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Multiple Garland residents urge city to support full DART funding and oppose proposed cuts
Summary
Several residents and community volunteers asked the council to pass a resolution supporting Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) funding, warning that proposed state legislation and DART budget changes would cut bus service and harm transit-dependent residents.
Dozens of Garland residents and volunteers used the city’s public-comment period Tuesday to urge Garland City Council to support full funding for Dallas Area Rapid Transit and to oppose proposed state and regional actions that would cut service.
Speakers cited recent legislative bills and regional proposals that would reduce DART funding and eliminate bus routes; they asked Garland to adopt a formal resolution supporting DART to show regional solidarity and protect transit-dependent riders. No council action was taken during the public-comments section.
Residents said Garland has one of the highest per-capita uses of DART service in the system and that service cuts would disproportionately affect students, workers and low-income residents. Speakers referenced “House Bill 3187” and “Senate Bill 1557” (as cited during comments) and a proposed DART 5% general mobility plan that could eliminate certain routes. Several speakers said discontinued bus routes would leave people with only higher-cost on-demand alternatives such as GoLink.
Speakers included long-time Garland residents, a volunteer from BAPS Charities announcing a community walk in Frisco, and transit advocates who requested the council consider a supportive resolution to DART funding. One speaker noted recent downtown and downtown-adjacent investments in Garland and said transit is critical to bringing riders to downtown Garland destinations.
Council members did not vote on a resolution during the meeting; several members and members of the public said they would like the council to consider a formal resolution at a later meeting.
