DFW Airport News Briefs – April 2013

DFW Airport Mobile app tops 30,000 downloads in three months
The Official DFW Airport Mobile Application is proving to be very popular with Airport users. More than 30,000 people have downloaded the free app since its official launch in early January. The free app for smartphones and handheld devices gives customers the latest information and updates about flights, parking, shops, restaurants and airport services at their fingertips. It’s the first airport app that notifies travelers about gate changes at DFW Airport through a push notification. The official DFW Airport Mobile App is available via free download for the Apple iOS, Android and Blackberry platforms.

New Automated Lanes To Add Convenience For Travelers 
The Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport Board approved plans for the final stages of upgrading the Airport’s parking control system, which includes new automated lanes for entering and exiting DFW. Already, customers are taking advantage of the 23 new computerized entry and exit lanes, which can readily recognize license plates and Toll Tags. Customers will be able to pay with credit cards, their Toll Tag accounts or cash once the full system is implemented in mid-summer of this year. The construction project is nearly complete, with new entry and exit plazas already built at the north and south entrances to the Airport. The remaining work includes the installation of additional technology, as well as live testing of the new system.

Easment Recommendations keep DART Orange Line rail on track to arrive at DFW
The DFW Airport Board has voted to recommend that the City Councils of Dallas and Fort Worth give the go-ahead for easements necessary for Dallas Rapid Area Transit (DART) to complete the final leg of construction to bring light rail service to DFW Airport. The final five mile stretch across Airport property, referred to as I-3, will help extend DART’s Orange Line from the Belt Line Station in Irving all the way to the DFW Airport Station alongside Terminal A, with service expected to begin in December of 2014. DFW Airport is investing $36 million to build the DFW Airport DART Station. Construction and maintenance of the track will be paid for by DART solely. Once complete, the DART’s Orange Line will run from downtown Dallas directly to DFW Airport’s Central Terminal Area.

DFW Department of Public Safety buying new fire trucks
The DFW Airport Board has approved spending nearly $3 million to purchase two new aircraft rescue firefighting vehicles, as well as additional vehicles for the DFW Department of Public Safety (DPS). The two Oshkosh Striker vehicles will replace two similar Strikers that have reached the end of their expected useful life. The Federal Aviation Administration mandates a quick response to an aircraft emergency, so DFW maintains a fleet of vehicles that enable firefighters to arrive on the scene of emergencies within several minutes. The Department of Public Safety will also be acquiring a new ambulance, 15 new patrol cars and 8 sport utility vehicles, most of which are used for canine units. The total cost of these new vehicles is nearly $1 million.