DALLAS – A bill advancing through the Texas legislature threatens to dismantle the public transportation system in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Dallas Area Rapid Transit said yesterday.
“This bill isn’t a tweak to funding. It’s a full-on dismantling of the DART system,” said DART’s chief communications officer, Jeamy Molina. “The people of North Texas voted twice to fund a unified, regional transit system. House Bill 3187 completely ignores their voice and puts the future of public transportation in jeopardy.”
The measure has advanced out of the House transportation committee by a 9-2 vote. A companion bill is under consideration in the Senate. The legislation would allow communities to retain 25% of the tax funds currently collected for DART, with that money to be used for local improvements for roads, sidewalks, and other projects.
DART yesterday highlighted the anticipated impact of the legislation, which it says will reduce transit access for essential workers, seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families, and undermine DART’s ability to prepare for major international events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
State Rep. Matt Shaheen of Plano, sponsor of the House legislation, has said that his community is “overpaying DART by more than 200%, paying over $100-plus million into the DART system while receiving less than $45 million service.”
The proposed funding cuts could impact other rail transit and commuter rail operations in the Metroplex. Transit officials have suggested that if the bill passes, the creation of a regional transportation authority combining four current or about-to-open commuter rail operations could be an option to help maintain service in North Texas.
Trinity Metro currently operates the 27-mile TEXRail commuter rail operation between downtown Fort Worth and DFW International Airport, and shares with DART the operation and funding of Trinity Railway Express commuter service between Dallas and Fort Worth. DART, which operates a 93-mile, four-line light rail network in Dallas and neighboring communities, plans to launch the 26-mile Silver Line commuter rail option between Plano, Texas, and DFW Airport this year.
