Question: How can I request a bus stop closer to my house? What if I’m not able to make the walk at all?
Answer: It’s easier than you might think to get a bus to come closer to you, as opposed to you walking block after block just to get to the nearest bus stop. The entire process may only take a matter of weeks, so it might be to your benefit to inquire about a new bus stop closer to your home. Here’s how it works:
1. First, contact DART. You will need to complete a request form, which will ask for information such as where you would like the bus stop to be, and why it would be beneficial to have a bus stop at that particular location. If the new location is within a pre-existing bus route, then the process will be a lot easier and less time-intensive. If the location is outside the boundaries of DART bus routes, your request will go to city councilmen, who ultimately will decide the outcome.
2. After receiving the request, DART begins investigating the new location. Its surveyors look at factors such as the number of riders in and around your neighborhood that the new bus stop would benefit. They also will be looking for potential reasons why a bus stop wasn’t in that location to begin with (such as a history of vandalism, damage, etc.). The surveyors will then come up with an assessment of why the neighborhood doesn’t have service, and present those findings to city council. It will then take 10–15 business days for the city to determine whether or not to add the bus stop.
3. Senior citizens and people with disabilities are able to avoid all the hassle and take advantage of DART’s paratransit program. The paratransit buses are wheelchair accessible, and offer curbside service to anyone who can’t easily make it to the nearest bus stop. It’s not a service for the lazy, however; paratransit riders must submit the necessary forms (available on DART’s website) and provide a doctor’s assessment. Anyone approved simply needs to provide a schedule of when and where he will need picked up at on specific days and hours.
For more information about this or any other transit issue, contact DART at 214.749.3333 or visit dart.org.
