STAR Transit asks DeSoto to expand same‑day service to 8 p.m., cites grant funding to cover most cost
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Summary
STAR Transit proposed extending Star Now on‑demand service to 8 p.m. citywide and adding service hours, with most of the additional cost covered by federal and regional grants; the city would face a modest local match increase.
STAR Transit representatives presented a ridership and service update to the City Council and recommended modest service expansions for fiscal 2026 that would extend on‑demand service citywide from 6 a.m.–8 p.m. and add contract hours, while relying on grant reimbursements to pay most of the additional cost.
Tommy Hendricks of STAR Transit reviewed the system’s two city services: demand‑response rides that are scheduled in advance, and Star Now same‑day on‑demand service (paired with UberX Share as overflow). He said the city’s demand‑response and Star Now riders have plateaued in recent years (roughly 900 monthly demand‑response trips and about 150 same‑day trips), with senior‑center trips and dialysis accounting for a large share of demand.
For FY26, STAR Transit proposed extending Star Now to 8 p.m. and adding hours that would increase the annual contract from approximately $215,000 to about $234,000. Hendricks said the city could leverage grant programs: the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) 5310 category (seniors and individuals with disabilities) offers roughly an 80% reimbursement for eligible demand‑response service, and other grants reimburse at about 60%. Hendricks said the recommended expansion would require roughly a $30,000 local contribution but yield an estimated four‑to‑one federal/regional match.
Hendricks said the additional hours are intended partly to absorb service the city currently receives from DART subcontracting (Lancaster, Wilmer and Hutchins services are transitioning to STAR Transit) and to cover later‑evening workforce and business‑park trips. He said projected benefits include reducing denial rates (currently about 7%) and adding roughly 400 trips per month in demand‑response service.
Councilmembers asked about accessibility, marketing, student discounts and operations. Hendricks said STAR Transit offers half fares for people 60+, veterans and riders with disabilities, free rides for children 12 and under with a paying adult, and a client‑advocate program to assist riders with extra needs. Marketing includes digital ads, targeted mail and on‑the‑ground outreach; Hendricks said staff will increase marketing around the October transition if the council approves service changes timed with the October 1 interlocal renewal date.
STAR Transit said annual interlocal agreements auto‑renew each year and that staff will return with contract terms tied to FY26 service changes and the October 1 renewal.
