City hall
McKinney transit board backs one-year DART extension
The Urban Transit District Board gave staff direction to seek a one-year DART contract extension while it looks for other providers.
The McKinney Urban Transit District Board told staff on September 1 to pursue a one-year extension of the city’s transit contract with Dallas Area Rapid Transit, buying time to look at other providers before a bigger decision.
The move matters for riders because the current deal that pays for local transit is set to expire December 31, 2026. Extending it keeps service running while the board weighs its long-term options.
The district runs the Collin County Transit Program. It works with DART through an interlocal agreement (a contract between government agencies) to provide the service.
Transit Administrator Jasmine Tucker laid out three ways forward. One was to renegotiate with DART on a short timeline. One was to seek formal proposals from private companies, which she said carries “heavy federal compliance” that would fall on district staff. The third was a “call for public presentations,” an informal process where agencies pitch the board directly.
Tucker said public transit agencies like DART “typically do not respond” to formal private-company solicitations. She recommended the board extend the DART agreement for one year, with the budget not to rise more than 5%, and reach back out to other public transit agencies in spring 2027.
The board did not take a formal vote. It gave direction to combine the one-year extension with the call for public presentations. The new agreement would expire December 31, 2027.
The board also approved the minutes of its July 7 meeting after correcting the public attendance count from eight to 55.
Tucker said staff plans to bring a formal extension back to the board in October. After that, it would go to the DART board for approval. The board’s next steps will play out at that October meeting; agendas post on the Legistar calendar.
Your friendly neighbor, T.