1. D-LINK Overview
Hans-Michael Ruthe
April 19, 2018

2. Region

3. Downtown Dallas

4. Downtown Dallas

5. D LINK Background Market​ Objectives​ Visitors ​ Easily understood
Downtown employees​
Downtown residents​
Development​
Objectives​
Easily understood
Unique design​
Frequent
Free service​
Fast
Ridership ​

6. Funding Partnership

7. Ridership
Weekday
Saturday
Sunday

8. Route 1 Oak Cliff to Downtown Dallas

9. Route 2 Downtown Dallas to Uptown

10. Route 3 Downtown Dallas

12. February 2018 – New Sunday Service

13. Route Access and Impediments
Main – E – FS This stop will not be accessible due to construction at 509 Main
This will eliminate northbound D-LINK stops on Houston (see map)
Hawkins – N – NS Impacted during work hours due to construction
New Stops Maximize latest route alignment

15. Reference Slides

16. Saturday

17. Weekday

18. Ridership by Stop Weekday Board Direction Alight 1
Board
Direction
Alight 1
CONVENTION CENTER STATION
EASTBOUND
WESTBOUND 2
BRYAN - S - NS
GOOD ELM - N - NS 3
SAN JACINTO - N - NS 4
PEARL - E - NS 5
YOUNG - S - NS 6
PEARL - W - FS
GRIFFIN - W - NS 7
AKARD - E - NS
FIELD - W - NS 8
GOOD MAIN - S - NS
CESAR CANTON - N - MB 9
CEREMONIAL - S - NS 10
COMMERCE - S - NS

19. Ridership by Stop Saturday Board Direction Alight 1
Board
Direction
Alight 1
CONVENTION CENTER STATION
EASTBOUND
WESTBOUND 2
BRYAN - S - NS
SAN JACINTO - N - NS 3
PEARL - W - FS
CEREMONIAL - S - NS 4
YOUNG - S - NS 5
PEARL - E - NS
GOOD ELM - N - NS 6 7 8
GOOD MAIN - S - NS 9
YOUNG - N - NS
AKARD - W - NS 10
CBD EAST TC

23. Sunday Ridership

24. Sunday Ridership

25. D-LINK Potential New Stops
Cindy’s NY Deli stop / Dealey Plaza Jackson – N – FS

26. D-LINK Potential New Stops
Deep Ellum Station stop Good Latimer – W – FS

27. D-LINK Potential New Stops
Sheraton stop East Transfer Center – west entrance

28. DART Staff Report Staff ride-along and recommendations
Operator interviews
Passenger interviews
Marketing outreach
Ridership analysis
Bus stop survey
Electric bus

29. Ridership Survey
Understand how to increase ridership among Downtown residents
Inform planning, marketing, and operations
Deploy in April / May
ALSO Questionnaire cards on-board for additional feedback

30. Upcoming Convention Center Events
* Passed: Ace Hardware, 3/18-3/20 11,000 anticipated
Fan Expo Dallas, 4/3-4/6 70,000 anticipated attendance
NRA, 4/30-5/9 60,000 anticipated attendance
USA Volleyball US Open and Annual Meeting, 5/22-5/31 6,500 anticipated attendance
Southern Baptist National Convention, 6/6-6/14 16,000 anticipated attendance

31. Next Steps
Next Meeting Date
Ridership Report

32. Projected Ridership Factors impacting D-Link ridership Weather
Construction
Traffic congestion
Major conventions/events
Increased employment and residential density
Projected Daily Riders
Projected Riders Per Revenue Hour
Year Round Projections
Weekday
320
7.3
Saturday
390
8.9
Sunday
293
6.7
Peak Season Projections
379
8.6
449
10.2
337
7.7

33. Proposed Cost Proposed annual cost is as follows: Current Annual Cost
City of Dallas
$400,000
$332,991
DDI
$306,849
$239,840
DART
$561,585
$494,576
Total Annual Cost
$1,268,434
$1,067,407

34. Recommendation
Approve proposed D-Link Service modifications for January 29, 2018

35. Current D-Link Implemented in November 2013 as a site-specific shuttle
Operates between Convention Center and Uptown
Operates every 15 minutes from 11AM until midnight
Fare-free service

36. Proposed D-Link
DART staff have met with its funding partners to discuss D- Link’s performance
They have requested the following:
Design route to approximate the future Dallas Streetcar “Central Link”
Make route more direct to Main Street
Speed up point to point travel time
Eliminate low usage service after 10:00 pm
Add Sunday service to offer 7 day a week service
Eliminate duplication with MATA

38. D-Link Overview Market Objectives Tourists and visitors
Downtown employees
Downtown residents
Downtown districts
Objectives
Easily understood unique design
Frequent and free
Supplements MATA, Streetcar
Major downtown markets
Achieve ridership goals

39. D-Link Rider Survey
Who Are Our Riders?
Where Our Riders Are Going?

40. D-Link Average Daily Riders

41. From last meeting’s presentation
Houston – Courtyard Marriott construction has impacted this D-LINK stop. It will be temporarily relocated to Record – W – NS until construction is complete