Plano voters to decide next May whether to leave DART system

Plano voters will decide next May whether the city should withdraw from the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system after the city council unanimously approved a withdrawal election this week.
Plano voters will decide next May whether the city should withdraw from the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system after the city council unanimously approved a withdrawal election this week. Photo credit (Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images for Dallas Area Rapid Transit)

Plano voters will decide next May whether the city should withdraw from the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system after the city council unanimously approved a withdrawal election this week.

If voters approve, Plano would become the largest city yet to exit DART since its creation in 1983. The proposal follows similar decisions by Farmers Branch and Highland Park, which also voted this week to hold their own elections on leaving the regional transit agency.

Plano leaders say the ballot measure is meant to give residents a direct say in whether to continue paying into the system amid questions about service levels and long-term value. DART currently operates light rail, bus, and paratransit service across 13 member cities in North Texas.

The election is scheduled for May 2026, when voters in all three cities will determine whether to remain part of the DART network or pursue local transportation alternatives.

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Featured Image Photo Credit: (Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images for Dallas Area Rapid Transit)