Dallas Area Rapid Transit is testing out three new bus shelter designs at cities around its service area.
DART installed five Next Generation Bus Shelters at stops in Dallas, Plano, Richardson and Garland. The new versions are standard- and slim-width with benches, and a mini shelter featuring seating for two.
The new bus shelters feature includes real-time bus arrival information, improved lighting for safety and visibility, and more protection against the weather.
“We’re looking to see how these shelters and all their new features are received by our riders,” Brandi Stringer, director of mobility capital projects, said in a news release. “Our number one goal is to provide an amenity at our bus stops that riders love and adds to their experience when riding DART.”
DART worked with the University of Texas at Arlington architecture and urban planning students to design the new shelters.
The students used data that DART gathered when surveying bus riders to see what key amenities were important to them in 2023.
DART also partnered with Tolar Manufacturing, a leading bus shelter manufacturer, to turn the designs into the three prototypes being used in the pilot program.
The pilot will run through November. DART will choose a final design by the end of the year and install the new shelters throughout its network.
DART Next Generation pilot bus shelter locations include:
- Mini Shelter at Ross Avenue and Hall Street in Dallas
- Standard Shelter at Malcolm X Boulevard and Clarence Street in Dallas
- Standard Shelter at Hedgcoxe and Preston roads in Plano
- Slim Shelter at Synergy Park Boulevard and Rutford Road in Richardson
- Slim Shelter at Northwest Highway and Marketplace Drive in Garland
Poojasai Kona is KERA’s UNT Scripps Howard news intern. Got a tip? Email her at pkona@kera.org.
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