Dallas Area Rapid Transit - Criticism

Criticism

One common criticism is that the expense of the system is not worth the results. For example, the Dallas Business Journal has noted that despite "$1 billion in taxpayer spending aimed at reducing traffic congestion", the number of people using DART transit to get to work dropped from 40,000 per day in 1990 to 36,900 per day in 2000. Supporters of DART defend such expenses by pointing to statistics showing not just increasing ridership of DART light rail but also measurable increases in rents and revenues from nearby commercial properties.

Critics of DART argue that these increased rents and revenues are simply a natural result of the government taking money from a wide area and channeling it into concentrated locations, namely the train stations. They believe that the argument that DART has created wealth with its projects is an example of the "broken window" fallacy. Supporters point out that transit stations allow cities to take a different and more dense approach to development, an approach that is difficult without the stations. Rail proponents argue that denser developments allow for increased tax revenue to the cities. Critics point out that any increase in property tax revenue is a fraction of the cost to be in DART and that the city governments spend millions to subsidize these developments to get them built, so the increased tax revenue argument is moot.

Critics often point to the fact that DART (like nearly all transit agencies) does not cover its operating expenses with farebox and advertising revenues. DART relies on sales tax revenues to make up the difference; from 2002 to 2004, sales tax collections averaged $354 million per year. In 2004 sales tax revenues exceeded operating expenses by $63 million, allowing the agency to apply the excess towards construction of new capital facilities, including rail extensions.

While critics argue that DART's planned expansions will likely only increase the size of its annual operating loss, DART proponents respond that the operating cost per passenger mile is at least significantly lower for light rail than for traditional bus service. In 2010, DART stated their need to scrap much of its 2030 plan because of huge deficits and lower revenue, citing a $100 million dollar per mile cost to build light rail.

However, supporters point out that during 2008 when energy prices skyrocketed, DART rail ridership increased considerably. Furthermore, DART light rail system is seen as a major asset for the Dallas metro area in attracting out of state businesses to relocate to Dallas and its suburbs. In February 2012, Christus Health (a Catholic health system) cited availability of DART as a key reason to consolidate its head quarters in Irving which brought more than 700 new jobs to the Dallas area.

Another criticism of DART is that some areas whose residents pay the DART sales tax do not receive much from DART in return. As the Dallas Morning News has reported, Carrollton, Farmers Branch, and Rowlett have "only bus and paratransit service to show for decades of DART membership" and hundreds of millions of dollars contributed to the agency. However, almost 30 years after joining DART (and after surviving seven separate withdrawal proposals between the three cities), both Carrollton and Farmers Branch are now served by light rail (Green Line) since December 2010, and Rowlett is expected to be served in 2012.

DART's total average ridership for the first quarter of 2010 was 194,700 average trips per day. DART's 1st quarter of 1998 had 211,000 average trips per day. More people were using DART in 1998 than in 2010. However, this trend has been reversed. According to NCTCOG, as of November 2011 more than 224,000 average daily trips were completed on the DART system.

It should also be noted that since the introduction of Green line in December 2010, light rail ridership has increased considerably. According to North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) regional transit statistics, light rail average weekday ridership in November 2011 was 89,901 compared to 56,608 in August 2010, an increase of more than 50%. It is anticipated that ridership will accelerate further aided by a more connected light rail system when the Orange line to DFW airport is completed.