Riders Influence Bus Route Changes Review process evaluates effectiveness of bus system Garland resident Bradley Smith decided several years ago not to own a car, but that doesn’t keep him from getting to the job he loves in Las Colinas. “I prefer not to own a vehicle, so I live where I know DART service is available,” Smith said. Smith takes Bus Route 283 from Garland to Downtown Dallas. From there, he catches the Orange Line to Irving Convention Center Station. He walks or bikes the remaining few blocks to his job. According to Rob Smith, DART’s assistant vice president for service planning and development, the agency considers riders like Bradley when evaluating the overall effectiveness of its bus system. Geography, demographics and regulatory considerations factor in as well. “We make it a priority to ensure that service changes do not disproportionately affect lower-income and minority communities,” Rob Smith said. DART has just completed a two-year evaluation of all bus services. The purpose of the Comprehensive Operations Analysis was to: • determine effectiveness of all bus routes • improve route ridership and productivity • increase route and system efficiency “Service planning is an art, not a science. It’s important that our routes reflect the needs of all of our riders,” Smith said. Some changes recommended by the COA were implemented in 2016. For example, Bus Route 385, which previously circulated between the Lake Ray Hubbard Transit Center and a major retailer located at I-30 and Chaha Road, now connects with the Downtown Rowlett Station. Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Lake Pointe in Rowlett, which previously had only on-call service, now is served by Bus Route 887. Other changes resulting from the COA will be phased in throughout 2017 and beyond. 11 DART has begun implementing service changes based on the Comprehensive Operations Analysis of the bus network to ensure that bus routes go where customers need them most.
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