Fort Worth residents want better public transit. What about the mayoral candidates?

It’s pretty clear that Fort Worth residents want more tax dollars spent on trains, buses and better overall mobility in the city.

But what do the candidates for city offices support?

Numerous public opinion surveys in recent years have shown broad support for transit. In the most recent example, the Real Estate Council of Greater Fort Worth commissioned a survey of voters in January that determined 82% of respondents favor rail as a means of travel in the city and the region.

The survey of Fort Worth voters also showed that 70% of residents support using existing local sales tax revenue to fund a comprehensive transportation and mobility project. Of those, 56% supported a half-cent sales tax, and 46% supported a 50-cent fee on annual vehicle registrations, to improve bus and rail.

In response to a questionnaire, candidates for Fort Worth mayor largely said they supported the transit system, but shied away from committing more money to Trinity Metro.

Only Councilwoman Ann Zadeh, who is running for mayor, said definitively she would work to boost the service’s funding, arguing that a better transit system would connect people to jobs and attract companies. Zadeh touted her background as a city planner, saying she had a deep understanding of the city’s transit needs.

“It is clear that we must think about transportation in a more comprehensive way than has been the case in the past,” Zadeh said.

Candidate Steve Penate said he would look for budget items with “unnecessary funds allocated to them” and reallocate those dollars to transportation and infrastructure.

Most candidates said they supported alternatives to a traditional bus system, like the Zipzones, a ride share service through Trinity Metro that mimics Lyft or Uber but at a cheaper price.

Councilman Brian Byrd, who is running for mayor, applauded Trinity Metro improvements in the Las Vegas Trail area of west Fort Worth, where he said demand had increased. He said he also supported a bus rapid transit line from downtown to the Handley area of east Fort Worth as long as there is input from the East Fort Worth Business Association and residents. The line would run along East Lancaster Avenue with buses in dedicated lanes.

Byrd also said Trinity Metro should look for more innovative solutions, like ride share and private investment.

Improving the city’s transit system will require better communication and stronger partnerships, said mayoral candidate Mattie Parker. She suggested expanding alternatives to a traditional bus route, like the Zipzone, and partnering with DART and DCTA.

“Rather than coming from a place of frustration about our current funding structure, I am choosing to be optimistic about our ability to pivot and be ready for the quickly evolving transportation options that are emerging because of technology,” she said.

Mayoral candidate Deborah Peoples said infrastructure has focused too much on adding lanes to arterials and other roads, which she believes increases to congestion and pollution.

“I will focus on a balanced approach to infrastructure investments including light rail to make it easier and more efficient to travel around all parts of our city,” she said.

Trinity Metro, which is the lead public transit agency for Tarrant County, is redesigning its bus network.

Trinity Metro last year asked for $10 million from the city’s 2021 budget short-term improvements and additional funding for longer-term fixes. But City Manager David Cooke’s budget provided only $1.5 million, of which about $650,000 was set aside for sidewalks and other improvements at bus stops.

The agency operates on a half-cent sales tax in Fort Worth and other member cities — far less than neighboring Dallas Area Rapid Transit, which collects a full 1-cent sales tax. Trinity Metro also has entered into partnerships with North Richland Hills and Grapevine, but those agreements are mostly to operate the TEXRail commuter train line connecting those cities.

Without more funding, Trinity Metro’s core bus system unfortunately will remain only “bare bones,” said Jeff Davis, Trinity Metro board chairman.

“We know where the demand is, but we don’t have the funds to meet the needs,” he said.