The biggest North Texas city yet to consider pulling out of Dallas Area Rapid Transit has taken the next step toward doing so.
Plano joins Farmers Branch and Highland Park in voting to move forward with a special election next May, letting voters decide whether to keep or drop the transit system it's been a part of for more than four decades.

More than 100 North Texans showed up to Wednesday night's meeting to address the Plano City Council.

For some, using DART saves a lot of money on their daily commute to and from work; for others, like the disabled, it's their only mode of transportation. 

"I'm terrified of what's going to happen if you vote me out. And that's what it amounts to... obviously, I'm not the only one," one Plano resident said. "I've been trying to hold my tears back for days over this."

Most speakers on Wednesday said they don't want to see Plano pull out of DART, but there was some support for the idea.

"I've personally experienced, witnessed public drug use, indecent exposure, urination and aggressive behavior," a resident of Plano said. "These problems arrive on DART trains and they stay here."

Highland Park and Farmers Branch have also approved special elections to decide their futures with DART. Irving is set to take up the issue on Thursday.

Plano councilmembers in favor of public transit

Wednesday night, several council members said they're in favor of public transit.

However, Plano city officials have grown frustrated, pointing out that while the city contributed about $109 million to DART in 2023, only around $44 million was spent on services within city limits.

They said ridership has declined, and that DART hasn't done enough to make public transit appealing or accessible for residents.

"We've worked with DART for the past six years, trying to come up with some solutions and really try to come up with a better model of what it can be to Plano and actually all the member cities and we've really struggled to be able to do that," said John Muns, Plano's mayor.

If the withdrawal does pass in an election, city officials say, after a full exit, they could look into contract services with DART. Plano could potentially rejoin the rail system, like the red and silver lines.

DART warns of reductions across the system

DART's CEO, Nadine Lee, warns that Plano's exit could mean service reductions across the system.

"I think that it is hard to imagine that losing a Plano would not impact our revenues because it's the sales taxes collected in Plano are about $110 million a year," said Lee.

One thing that was stressed multiple times on Wednesday night is at the end of the day, this will depend on the voters. They'll be making the decision next May.