Plano weighs future with DART as May vote nears, installs advisory committee

PLANO, Texas — For daily commuter Chris Gilmer, DART is a dependable part of life. Riding the Orange Line to and from his job, he values the routine.

"It's predictable," Gilmer said. "I like predictable."

But he also knows the City of Plano is reconsidering its decades-long partnership with the transit agency .

Plano Mayor John Muns says the city supports public transportation, but only if it meets the community’s needs.

"We believe in public transportation, it just has to work for all of us," Muns said.

Plano and DART are now negotiating terms ahead of a May vote, when residents will decide whether to withdraw from a contract that began in 1983. Concerns about ridership and value are driving the conversation.

"Ridership is really an issue," Muns noted. "Seeing how many empty buses