In a recent decision, leaders in a North Texas suburb have opted to cancel an upcoming election that would have allowed residents to vote on whether to withdraw from the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) system, the largest public transit network in the region. This move comes after the Plano City Council reached an agreement with DART.
On Monday, the council unanimously voted to call off the May 2 election, which was intended to give voters the choice of remaining with or exiting DART. Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Rick Horne emphasized the city’s goal of enhancing the agency’s performance during the meeting, stating, “What we have is good, it’s not perfect, but it’s a starting point.”
Alongside this decision, the council repealed a prior resolution that sought to limit DART’s tax revenue collection. This decision followed extensive negotiations between DART and several member cities seeking alterations in the agency’s funding and governance structures. Plano is among six cities that had considered withdrawal elections, which would have resulted in the cessation of bus and train services within their areas.
The newly established agreement includes a commitment from DART to return $360 million to its member cities over a six-year period. Additionally, DART plans to reform its board of directors, ensuring that each city is represented, which will broaden the board and diminish the voting power held by the city of Dallas. Members of the Plano City Council expressed their support for these reforms and called for state legislative action to implement a new governance framework.
DART CEO Nadine Lee indicated the necessity for the agency to explore alternative revenue sources to maintain its operations. Earlier this month, the Regional Transportation Council approved a plan to assist DART in providing an additional $75 million to its cities.
<p“There's nobody who wants to improve services more than DART, and we will endeavor to do that,” Lee remarked. “If we can collaborate with the cities in good faith, we believe this can be achieved.”
Under the terms of the new agreement, Plano officials have agreed to halt their legislative efforts to defund DART, with the city set to receive over $61 million in the coming years. Mayor Pro Tem Maria Tu acknowledged the compromises involved, stating, “I understand we’re not getting everything we want, I understand our riders want additional things, but one step at a time.”
Numerous Plano residents and transit advocates attended the meeting to show their support for DART. Embher Chaffin, founder of the advocacy group Keep DART in Plano, expressed gratitude for the agreement but urged the city to appoint a board representative who is familiar with the transit system. “The board at DART should include someone who rides regularly,” she said, highlighting the city’s diversity as an asset.
However, not all riders are satisfied with the new plan, expressing concerns about transparency and potential negative impacts on the passenger experience. “There’s one member of this compromise that is still missing and that’s us, the riders,” noted Alex Flores during the council meeting. “The [deal] does give you guys an additional responsibility… the funds you receive can be used for transit-related projects.”
The council also approved a new micro-transit service, dubbed “Plano Rides,” which had previously been allocated funding. This service will be operated by Via, a rideshare company active in other North Texas cities, including Arlington and Irving. Some residents have criticized this new service, labeling it as “duplicative.”
At least three other cities are contemplating the cancellation of their DART withdrawal elections. Addison and Farmers Branch are set to review the new DART agreement tomorrow, while Irving plans to address it on Thursday.
