The City of McKinney and DCTA Launch New Collin County Transit Service

The city of McKinney, the McKinney Urban Transit District (MUTD) and the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) have announced the launch of Collin County Transit. The city and DCTA signed a one-year agreement, with renewal options, to provide transit services for eligible residents for trips within Collin County. The service consists of a subsidized taxi voucher program that will provide efficient transit options for participating MUTD cities including McKinney, Lowry Crossing, Melissa and Princeton. For customers whose mobility device cannot be accommodated through the taxi voucher program, DCTA will directly provide demand-response service.

Effective June 1, Irving Holdings, DCTA’s contractor, operates and manage the taxi voucher program. The taxi service will operate Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Trips can be booked 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. A variety of taxis will operate Collin County Transit, including wheelchair accessible vehicles. A person can apply for the taxi voucher program via email, fax, phone and mail and must provide a completed application, signed terms and conditions, and copies of all required documentation.

“We’re excited to partner with the city of McKinney and McKinney Urban Transit District for the launch of Collin County Transit,” said Jim Cline, DCTA president. “Our goal is for this new service to be an efficient mobility solution for residents who need transportation to medical appointments, work, and everyday destinations.”

Customers will pay the fare for the taxi voucher program using a pre-issued taxi debit card that they can load a maximum of $100 (in $5 increments). The customer contribution will be matched three to one for a total value of up to $400 maximum per month. Taxi drivers will accept cash and credit card for any additional payments required.

The one-way taxi fare is based on the origin and destination requested by the customer. Basic meter rates apply:

• $2.25 is the boarding fare plus $1.80 per mile
• There is a traffic delay/waiting time charge of $.45 per every 1.5 minutes
• Riders may be responsible for any toll charges the trip may require

With the launch of Collin County Transit, residents will be able to enjoy the convenience of regular taxi service at a fraction of the cost to get to popular destinations such as grocery stores, senior centers, libraries, Baylor Medical Center, Medical Center of McKinney and more.

“The city worked diligently to come up with the most cost-effective solution for the limited funds we have available to provide public transit in McKinney. We are proud to partner with DCTA to bring affordable, accessible public transportation to those who most need it in our community,” said City Manager Paul Grimes.