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Irving pushes DART on governance and seeks funds to pilot microtransit and paratransit alternatives
Summary
Council discussed an RFI for citywide microtransit and paratransit services and the mayor urged DART to return a share of regional funds to Irving to pilot circulator and microtransit services and to restore cut routes; city staff posted an RFI due Dec. 19 and plan an RFP after review in January.
Public Works staff reported on a request for information (RFI) for microtransit and paratransit services released Nov. 21; proposals are due Dec. 19, staff will review responses in December–January, and a formal RFP process will follow. The city seeks turnkey, accessible, regionally connected service models and said more than 30 entities had already reviewed the RFI.
Council discussion shifted to a broader regional-transit dispute. The mayor urged DART to be a stronger partner with Irving, complained about recent bus-route reductions affecting local riders, and proposed negotiating a program that would return 5 percent of DART’s Irving-attributable funding to the city annually for up to five years to pilot microtransit, circulators and improved station-area connectivity. The mayor framed the request as an effort to preserve fixed-route access, to reinstate particular routes, and to test city-run or contracted last-mile services while pressing governance changes at DART.
Public-works staff and the mayor emphasized the need to maintain ridership and protect people who rely on cash fares and fixed-route service. Council asked staff to pursue RFI responses quickly and to coordinate with neighboring cities examining similar services.
Next steps: staff will return in January with a summary of RFI responses and recommended next steps for a procurement and potential pilot program; council signaled interest in negotiating with DART on funding and governance facets concurrently.
