By Raymond Suarez, DCTA CEO
Each New Year, we at DCTA ruminate on the previous year and look onward to what lies ahead. Like many of you, we set goals for improvements to chart a path forward that will lead us to a successful year filled with accomplishments due to hard work and a passion for adding value to the many communities we serve.
Despite the obstacles COVID-19 has thrown our way, we’re proud of how our employees stood strong and supported all of our communities to keep pushing forward! As we do our best to forecast what the upcoming year has in store, we have set the following resolutions and goals in place to keep our “eyes on the prize” and key priorities top of mind!
Keeping our Riders and Employees Safe
At DCTA, our top priorities are keeping our passengers and employees healthy and ensure a safe commute for our riders. With the current COVID-19 risks, we will continue to enhance our safety precautions to protect our passengers and staff.
Key safety protocols DCTA will keep in place and build upon in the upcoming year include:
- All buses and trains receiving additional cleanings using a medical-grade disinfecting cleaner, as well as a daily spray down using a broad-spectrum disinfectant that is effective against a range of microorganisms for an extended period of time.
- Face covering required when riding DCTA and visiting any of the agency’s facilities.
- Additional cleaning (using medical-grade disinfectant) being placed on high-touch areas such as door handles, crew rooms, countertops, driver consoles and steering wheels.
- Hand sanitizer stations installed on all DCTA bus vehicles that riders can use to practice safe hand hygiene.
To learn more about all of our COVID-19 safety efforts, visit RideDCTA.net/health.
Enhancing How People Get Around
Even before COVID-19, mobility has changed and the public industry’s philosophy of how to provide innovative transit solutions has followed suit. At DCTA, we will continue our “broker of innovative mobility services” approach to meet the ever-changing behaviors of our passengers.
Fixed-route options are still important to us to keep when it’s cost-effective and logical for our riders and communities. However, moving forward with our Mobility as a Service (MaaS) business model is key. This includes a variety of customized, mobility options our communities can use and take advantage of which can include ride sharing, taxis, bike share, microtransit and more. This mobility trend will only continue to increase even post-COVID-19, and we plan to stay at the forefront of innovative mobility solutions to continually reimagine our system and best serve our riders.
This year, we have the opportunity to grow and take on new challenges that will make us stronger. We at DCTA choose to take on 2021 with a positive outlook, continued collaborative efforts with our partners and stakeholders to grow our communities and keep a laser focus on our mission of improving mobility, air quality, economic development and livability in Denton County and surrounding areas.