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DART project manager: November ridership dipped; program reports healthier KPIs and vendor RFP timeline
Summary
DART project manager Ryan McCutcheon told the McKinney transit board that November ridership fell (average monthly trips dropped from 15 to 12) but key performance indicators such as no-show rates improved; staff previewed an RFP and a planned vendor start date of Jan. 2, 2027.
Ryan McCutcheon, project manager in service planning and scheduling for DART and manager of the MUTD shared‑ride service, told the board the Collin County Transit Program experienced a ridership decline in November linked to fewer weekdays and holiday travel. He said the program’s average unique rider trips fell from about 15 in October to about 12 in November and that even the program’s “super users” (those taking more than 50 trips) declined.
McCutcheon framed other performance metrics as healthy: annual no‑show rates have trended down toward the program target of under 5 percent, and in 2025 the figure is roughly half the target. He reported average trip distance is a little over 7 miles and average trip duration is about 17 minutes, figures McCutcheon said are reasonable for a service covering Collin County’s roughly 886 square miles.
On fare policy, McCutcheon said staff moved from a flat fare to a distance‑based fare model in February and that farebox cost recovery rose from roughly 18 percent under the flat fare to about 30 percent under the distance‑based model. He cautioned that farebox revenues still do not cover the full cost of operating the program.
McCutcheon outlined the procurement timeline for operations and technology: staff plan to issue a request for proposals for a software-as-a-service platform, call-center operations, drivers and vehicles, then return to the board in early summer with a recommended vendor so a new contract could begin on Jan. 2, 2027. He said the City of McKinney currently has a scope of work from DART for the service and that staff will negotiate an interlocal agreement with the DART Local Government Corporation if a new vendor is chosen.
The presentation closed with McCutcheon inviting board questions; the chair then moved to the funding update portion of the agenda.
