MARCH 2025

Local Motion is a monthly email newsletter from the North Central Texas Council of Governments Transportation Department.

AVIATION CAREERS WEBSITE OFFERS TOOLS TO HELP STUDENTS FLY HIGH

Aviation is a significant part of the regional economy in North Texas, home to four commercial airports, including Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, one of the world’s busiest, and dozens of general aviation airports. Statewide, aviation is a vital economic driver, contributing an annual output exceeding $95 billion and supporting more than 778,000 jobs. The industry’s impact continues to blossom.

Residents aspiring to careers in this growing field must obtain the necessary training, whether they want to build and maintain aircraft or fly them.

Launched by NCTCOG in 2013, the North Central Texas Aviation Careers website has been redesigned to help North Texans identify training options and match them with the resources that will enable them to reach their potential. Here are a few tools NCTAviationCareers.com offers that will help residents navigate the opportunities in the aviation and aerospace industries:

Interactive Career Planning Tool: Explore details about aviation careers, including required skills and education, average salary and future job outlook. One feature matches specific careers with education programs in North Texas offering applicable degrees. Also included are links to employers in North Texas who may offer opportunities in those careers.

Education and Training Resources: Discover aviation-focused programs at local schools, universities and technical training centers.

Veteran Support Tools: Translate aviation experience in the military into civilian roles and access GI Bill funding information.

Scholarship and Financial Aid Information: Find financial opportunities to support education and training for aspiring aviation professionals.

Internship Resource and Listings: Access aviation internship opportunities in North Texas and learn the importance of an internship.

Educator Resources: Access curriculum tools, career exploration guides and outreach materials. You can even request a guest speaker to inspire students about aviation opportunities.

Whatever your aviation dream, the North Central Texas Aviation Careers website offers the tools necessary to keep you – and the industry – flying high for years to come.

TOPIC OF THE MONTH

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN NORTH TEXAS

Worn out, dated streets, sidewalks scarred by cracks, historic buildings fading in the Texas sun – all are issues faced by many North Texas cities and towns, big and small.

In 2001, the Regional Transportation Council (RTC) launched an initiative designed to address some of these sustainability concerns. Called the Sustainable Development Program, it was created to encourage planning and foster growth and mixed-use development in and around historic downtowns and Main Streets, infill areas, and along passenger rail lines and at rail stations.

Since its inception, the program has had four cycles of funding, awarding approximately $157 million for projects to support sustainable development throughout the region.

For this month’s Topic of the Month, we explore how the North Central Texas Council of Governments is using this initiative as a tool to tackle quality of life issues while also creating opportunities for economic growth.

Read more about how NCTCOG's planning work is contributing to a more sustainable future by visiting the Topic of the Month webpage.  

OZONE SEASON

HERE COMES THE SUN (AND SMOG): OZONE SEASON BEGINS IN MARCH 

March ushers in the joys of spring: warmer temperatures, March Madness, spring break. But March also signals the return of a less welcome visitor: ozone season.

In North Central Texas, ozone season lasts from March 1 through November 30. This is the window of time in which there’s a greater risk of ground-level ozone, a harmful secondary air pollutant formed by the interaction of sunlight, heat and “so-called” pre-cursor pollutants, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and Nitrogen Oxides (NOx). While ozone precursors come from multiple sources, vehicles, construction equipment, locomotives and aircraft account for about 60% of emissions. From December to February, North Texans tend to get a break from ground-level ozone since temperatures usually cool off.

The 2024 ozone season closed with a design value of 83 parts per billion (ppb), meaning Dallas-Fort Worth remains out of compliance with the federal government’s standards for ozone pollution. There are two such standards for North Texas: one from 2008 that established a limit of 75 ppb and a more recent 70 ppb standard from 2015. (As the new ozone season begins, Dallas-Fort Worth has a current design value of 74 parts per billion.)

Dallas-Fort Worth is currently classified as a “severe” nonattainment zone under the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2008 ozone standard and a “serious” nonattainment zone under the 2015 standard; the region has until 2027 to come into compliance. 

The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) continues to support the implementation of various programs and policies to help the area meet attainment and avoid further sanctions. Efforts include:

Saving Money and Reducing Truck Emissions (SMARTE) Program: This NCTCOG initiative promotes fuel savings and emission reduction for the trucking industry through education and events. The program includes a yearlong web series that covered topics such as the EPA SmartWay Verified Technology program, an initiative designed to reduce truck emissions. For more information on SMARTE, click here.

