The Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) is the transit authority that operates in Denton County, Texas. It operates transit service in three cities within Denton County, as well as the A-train, a regional commuter rail line to Carrollton. In , the system had a ridership of , or about per weekday as of .
History
In 2001, Texas House Bill 3323 created Chapter 460 of the Texas Transportation code, which authorized the creation of Coordinated County Transportation Authorities (CCTAs) by county commissions, subject to a vote by the county population. In accordance with the code, on November 5, 2002, the voters in Denton County approved the creation of DCTA, with 73% in favor. DCTA is the first, and so far only, CCTA in the state of Texas.
In 2006, DCTA absorbed LINK, the mass transit service operated by the City of Denton since 2002. LINK's bus routes were absorbed into DCTA's local Denton services (now called Connect). Paratransit services in the three member cities were also absorbed and renamed DCTA Access. Neither Lewisville nor Highland Village (the other current members of DCTA) operated bus lines prior to DCTA's formation.
Member cities
The following cities voted to join DCTA and levy a ¢ sales tax to finance the system on September 13, 2003: Denton Highland Village Lewisville
No other cities have joined DCTA since its inception, and none of the original cities have elected to withdraw.
The following cities also participated in the September 2003 election and declined to join: Copper Canyon Corinth Double Oak Flower Mound Shady Shores
Board of directors
The Denton County Transportation Authority is governed by a 14-member board appointed by respective entities:
Three members are appointed by "small cities" (population ≤ 17,000) Eight members are appointed by "large cities" (population > 17,000) Two members are appointed from unincorporated areas of the county One member represents the county at-large
Although a DCTA Board member must reside in Denton County, the member does not have to reside in a DCTA-member city.
All members serve two-year terms. Board members must have professional experience in the field of transportation, business, government, engineering or law. In accordance with DCTA By-laws, the Board adopts the annual operating budget and is responsible for setting policy. The president oversees the day-to-day operations of the DCTA and implements policies set forth by the Board.
Transportation services
The Denton County Transportation Authority offers several services to the general public in and around Denton, Lewisville, and Highland Village. These services include fixed-route service in Denton, an on-demand service in Highland Village and Lewisville, shuttle routes serving UNT, a regional commuter bus service connecting Denton and downtown Fort Worth, and a train service connecting Denton, Lewisville, Carrollton, and downtown Dallas. Additionally, DCTA offers paratransit service throughout its service area.
Connect Bus
DCTA Connect is a fixed-route bus service operating within the city of Denton. The current system consists of three routes, all of which use Downtown Denton Transit Center as a shared hub. Buses operate Monday through Saturday.
DCTA Connect originally had ten routes (eight in Denton and two in Lewisville), but most were discontinued in 2021 and 2022 in favor of GoZone service.
University Routes
DCTA operates the University of North Texas shuttle system, which consists of fourteen routes. Most routes are only available during weekdays. UNT students, faculty, and staff can ride at no cost with their ID, while other riders can use standard DCTA fare.
DCTA does not currently operate shuttles for Texas Woman's University or NCTC Denton, but both institutions are serviced by Connect buses (routes 6 and 7, respectively). Like with UNT, discounted passes are available to students, faculty, and staff.
North Texas Xpress
Operated in partnership with Trinity Metro, North Texas Xpress is a twice-daily weekday bus that travels between downtown Denton and the North Park and Ride in Alliance using Interstate 35W. Riders can travel further to downtown Fort Worth using Trinity Metro's North Park and Ride Xpress (Route 63X).
A-train
DCTA operates the A-train, a regional commuter rail line connecting Carrollton and Denton, to meet growing transportation demands in eastern Denton County. The 21-mile rail line parallels Interstate 35E and meets the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Green Line at Trinity Mills Station in Carrollton.