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Plano committee decides transit priorities as DART future remains uncertain

With DART's future still uncertain in several North Texas cities, a Plano‑appointed committee reviewing alternative transit options delivered its recommendations to the City Council on Tuesday night.

Alex Flores was in attendance. She is a museum tour guide who relies on DART to get around and does not have a car or driver's license because of a medical issue.

"I have these migraines that affect my vision that could hit me at any point," she said. "I've been taking public transit since I was about 13, 14."

The thought of losing DART terrifies her.

"Without it, I would quite literally be stranded," she said.

Committee weighs replacement options

For the past few weeks, Flores has followed the work of the city‑appointed Collin County Connects Committee, a resident group studying what transit options could replace DART if Plano withdraws.

On Tuesday, the committee shared its priorities, ranking "service and access," "integration with regional transit," and "reliability and wait times" at the top.

Only half the group felt comfortable ranking alternative transit companies. Spare and Via were the top selections. Some members said they preferred rejecting alternative transit altogether and staying with DART — a position echoed by several residents who spoke Tuesday.

City proposal could delay withdrawal

The discussion comes as Plano recently shared a new proposal with DART. If the agency agrees to a six‑year deal, the city would pull its withdrawal election.

The plan would continue rail service and express buses but discontinue all standard bus, demand‑response, and other non‑rail transit services within the city beginning in January 2029. The proposal could return more sales tax revenue to Plano.

Voters to decide next spring

The council took no action on Tuesday. For now, the final decision is expected to rest with voters next spring.

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