The new DARTzoom program has been designed to improve service frequency and hours buses are available in areas with the heaviest ridership, officials said. Plano and Richardson riders will see revisions to a number of each city’s routes and the services offered, but DART officials expect the city’s coverage areas to see little change overall.
The biggest change local residents are likely to see is the expansion of DART’s GoLink service, according to Rob Smith, DART’s assistant vice president of service planning and development. That service offers on-demand shuttles within GoLink zones being added in Richardson and expanded in Plano.
A public survey for feedback on the proposed bus network changes is available on the DART website, and the agency has a second public hearing for the plan scheduled for its June 22 board of directors meeting.
“That, basically, is the conclusion of the public input process for the proposed changes,” Smith said. “We’re going to be taking all the comments that we’ve heard ... and assess whether we need to make adjustments to the proposal. I expect that we will make adjustments.”
The DART board will then have the opportunity to approve any further changes to the proposal in August. If all goes as planned, Smith said DART is scheduled to implement the revised bus network Jan. 24.
All written comments and emails received from the public before the hearings are adjourned will become part of the official hearing record. The public can send those comments via email to [email protected] prior to the public hearing or by mail to DART Community Engagement-7232, January 2022 Service Changes Public Hearing, P.O. Box 660163, Dallas, TX 75266.
To view the public hearing, visit www.dart.org/boardvideo and select "Board of Directors Live." Visit www.dart.org/meetings for more information.
