The future of public transit is coming, and Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) wants to gather feedback from its stakeholders to determine the look and feel of its Next Generation Bus fleet.

Customers can expect to see personnel from Dikita Enterprises and Consumer Market Insights (CMI), who are partnering with DART to gather the information from riders, at bus shelters, transit centers and on DART buses from as early as 4:30 a.m. to as late as 10 p.m. asking for participation in a brief survey to get input on new buses. Survey information will be gathered through the end of next week.

The survey’s objective is for DART to find ways to improve the customer experience through amenities and services currently not offered on buses. That feedback will then be incorporated into the design of DART’s next generation Bus fleet. Customers can expect the survey to feature questions regarding current amenities like storage access, seat comfort, noise level, overall layout and possible new features like Wi-Fi accessibility, onboard air purification systems, passenger video displays and brighter interior lighting that DART could add to its spec development.

“As we modernize our next generation bus fleet, it is crucial for us to secure the safest and most efficient buses while meeting the needs of our customers. These surveys help us better understand the customer’s journey and how our new fleet can improve that journey,” said Dee Leggett, DART chief development officer.

Customers can expect the survey to take less than 10 minutes to complete with CMI personnel offering to complete the duration of the customer’s trip on the bus to have them finish the survey.

DART employees are also being asked to participate and provide their feedback, particularly bus operators and bus mechanics, to ensure the new vehicles are easy to operate and maintain. Employees who utilize bus service frequently or casually will also provide valued input as they offer an internal customer perspective.

The system modernization plan will allow DART to raise the level of service and connectivity for riders by enhancing safety, reliability, and accessibility to public transit. The 10-year plan includes unifying signal systems and enhancing the resiliency of tracks across the rail corridor, replacing the oldest buses and light rail vehicles (LRVs) in the fleet, and improving passenger and operating facilities.

DART anticipates utilizing the gathered survey data and begin developing new bus specs later this year. Passengers could utilize the next generation buses as soon as 2026.

To learn more about the DART System Modernization Program, please visit Capital Projects (dart.org)

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About Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is the public transit agency for the City of Dallas and twelve surrounding North Texas cities. It operates an extensive multi-modal network of DART Light Rail, Trinity Railway Express commuter rail, bus routes, GoLink on-demand services, and paratransit services, providing service to hundreds of thousands of passengers per day across our 700-square-mile service area.