Plano city leaders surprised residents and public transit advocates on Monday by announcing that they may have a deal with Dallas Area Rapid Transit ahead of a May withdrawal election.
During an evening city council meeting, city manager Mark Israelson asked the council to postpone a decision on an alternative transit option that would replace DART with a rideshare service provided by Via if voters choose to withdraw from the agency.
That service would work similarly to other rideshare options such as Uber, Lyft or DART’s GoLink service. Via already operates services in other North Texas cities including Arlington and Denton.
"The city has been in active discussions with our transit provider DART for the last 6 or 7 months and really over the last several weeks talks have become more focused around a potential offer that we have heard from the chair of the DART board," Israelson said, though he did not provide specific details.
The council voted unanimously to table a vote on a contract with Via and instead make time to review DART's proposal. Plano previously proposed keeping train and express bus service but ending regular bus routes as a way to possibly prevent the May election; DART leaders will meet again Tuesday to consider potential agreements with some member cities.
Pro-DART residents who showed up to the meeting Monday to protest the Via option said they felt a sense of relief by the council's decision to delay a vote until later this month.
Embher Chaffin, director of the advocacy group Keep DART in Plano, said the announcement was unexpected.
"I think that it shows an effort of collaboration from both parties," Chaffin said. "For the city to acknowledge the DART is trying, gives me a lot of hope."
Alex Flores, a Plano resident and regular DART rider, said it's a sign the city council is finally listening to residents who want to keep DART in the North Dallas suburbs.
"Even if that means going through some complicated negotiations, we want to stay," Flores said. "The fact that they're willing to work with them is just, it's really nice to see."
Five other cities — Addison, Farmers Branch, Highland Park, Irving and University Park — are also holding withdrawal elections May 2 as a referendum on DART's service.
Pablo Arauz Peña is KERA’s growth and infrastructure reporter. Got a tip? Email Pablo at parauzpena@kera.org.
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