Plano’s transit future hangs in the balance with a May vote looming. The city debates ending its 40-year DART partnership.

PLANO, Texas — For daily commuter Chris Gilmer, DART is a dependable part of life. Riding the Orange Line to and from his job, he values the routine. 

“It’s predictable,” Gilmer said. “I like predictable.” 

But he also knows the City of Plano is reconsidering its decades-long partnership with the transit agency.

Plano Mayor John Muns says the city supports public transportation, but only if it meets the community’s needs. 

“We believe in public transportation, it just has to work for all of us,” Muns said. 

Plano and DART are now negotiating terms ahead of a May vote, when residents will decide whether to withdraw from a contract that began in 1983. Concerns about ridership and value are driving the conversation. 

“Ridership is really an issue,” Muns noted. “Seeing how many empty buses and how empty our rail system is, is really frustrating for the amount we’re paying.”  

Plano contributes more than $131 million in annual sales tax to DART — the second most among member cities. To explore alternatives, the city created Collin County Connects, an advisory group led by former Mayor Phil Dyer. 

“What we need to do is figure out where the users are, what time of day, and where they need to be,” Dyer said. “Our charge is to make a recommendation of the services that need to be in place and a vendor to deliver the services.”

“Their job is to tell us what’s important to them in regard to transportation” Muns said. 

Dyer tells WFAA they’ll be tasked with evaluating four vendors and three proposals. The group only advises; the city council makes decisions.

Mayor Muns tells WFAA the city has offered up options of capping payments, expansions to the west side and beyond into areas seeing significant growth. A sticking point for some officials is the lack of expansion among DART member cities. 

“There are 13 member cities today, and there were 13 member cities in 1983,” he said. “And it hasn’t grown at all, and that is a concern for all of us.”

Gilmer tells WFAA it takes him about an hour and a half to get to his home in Irving from downtown Plano. In response to the claim that this relationship between the city and DART is inequitable, he says, “Sometimes you get what you pay for, sometimes you don’t get what you pay for. It all evens out.”

The city could cancel the May vote if a new deal is reached. Until then, riders like Gilmer will continue to use DART. 

“It’s always an adventure. You never know.” 

If no agreement emerges, it may be the end of the line—closing a chapter opened in 1983.