The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Board of Directors has unanimously approved the DARTzoom Final Bus Network Plan, which includes a complete redesign of the DART bus network. With the goal of providing greater frequency, longer service hours and improved access to destinations, the redesigned network goes into effect on January 24, 2022.
As the North Texas region continues to experience unparalleled growth, becoming a national and international destination for both residents and corporations, DART has undertaken a complete blank-slate redesign of the existing bus system. Working with all 13 Service Area cities, employers, community leaders, and transit riders, DART has developed a new bus system that is designed to ensure passengers have safe and easy access to employment, education and entertainment areas across the DART service area.
Greater Frequency
Core Frequent Network service will provide bus frequency matching or better than light rail service – 15-minute peak and 20-minute midday. Light rail service will also return to pre-pandemic levels, providing 15-minute peak service and more frequent evening service.
Expanded Coverage
With the implementation of the DARTzoom Bus Network Redesign service changes, 74% of DART service area residents will have access to transit services within walking distance. This is an increase of 6% above the current bus network design. New DART GoLink on-demand service zones help achieve the added coverage.
More Direct Routes
By making the new bus routes more direct, focusing on major transit corridors and reducing the number of bus stops, DART bus service will be faster, ensuring passengers get to their destinations quicker and improving connections.
Longer Hours of Service
With a focus on transit riders working non-traditional hours, all local DART bus routes will provide service 7 days a week between the hours of 5:00 a.m. and midnight at a minimum. The 22 core frequent bus routes will operate between 4:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m.
Improved Access to Jobs
The DARTzoom Bus Network Redesign will increase the number of jobs that an average resident of the DART service area can reach in one hour by 34% compared to the existing bus network.
New GoLink Zones
An essential part of the new DART bus network is the expansion of GoLink, DART’s on-demand, curb-to-curb microtransit service solution that operates in zones across the DART service area. GoLink offers direct-request demand-responsive service with connections to other DART routes as well as curb-to-curb service anywhere within a specified zone.
With the start of the new bus service schedule in 2022, 13 new GoLink zones will be added, bringing the total to 30. To ensure riders have the opportunity to experience GoLink for themselves before the bus service changes go into effect, all 30 zones will be active beginning December 6, 2021.
Source: dart.org
