Dallas Area Rapid Transit President and CEO Nadine Lee has announced that she will be stepping down.
Lee told the DART Board of Directors on March 24 that she would not extend her current contract, after “reflection on the agency’s progress and its path forward,” according to a press release.
Lee has worked in her current role since July 2021.
“Together, we navigated one of the most challenging periods in transit history and emerged stronger, more focused, and better positioned to serve our growing region,” Lee said in the release.
“It has been the honor of my career to lead this extraordinary organization and to work alongside more than 3,800 dedicated employees who move North Texas forward.”
Lee is leaving DART amid an unpredictable time, as numerous suburban member cities have expressed concerns about agency funding and governance, as DX reported.
Six cities called withdrawal elections for May 2, but three have since canceled them, citing satisfactory compromises. This potentially leaves voters in Addison, University Park, and Highland Park to decide their future with the agency.
DART Chair Randall Bryant thanked Lee for her leadership and time with DART.
“Nadine stepped into this role at a very challenging moment for the transit industry and helped guide DART through recovery while setting a clear strategic direction for the future,” he said. “Her leadership strengthened operations, improved safety and reliability, and positioned DART to remain a critical mobility partner for the region.”
In an exclusive interview with Bryant, The Dallas Express asked how he was feeling about Lee’s performance and if he was considering any changes.
“I’ve only been here less than two years, so Nadine was the greatest CEO I know, because I don’t know anything different,” Bryant said at the time. “She’s rebuilt the talent pool here at DART after a very large exodus of former employees six or so years ago, and we’ve, in my opinion, brought the best and the brightest engineers and operational people.”
“I’m very confident in what our leadership is right now, I think we have a stellar leadership,” he added. “We don’t have anything to compare it to, but people across the country look at DART as a flagship model for transit.”
DART paid $2.4 million total in bonuses to Lee and other executives from 2020 to 2024 – at the same time, increasing its 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.
DART is “immediately” starting recruitment for new leadership, and officials plan to announce more details – including an interim CEO – in the coming weeks.
“Our team has laid the foundation for the next era of transit in North Texas,” Lee said in the release. “I look forward to continuing to work with our Board, our member cities, and our community partners as we move forward together.”
Lee’s departure also comes amid the impending retirement of Michael Morris, transportation director for the North Central Texas Council of Governments, known as “King of the Roads,” as The Dallas Express reported. He has long referred to himself as a “marriage counselor” between DART and local governments, and will soon serve as director emeritus.
The Dallas Express reached out to DART for comment, but a representative pointed to the release.
