Updated on Friday, Feb. 4 at 12:30 p.m.:
On Friday morning, DARTannounced a near-complete shutdown through most of the weekend.
"Due to the untenable ice conditions across North Texas, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) will suspend all rail and bus services beginning at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, February 4, through 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 6," an agency press release said.
Also on Friday, Fort Worth-based Trinity Metro canceled bus services through Saturday.
Trinity's TEXRail train to the airport will continue on its regular schedule through the weekend.
The Trinity Railway Express (TRE) trains will operate on on a Saturday schedule throughout both Friday and Saturday.
Both DART and Trinity Metro cancelled paratransit services, including pre-arranged rides, except for medical purposes like dialysis.
DART paratransit riders can re-book trips starting Monday.
Trinity Metro said ACCESS paratransit services will resume Sunday.
The Denton County Transportation Authority has canceled all bus, train and GoZone services, and its websitedoes not indicate when services might resume.
On Thursday, as the winter storm shut down much of North Texas and transit agencies implemented restricted service, commuters who rely on public transit had trouble finding their way.
Waiting for a bus at the MLK Station near Fair Park, city sanitation worker Brandon Jones learned the trains weren’t running just as he tried to start his commute home from work.
“I found that out as soon as I got to the train station,” he said.
And the winter weather, he was learning, “threw all the bus schedules off,” too. So he wasn’t sure how long his normally easy commute home would take him.
DART will operate 14 bus shuttles between rail stations for passengers who need to travel. Meanwhile, bus routes will operate on a Sunday schedule during the same timeframe.
Robert Shumake, on his way to meet up with a friend near Vickery Meadow, said he didn’t mind the longer wait for his bus, even in 20-degree weather. He estimated that his trip uptown would take more than twice as long as usual.
“I’d rather them take their time and get people there safely,” he said.
Got a tip? Christopher Connelly is KERA's One Crisis Away Reporter, exploring life on the financial edge. Email Christopher atcconnelly@kera.org .You can follow Christopher on Twitter @hithisischris.
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