DART Approves Major Investment to Upgrade Bus Stop Amenities
The board authorized a five-year contract, with two one-year options, to Tolar Manufacturing Company Inc., for the fabrication and installation of upgraded passenger amenities at bus stops across the DART Service Area.

The program will add and replace critical infrastructure at bus stops, including 1,350 shelters equipped with benches, real-time arrival displays, and modern passenger technology, along with up to 1,500 steel benches, 3,000 trash cans, and 500 bus stop blade lights.
DART
- DART has approved a major investment aimed at upgrading passenger amenities at bus stops in its service area.
- A five-year contract with two additional one-year options has been awarded to Tolar Manufacturing Company Inc. for this project.
- The contract involves the fabrication and installation of improved facilities at DART bus stops.
*Summarized by AI
The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) board approved a major investment to modernize bus stop infrastructure across the region, enhancing safety, accessibility, and comfort for thousands of daily riders.
The board authorized a five-year contract, with two one-year options, to Tolar Manufacturing Company Inc., for the fabrication and installation of upgraded passenger amenities at bus stops across the DART Service Area.
The contract authorizes an investment of up to $71.5 million to improve the rider experience significantly.
The DART/Tolar Partnership
The program will add and replace critical infrastructure at bus stops, including 1,350 shelters equipped with benches, real-time arrival displays, and modern passenger technology, along with up to 1,500 steel benches, 3,000 trash cans, and 500 bus stop blade lights.
Over the next several years, DART will also expand bus stop amenities by installing 350 new shelters, upgrading more than 1,000 existing shelters, and improving accessibility with new concrete pads, sidewalks, and curb ramps.
The improvements are designed to create bus stops that are more accessible, informative, and comfortable, with better lighting, seating, and weather protection, while providing real-time service information to riders.
“Investing in modern bus stop amenities is about improving the daily experience for our riders,” said Nadine Lee, CEO at DART. “These upgrades will make our system more accessible, safer, and more comfortable while delivering the reliable travel information our customers expect. This investment reflects DART’s commitment to enhancing transit infrastructure and improving mobility across North Texas.”
Based on Customer Feedback
The initiative builds on years of planning and pilot programs that tested next-generation shelter designs and incorporated rider feedback.
Surveys conducted with more than 4,200 respondents found that 90% of riders believe the proposed shelter design is an improvement over existing stops, highlighting the importance of improved lighting, weather protection, and real-time travel information.
Installation and upgrades will occur in phases through 2030, supporting DART’s broader efforts to modernize infrastructure and improve the customer experience throughout the transit system.
Quick Answers
The DART board authorized a contract for upgrading passenger amenities at bus stops across the service area.
*Summarized by AI
More Technology

King County Metro Makes ADA Paratransit Easier to Navigate
METRO's Innovative Solutions Award winner replaces complex service-area descriptions with an accessible, interactive map that puts paratransit information directly in customers’ hands.
Read More →
TransDASH Summit Focuses on Measuring What Matters in Transit
Transit agencies unveil a national performance platform designed to benchmark customer experience, safety, community value, and other outcomes.
Read More →
Jacksonville’s NAVI Project Charts a New Course for Autonomous Public Transportation
Through its NAVI program, JTA is showing how autonomous vehicles, intelligent infrastructure, and coordinated operations can work together to deliver everyday public transportation.
Read More →
Biz Briefs: Luminator Marks Milestone and More
From manufacturers and suppliers to transit agencies and motorcoach operators, these updates offer a snapshot of the projects, partnerships and business moves driving the industry forward.
Read More →
FRA Announces $5.3B in Rail Investments, Including $2B for Amtrak
Funding will support grade-crossing improvements, infrastructure upgrades, and new Amtrak equipment in 23 states.
Read More →
Finding the ‘Happy Medium’: Optimizing Maintenance Without Sacrificing Reliability
The key to maintenance optimization isn’t doing less work—it’s doing the right work at the right time on the right assets.
Read More →
LA Metro, City of West Hollywood, and Partners Advance Smarter Bus Lane Enforcement
The award-winning partnership combines AI-powered detection with human oversight to improve bus reliability, accessibility, and enforcement efficiency.
Read More →
PSTA Modernizes Workforce Management with Digital Bidding System
The award-winning Workforce Transit Modernization project replaced paper bidding with a transparent digital platform, cutting administrative effort while improving access for operators.
Read More →
New Tricks for Old Bureaucracies: Joshua Schank on Making Transit Innovation Stick
Former LA Metro Chief Innovation Officer Joshua Schank discusses why good ideas aren't enough, how transit agencies can overcome resistance to change, and why today's challenges demand more innovation.
Read More →
How Data, Strategy, and Community Engagement Are Reshaping Transit
In this edition of METROspectives, strada360 CEO Steve Lassey discusses how transit agencies can better align planning with operations, leverage data to improve decision-making, and build public trust as they prepare for the future of mobility.
Read More →