What you need to know
The board of directors approved the budget during its Aug. 24 meeting. The budget will take effect Oct. 1, projecting about $76.2 million in revenue and about $50.3 million in expenses.
Budgeted expenses include more than $11.5 million for bus operations, according to a staff presentation. Another $17 million was budgeted for operating the A-Train service.
Seven new positions have been budgeted for the upcoming fiscal year. Six positions will serve as coordinators throughout the organization, Senior Budget Manager Jane Filarowicz said. The seventh position is a planning and development analyst role.
The positions include:
- Accounting coordinator
- Grants/budget/compliance coordinator
- Help desk coordinator
- Payroll and benefits coordinator
- Planning and development analyst
- Rail operations coordinator
- Security systems coordinator
About $35.7 million has been budgeted for capital improvement and maintenance projects across the transportation authority’s services. Projects will be funded by cash, the transportation authority’s capital reserves and money from other sources.
The board approved funding for multiple projects, including:
- Fuel tank maintenance at the Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility in Denton
- Bus maintenance
- Fleet replacement
- Rail maintenance
- Refreshed server infrastructure
The board also heard updates from staff about potentially expanding the transportation authority’s A-Train service to downtown Carrollton. The board examined a study’s findings, provided feedback and looked at next steps for moving forward.
Staff also presented information about the GoZone On-Demand service’s performance in 2023. The board will consider authorizing a contract renewal for the ride-sharing service during its Sept. 28 meeting.
The service reported about 18,000 riders in October 2022 in Lewisville, according to a staff presentation. About 21,000 riders were reported in July.
Ridership in Highland Village has more than doubled in 2023; more than 900 riders were recorded in July 2022, according to the presentation.
More information about GoZone's performance can be found on the transportation authority's website.
