Earlier tonight, more than 100 community members filled the Plano City Council chambers — and many more tried to join online — to speak about the city’s potential withdrawal from Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART).
We saw neighbors, cyclists, transit riders, parents, advocates, and people with disabilities show up to share what connection means to them. It was a long evening — more than four hours of public comment — but what stood out most wasn’t the length of the meeting. It was the heart in the room.
The Bike Community Showed UpBikeDFW was proud to see so many familiar faces and new ones, too — cyclists who understand that bikes and transit are partners in a livable, connected North Texas. We showed up not because DART is perfect, but because it’s possible. Because when bikes, buses, and trains work together, they give people real choices about how to move safely and affordably.
Thank you to everyone who gave up your evening to speak, or to simply be present. Your presence reminded everyone that mobility is more than infrastructure — it’s community.
Why We Were ThereThis vote wasn’t just about whether Plano stays in DART. It was about the future of connection in our region — about whether we keep building bridges between cities, or start building walls around them.
DART connects people to jobs, schools, healthcare, and family. It connects cyclists to stations, paratransit users to independence, and neighborhoods to opportunity.
Leaving DART doesn’t fix the system’s flaws — it just makes them harder to solve. The people who spoke last night weren’t defending the status quo; they were defending the possibility of a more connected future.
What We SawThroughout the evening, city staff and consultants presented their case for leaving DART. Then, DART’s own leadership — including the CEO, Board Chair, and past Chair — were invited to speak briefly in response. It was striking to see how uneven the exchange of time and attention felt, especially given what’s at stake for thousands of riders.
Still, those few minutes from DART’s leaders carried a clear message: they want to work with Plano, not against it. They want to improve service, strengthen safety, and keep this regional network intact.
And that’s what we want too.
What’s NextThe council ultimately voted to move forward with a public referendum — a decision that means this conversation is far from over. In the months ahead, there will be opportunities for all of us to continue sharing our stories, data, and lived experiences.
For BikeDFW, this moment reinforces why we do what we do. Whether you ride a bike, take the bus, or roll your wheelchair onto paratransit, we’re all part of the same ecosystem. When one link breaks, we all feel it.
The Road AheadWe’ll continue to advocate for connected, multimodal transportation across North Texas — for the students, workers, seniors, and families who depend on it.
If you spoke last night, thank you. If you wanted to but couldn’t, we see you.
If you’re just learning about this issue now, welcome — we’ll need your voice, too.
Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about DART as an agency.
It’s about connection as a value.
And that’s something worth showing up for — again and again.
Tomorrow night we will be in Irving...we hope maybe we will see you there too.
We saw neighbors, cyclists, transit riders, parents, advocates, and people with disabilities show up to share what connection means to them. It was a long evening — more than four hours of public comment — but what stood out most wasn’t the length of the meeting. It was the heart in the room.
The Bike Community Showed UpBikeDFW was proud to see so many familiar faces and new ones, too — cyclists who understand that bikes and transit are partners in a livable, connected North Texas. We showed up not because DART is perfect, but because it’s possible. Because when bikes, buses, and trains work together, they give people real choices about how to move safely and affordably.
Thank you to everyone who gave up your evening to speak, or to simply be present. Your presence reminded everyone that mobility is more than infrastructure — it’s community.
Why We Were ThereThis vote wasn’t just about whether Plano stays in DART. It was about the future of connection in our region — about whether we keep building bridges between cities, or start building walls around them.
DART connects people to jobs, schools, healthcare, and family. It connects cyclists to stations, paratransit users to independence, and neighborhoods to opportunity.
Leaving DART doesn’t fix the system’s flaws — it just makes them harder to solve. The people who spoke last night weren’t defending the status quo; they were defending the possibility of a more connected future.
What We SawThroughout the evening, city staff and consultants presented their case for leaving DART. Then, DART’s own leadership — including the CEO, Board Chair, and past Chair — were invited to speak briefly in response. It was striking to see how uneven the exchange of time and attention felt, especially given what’s at stake for thousands of riders.
Still, those few minutes from DART’s leaders carried a clear message: they want to work with Plano, not against it. They want to improve service, strengthen safety, and keep this regional network intact.
And that’s what we want too.
What’s NextThe council ultimately voted to move forward with a public referendum — a decision that means this conversation is far from over. In the months ahead, there will be opportunities for all of us to continue sharing our stories, data, and lived experiences.
For BikeDFW, this moment reinforces why we do what we do. Whether you ride a bike, take the bus, or roll your wheelchair onto paratransit, we’re all part of the same ecosystem. When one link breaks, we all feel it.
The Road AheadWe’ll continue to advocate for connected, multimodal transportation across North Texas — for the students, workers, seniors, and families who depend on it.
If you spoke last night, thank you. If you wanted to but couldn’t, we see you.
If you’re just learning about this issue now, welcome — we’ll need your voice, too.
Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about DART as an agency.
It’s about connection as a value.
And that’s something worth showing up for — again and again.
Tomorrow night we will be in Irving...we hope maybe we will see you there too.
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