail and Trinity Railway Express passengers can transfer to the Green Line. Look for the trains marked "Fair Park," "Buckner" or "Lawnview."
 
Orange Line passengers from Irving transfer to the Green Line at Bachman Station. Southbound Orange, Red and Blue line passengers transfer at Pearl/Arts District or St. Paul stations. Northbound Red and Blue line passengers transfer at Akard Station. TRE passengers transfer to the Green Line at Victory Station. Details are at www.trinityrailwayexpress.org.
 
Customers using the Denton County Transportation Authority should check www.dcta.net for departure and arrival times and to ensure smooth connections at Trinity Mills Station to DART's Green Line. The DCTA will be adjusting their schedules during the fair.
 
More than 2.8 million rode DART light rail to the fair in 2016. Expecting similar ridership numbers DART has scheduled several changes, including: 

• The addition of more Green Line trains between the Victory and Lawnview stations from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm weekdays and 9:30 am to 7 pm weekends
• The addition of Blue Line service after 7 pm Saturdays and Sundays
• The extension of the Orange Line to Parker Road for all trips
• Extra buses on Routes 60 and 409 Friday through Monday
• The addition of Green Line service after 7 pm Saturdays and Sundays
• TRE trains operating each Sunday during the fair 

For more information, including ticketing, visit www.dart.org/statefair.  

State electric vehicle record shattered at local NDEW event

The Dallas-Fort Worth area's National Drive Electric Week celebration set another record this year, when owners of 155 electric vehicles gathered at Grapevine Mills Mall in September. This represented a State record for the number of EVs in one location, improving upon last year’s mark of 128.
 
This year’s Grapevine gathering was also the largest NDEW celebration outside California and kicked off a week of educational opportunities for people interested in electric vehicles.
 
The Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities Coalition and NCTCOG offered a series of lunchtime webinars during the week to discuss public and private uses for EVs. This vehicle classification that continues to grow in popularity in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
 
There are approximately 8,000 EVs in the region, a 43 percent increase over 2016. This trend will likely continue as more vehicle manufacturers are committing to electrified transportation.
 
For more information on NDEW, click here. 

North Texas Facilities Expo

North Texans can learn the latest in integrating green building techniques with their facilities at the North Texas Facilities Expo on October 11-12 at Dallas Market Hall.
The expo offers opportunities to network with other professionals and learn how to make the efficiency and operating improvements facilities needs to remain competitive.
 
It is cosponsored by DFW Clean Cities, which will host a panel on workplace electric vehicle charging. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about new products and technologies, and attend valuable educational seminars for free. Among the scheduled sessions are: 

• Examining Your Building to Find Low-Cost Operational Improvement Opportunities 
• AT&T Stadium: Challenges of Efficient Operation 
• University of Texas at Dallas – Campus Transformation in Sustainability

For questions, please contact Joyce Lortz at jlortz@facilitiesexpo.com or 800-827-8009 x4424. To register visit, www.fent.facilitiesexpo.com.

Fleet discounts still available

Public fleets have an opportunity to get substantial discounts on alternative fuel vehicles (AFV) and infrastructure through Fleets for the Future! Through a unique cooperative procurement process, fleets will benefit from exclusive offers for some of the most popular AFVs on the market. Vehicles include plug-in hybrid sedans; propane, natural gas, and plug-in hybrid pickup trucks, and full electric shuttle buses and cargo vans.
 
Learn how you can transition your fleet to alternative fuels while saving thousands of dollars in the process by visiting www.fleetsforthefuture.org.

NCTCOG to provide Mobility Plan update

NCTCOG staff will present an overview and timeline for the region’s long-range transportation plan and process AirCheckTexas vehicle repair and replacement applications during public meetings in October.
 
Residents can provide input on Mobility 2045 at public meetings on October 10 (Fort Worth), October 11 (Arlington) and October 16 (Garland). Mobility 2045 will define a long-term vision for the region’s multimodal transportation system and guide spending of federal and state transportation funds. This includes funding for highways, transit, bicycle and pedestrian facilities and other programs aimed at reducing congestion and improving air quality and quality of life.
 
Staff will also be at the meeting to process applications for people interested in applying for vehicle repair or replacement assistance through the AirCheckTexas Program. North Texans whose vehicles have failed the emissions portion of the state inspection in the past 30 days or are at least 10 years old may be eligible to receive up to $3,500 for their vehicle. Applicants attending one of the public meetings must provide proof of current registration, failed inspection report and annual household income. For more information about AirCheckTexas, visit www.airchecktexas.org or call 800-898-9103.
 
Finally, funding opportunities for vehicle and fueling infrastructure, a high-occupancy vehicle technology update and the Regional Traffic Signal Retiming Program will also be presented for public review and comment.
 
Watch the Arlington meeting in real time by clicking the “live” tab at www.nctcog.org/video. A recording of the presentations will also be posted at www.nctcog.org/input.

Public Meeting Details
October 10, 2017
6 p.m.
Ella Mae Shamblee  Library
1062 Evans Ave.
Fort Worth, TX 76104
 
October 11, 2017
2:30 p.m.
North Central Texas Council of Governments
616 Six Flags Drive
Arlington, TX 76011
 
October 16, 2017
6 p.m.
Garland Central Library
625 Austin St.
Garland, TX 75040

Plano to host Texas Energy Summit Nov. 13-15

 The Texas Energy Summit, is scheduled for November 13-15 in Plano. The summit is an opportunity to learn about strategies for cleaner air, a better built environment, sustainability and a new energy economy. Local governments stand to benefit by hearing presentations from their peers on a variety of successful initiatives. Register by October 31. For more information, visit https://catee.tamu.edu.