Dallas-Fort Worth Air Quality Improvement Plan (AQIP): The DFW AQIP initiative has been instituted to help local governments improve air quality, protect public health and reduce impacts of extreme weather events. The development of this plan is funded through a grant from the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) Program. For more information, click here.

Engine Off North Texas (EONT): A regional initiative designed to combat the negative effects of unnecessary vehicle idling. For more information on EONT, click here.

North Texas residents can help by:

Using Public Transportation: Consider using the region’s many mass transit options from Dallas Area Rapid Transit, the Denton County Transportation Authority and Trinity Metro, including buses, trains and on-demand rideshares.

Reducing Trips, Increasing Passengers: Carpooling is a good way to reduce use of single-occupancy vehicles, while combining errands can cut back on the number of car trips.

Taking Part in Air Quality Education Programs: Air North Texas is NCTCOG’s public awareness campaign, which aims to encourage North Texas residents, government agencies and businesses to pitch in to the effort to improve the North Texas region’s air quality. For more information, visit AirNorthTexas.org.

HELP PLOT THE PATH FOR AUTONOMOUS RIDESHARE IN ARLINGTON

Area residents can help steer the future of Arlington’s autonomous rideshare program.

Residents ages 18 and older are invited to take an online survey that will help researchers assess public perceptions and concerns about RAPID, the City of Arlington’s on-demand, autonomous rideshare pilot program. Since it launched in 2021, RAPID has provided riders with nearly 100,000 trips around downtown Arlington and The University of Texas at Arlington, according to the city.

RAPID, which stands for “Rideshare, Automation and Payment Integration Demonstration,” is provided through a partnership with UTA, the City of Arlington, Via and May Mobility through grants provided by the North Central Texas Council of Governments and the Federal Transit Administration.

The research is being conducted by UTA, which will study survey data and share it with RAPID partners to help inform future service decisions.

Currently, RAPID’s four-vehicle fleet, which includes one vehicle with wheelchair accessibility, serves downtown Arlington and UTA from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. Rides are available through the Arlington Transportation app, which can be downloaded for Apple and Google devices here, or by calling Arlington On-Demand customer service at 817-784-7382.

Click here to take the Arlington RAPID and Autonomous Vehicle Usage Survey.

FACT SHEET

511DFW CAN HELP YOU NAVIGATE THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

When it comes time to seek help from a mapping website, there are many options that will lead drivers to their destinations.

The updated 511DFW provides Dallas-Fort Worth residents and visitors a local resource to get where they are going, whether they choose to drive or take transit. The website was recently upgraded to improve the user experience and it’s available in either English or Spanish. With 511DFW, users can quickly access free information on traffic and transit conditions in North Texas before beginning their daily commute or other trip.

Real-time information is available on the website, www.511dfw.org. The website includes a Trip Planner designed to help travelers make better decisions about their mode of transportation, time of travel and route. The Trip Planner allows users to plan trips via car, transit, bicycling or walking. The app is available for Apple and Android devices.

Read the fact sheet at NCTCOG.org/factsheets. 

NCTCOG TO HOST HYBRID PUBLIC MEETING MARCH 10

NCTCOG is seeking public input on key transportation initiatives during a hybrid public meeting at noon on Monday, March 10. This meeting will be at NCTCOG headquarters, located at 616 Six Flags Drive in Arlington. For those unable to attend in person, the meeting will be available to watch online at Publicinput.com/nctcogMar25. Residents can also participate by calling 855-925-2801 and entering the code 11112 to join the conversation. Public comments will be accepted until April 8.

The meeting will feature a presentation on Mobility 2050: The Metropolitan Transportation Plan for North Central Texas. NCTCOG is developing the region’s next long-range Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) to guide transportation investments and address regional needs through 2050. Staff will provide an update on the plan’s progress and next steps.

Another presentation will cover the start of the 2025 ozone season. March 1 marked the beginning of the season for North Central Texas nonattainment area, which remains in nonattainment for both the 2008 and 2015 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone. Staff will provide an overview of regional air quality and the measures in place to reduce emissions. For more information, click here.

For more information about topics, contact Brian Wilson at 817-704-2511 or bwilson@nctcog.org. Visit www.nctcog.org/trans for more information on the department.

--Imagery provided by NCTCOG, the City of Arlington and Getty Images.