Revelers can catch a ride to New Year’s parties

December 30,2014

Trains and buses — workhorses normally used for commuting — work overtime this time of year so area revelers have options besides driving to the season’s big events.

Thousands of riders are expected to board public transportation for celebrations including the New Year’s Eve Countdown to 2015 at Fort Worth’s Sundance Square and the Big D NYE at Victory Plaza in Dallas. Special transportation is also being offered for the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Thursday and the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth on Friday.

“I love that there are so many families and tourists on the Trinity Railway Express today!” Cristina White, an area actor and singer, tweeted Monday.

The special services not only provide a safer option for those who imbibe alcohol during the festivities, but they also reduce gridlock.

“Holiday celebrations create the increased potential for drinking and driving incidents, and we urge Texans to designate a sober driver or find alternative transportation if they plan to drink,” said Steven McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, which is increasing drunken-driving patrols through Friday in what he calls “high-risk locations.”

The travel options could also be welcomed by residents and visitors who don’t wish to venture out on potentially slick roads.

A cold front is moving into the area, bringing a forecast of temperatures in the mid-20s late Tuesday and early Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.

Cold rain could fall in the Metroplex late Wednesday, accompanied by freezing rain and sleet west of the region.

New Year’s Eve

The Trinity Railway Express is offering late-night trains to and from Fort Worth and Dallas, to ensure that patrons who took public transportation to events there have a ride home.

In Fort Worth, an eastbound TRE train will leave the Intermodal Transportation Center 30 minutes after the end of the Sundance Square celebration. In Dallas, a westbound train will depart from Victory Station 20 minutes after the fireworks end at Big D NYE. The trains will stop at all TRE stations, said Joan Hunter, spokeswoman for the Fort Worth Transportation Authority.

After the late-night trains have completed their runs, TRE will be closed for the rest of New Year’s Day.

The Transportation Authority, also known as the T, will operate a reduced bus schedule similar to Sunday service on New Year’s Day. Molly the Trolley will operate downtown, and mobility-impaired transportation will also be operating.

Riders who don’t want to deal with the hassle of buying tickets at train platforms can consider downloading a GoPass application on their smartphones, Hunter said.

On the east side of North Texas, Dallas Area Rapid Transit will continue operating its light-rail lines until shortly after 2 a.m. Thursday, when the final trains leave the West End/Victory Station area. After that, DART will operate the remainder of Thursday on a reduced, Sunday-style train and bus schedule.

The Trinity Railway Express has become a popular option for New Year’s Eve partiers. Last year, 9,405 passengers rode it and 2,750 of them got off trains at Victory Station, DART spokesman Mark Ball said.

“Of course, some were regular commuters,” he said.

Three special TRE trains that left Dallas for Fort Worth after midnight had a combined 1,343 riders, he said.

On a normal weekday, an average of 7,313 people ride the TRE, he said.

Cotton Bowl

Looking for a ride Thursday morning to the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic?

The T is offering its Cowboys Coach service, which includes bus rides directly from downtown Fort Worth to AT&T Stadium in Arlington. The service is called Cowboys Coach because it usually ferries riders to Dallas Cowboys games. But it’s also used for other events at AT&T Stadium, including the annual Cotton Bowl matchup, which features Michigan State against Baylor this year.

Kickoff is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.

For Cowboys Coach riders, fare is $10 round trip, cash only.

Riders are asked to board between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. at 200 W. Vickery Blvd., just south of downtown Fort Worth. Parking at the T&P Station costs an additional $5, cash only, though bus service to the Cowboys Coach departure area from downtown hotels is free.

After the game, shuttles depart from Arlington for the return trip to Fort Worth for one hour after the final whistle.

Armed Forces Bowl

For fans heading to the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl on Friday in Fort Worth, the T isn’t planning to operate special shuttles.

But fans who wish to take T buses to the bowl game at TCU may use any of the regular weekday routes serving the area, Hunter said. Those routes include Route 7 University Drive (South University Drive at West Devitt Street) and Route 24 Berry Street (South University Drive at West Berry). Route 7 is accessible from downtown Fort Worth, while Route 24 runs east-west along Berry Street.

Also, the Uber vehicle-for-hire service, a sponsor of this year’s Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, is offering a free one-way ride for up to $30 to all ticket holders. A code for the free trip was shipped with ticket orders.

For those who don’t have that code, new users of the Uber app may still qualify for a discounted ride to or from the game. Enter the discount code AFB2014 in the app for a $20 credit.

The 12th annual Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, which kicks off at 11 a.m., features the University of Houston against the University of Pittsburgh.

By BY GORDON DICKSON

GDICKSON@STAR-TELEGRAM.COM