The Dallas Area Rapid Transit board has approved a $71.5 million contract to modernize bus stops throughout the region.
The DART Board of Directors approved a five-year contract with Tolar Manufacturing Company Inc. to build and install “upgraded passenger amenities,” the agency announced on March 26. The contract, valued at up to $71.5 million, includes two “one-year options.”
“Investing in modern bus stop amenities is about improving the daily experience for our riders,” said DART CEO Nadine Lee in a press release. “These upgrades will make our system more accessible, safer, and more comfortable while delivering the reliable travel information our customers expect.”
On March 24, Lee announced her plans to step down after “reflection on the agency’s progress and its path forward,” as The Dallas Express reported. She will not renew her current contract, and DART plans to begin seeking her replacement immediately.
Meanwhile, DART’s recent contract aims to add or replace key infrastructure at bus stops – including 1,350 shelters with benches, real-time arrival displays, and “modern passenger technology.” The plan also includes 1,500 steel benches, 3,000 trash cans, and 500 bus stop “blade lights.”
DART will roll out the improvements in phases through 2030, amid broader modernization efforts. In the next few years, DART plans to add 350 new shelters, upgrade more than 1,000 existing shelters, and boost accessibility with new concrete pads, sidewalks, and curb ramps.
“This investment reflects DART’s commitment to enhancing transit infrastructure and improving mobility across North Texas,” Lee said in the release.
For years, DART has run planning and pilot programs to test new shelter designs and gather rider input. Surveys with more than 4,200 respondents reportedly found that 90% approved the proposed design over the current stops, especially regarding lighting, weather protection, and real-time information.
Before Lee announced she would step down, she had led DART since July 2021.
DART paid $2.4 million total in bonuses to Lee and other executives from 2020 to 2024 – at the same time, increasing the number of executives by 57.5% and nearly doubling executive salaries, as The Dallas Express exclusively reported.
The agency made its largest service cuts in history in September 2025, citing a $42- $43 million shortfall.
Amid years of funding and governance concerns, six DART member cities called withdrawal elections for May 2. Three have since canceled the elections, citing satisfactory compromises.
At the time of publication, voters in Addison, University Park, and Highland Park were set to decide their future with the agency.
