DART receives $70 million federal grant for new light rail vehicles

Dallas Area Rapid Transit agency received a $70 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration, according to a news release from the agency.

DART plans to use the funds to purchase new light rail vehicles, per the release.

The overview

DART’s grant is part of $166 million that FTA distributed to three rail projects through its Rail Vehicle Replacement Grants program.

DART said it will use the $70 million grant to replace 53 light rail vehicles that were originally purchased over 30 years ago.

The improved performance from the new vehicles will contribute to more reliable service delivery and system resilience, per the release. The vehicles will also provide a more comfortable ride and help DART meet ridership needs.

A closer look

The new light rail vehicles are part of the agency’s 10-year DART Transform program, a modernization plan that aims to make DART the “preferred mobility provider” in the Dallas-Fort Worth region.

Trey Walker, interim executive vice president and chief development officer, said the grant complements $25 million DART received from the U.S. Department of Transportation earlier this summer, which will fund platform modifications.

“The grants generously awarded by the FTA support our Transform program and allow DART to reinvest in aging infrastructure to ensure safe, reliable, and innovative transit options for the coming decades,” Walker said in the release.

What’s next

According to the release, DART has already begun the procurement process to purchase the new vehicles, but the agency has not announced a timeline for delivery.