DART Leaders Consider Service Changes and Fare Adjustments Amidst Budget Constraints

DART Board Meeting and Service Changes

• 📌 The DART board is set to vote on proposed service changes and cuts, a discussion that was previously tabled in August.
• ⚠️ Controversial cuts to paratransit service have been withdrawn, and Golink in South Dallas will remain intact.
• 🚌 However, some bus routes will be discontinued, and train and express bus frequencies will be reduced from every 15 to every 20 minutes during peak hours.

Financial Compromises and Funding

• 💰 The proposed changes stem from a compromise with funding cities, where DART agreed to allocate 5% of its annual sales tax revenue to a general mobility program for city transportation projects.
• ⚖️ This agreement was made to prevent potential legislation that could have reduced DART's budget by a quarter.

Fare Adjustments Under Consideration

• 🎟️ The proposal includes changes to fare prices, with the all-day regional pass decreasing from $12 to $9.
• 📈 A new reduced regional monthly pass is proposed at $96, and the regional annual pass would be eliminated.
• 💰 The three-hour pass will remain at $3, the TR one-way fare at $6, and a single paratransit ride at $4.
• 🗓️ If approved, these changes are expected to take effect early next year, coinciding with DART's role in the World Cup.