Late Monday afternoon, the Fort Worth Transportation Authority launched a rebranding initiative, including a new name and a new look. The Transportation Authority, also known as "The T," will now be known as Trinity Metro. A press release said the agency will roll out its new look this spring in advertising, social media and community outreach. “Locals have known us for 33 years as ‘The T,’ but that name doesn’t fully encompass what we do,” Trinity Metro CEO/President Paul Ballard said in a statement. “Our new name and look will provide a fresh, modern approach to represent all of our services, which include the Trinity Railway Express, buses, Molly the Trolley, TEXRail and MITS paratransit. The name also reflects our current and future expansion into other nearby cities.” Trinity Metro is partnering with the city of Grapevine to run the TEXRail commuter rail project through the city and to the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

Scott Mahaffey, Trinity Metro board chairman, said the new name and logo are coming at the right time.

“Our board and the senior leadership have been working closely together to make major improvements over the last few years,” Mahaffey said in a statement. “The timing for this initiative is ideal. We are happy to see it rolled out the same year that we are completing TEXRail.”

Extensive research went into the rebranding and design process---focus groups, surveys and in-person interviews with current riders and non-riders. The rebranding effort was led by J.O. Design, the marketing and design firm for Trinity Metro.

“Our firm bases everything we do on research,” J.O. Design President Jennifer Henderson said in a statement. “We coordinated a two-month market research project throughout Tarrant County to better understand consumer behaviors. These insights helped us redefine the brand identity to prepare for the generational growth of the organization."

A press release said the new name heralds to the Trinity River, which is a natural geographical feature in North Texas that represents a mode of transportation. "Trinity Metro’s logo is a symbolic trifecta of the community, commerce and future growth, which is why we illustrate the name using three triangles and reversing out the letter M," Henderson said in a statement.