Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has taken delivery of the first two buses in its new 476-bus fleet, a key milestone in DART Transform—the agency’s wide-ranging modernization program aimed at improving the rider experience across North Texas.
The buses will undergo inspections and testing by DART’s operations team before full production begins in October. Once ready, riders can expect to see the new buses on routes starting mid- to late-November.
“These new buses will be the first major component of DART Transform that every rider will get to experience,” said Nadine S. Lee, DART President and CEO. “We can’t wait to see the positive impact these vehicles will have on our customers.”
The 476 buses—76 measuring 30 feet and 400 at 40 feet—will operate on compressed natural gas (CNG) and are being built by California-based Gillig. The purchase was made possible in part by a $103 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration’s Low or No Emission Program, covering nearly a third of the total cost. Ordering in bulk also saved the agency an additional $15 million.
Amenities for riders will include vinyl seating, new bilingual passenger information displays, tinted windows, and upgraded bike racks.
The new buses will replace DART’s aging fleet, many of which are approaching or have surpassed the 500,000-mile benchmark set by the FTA for heavy-duty transit buses. As the older vehicles near the end of their service life, maintenance needs have increased—especially for costly repairs like engines, transmissions, and HVAC systems—making replacement critical for reliability and efficiency.
DART expects to receive 20–30 buses per month once production ramps up.
For more information about DART services, routes, and schedules, visit www.DART.org.
