As Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) outlines its plan for the future, the conversation shifts to Garland, where residents have an opportunity to express their concerns and learn more. DART will hold a community meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday at Garland City Hall, located at 200 N. Fifth St. The purpose of this gathering is to discuss potential service changes and fare restructures slated for implementation in 2026. This critical dialogue arrives amidst DART’s larger mission to streamline operations while grappling with the constraints of the budget and ridership dynamics.
Among the anticipated changes proposed are the discontinuation of nine bus routes, the elimination of one GoLink zone, and the cessation of three zone-to-zone pilot programs. Notably, there will be a decrease in the frequency of service for local bus routes, light rail, TRE, and the Silver Line, a shift that predicates an essential public discussion. In a move that could pose a significant burden on vulnerable communities, paratransit fares may see an uptick while service areas undergo contractions. Additionally, DART is considering a revision of the GoLink service to adopt rally-point pickups coupled with a new pricing model that is distance-based and, for premium curb-to-curb services, commensurately priced.
The proposed Phase 2 fare restructure also looms on the horizon, bringing with it the prospect of regional passes and distance-based GoLink fares. In the face of these myriad adjustments, the community’s contribution becomes indispensable. Through a series of pre-public hearing meetings, like the one set for Garland, DART seeks to siphon the voice of the community, ensuring that the lived experiences of riders and residents are factored into the final calculus of service amendment…