North Texas High Schoolers Advocate for DART Funding

The Dallas Public Transit Society

• 💡 A group of students under 17, calling themselves the Dallas Public Transit Society, are actively fighting for DART funding.
• 🎯 Their primary goal is to increase long-term ridership for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) system.

The Funding Challenge

• 📌 DART is currently in a funding battle, aiming to retain the 1% sales tax contribution from its 13 member cities.
• 🚀 The students were inspired to act when they learned about this critical funding issue.

Youth Ridership Advocacy

• 🧠 The students believe that increasing youth ridership today will cultivate lifelong public transit users.
• 🚗 They are working to change the mindset in a region heavily reliant on cars, advocating for a better bus and rail network.

Personal Connection to DART

• 🚌 Several students, like Mason Merritt, rely on DART daily for commuting to school and other activities.
• ⏱️ They highlight DART as a great form of commute, essential for navigating different parts of the city for school, music lessons, and extracurriculars.

Addressing Regional Traffic Issues

• 📈 With drivers spending significant time in traffic, the students propose that a well-funded public transit system, not more highways, is the solution.
• 📢 Their advocacy includes attending board meetings, urging leaders not to cut funding, and gathering signatures for a petition, which has already garnered hundreds of supporters.
• 💬 Even DART has taken notice, expressing excitement about the students' engagement and advocacy.