Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is your ally in making North Texas more environmentally friendly.
While transit is eco-friendly by nature – taking cars off our congested roadways and reducing harmful greenhouse and air pollutant gases that contribute to air quality problems – DART takes every measure to ensure its activities in the community have minimal impact on the environment as well.
Reducing our Carbon Footprint
This spring, DART expects to receive seven zero-emission, all-electric buses. Made by Proterra, the agency will use the buses on D-Link, a route connecting arts and entertainment destinations in downtown Dallas’. The new battery-electric vehicles will offer clean, quiet transportation.
These Proterra buses join DART’s electric light rail trains and the Dallas Streetcar vehicles as zero-emission vehicles.
Switching to Compressed Natural Gas
Several years ago, DART made the decision to replace its aging bus fleet – some 650 buses – with clean-burning, compressed natural gas-fueled vehicles. Operating CNG vehicles promotes clean air and reduces fuel costs.
Respecting Nature
In October 2016, DART completed the three-mile Blue Line extension south to the University of North Texas at Dallas. Comprised mostly of aerial track, the Blue Line coasts over rugged terrain while also avoiding floodplains and creeks, wildlife paths and road crossings. In accordance with the Dallas Tree Ordinance, the agency hired an arborist and tree survey staff to identify trees for preservation and revegetated disturbed areas using native species of comparable size, as well as use drought-tolerant plants at the stations. DART also limits mowing to certain times of the year so as not to disturb migratory bird nesting in the area.
Going Green
The lights in approximately 90 percent of DART’s passenger shelters are solar-powered and the agency has 120 freestanding solar lights at bus stops throughout the system.
DART Police Headquarters, located in the historic Monroe Shops building, was honored by the United States Green Building Council as the first publicly owned building listed on the National Register of Historic Places to achieve the LEED® Platinum Certification, the organization’s highest recognition.
DART’s Maintenance Department has gone green as well, using only the lowest-impact chemicals for cleaning parts and other tasks. The agency also recycles up to 22,000 gallons of antifreeze per year, and recycles all plastic jugs, aluminum cans and tons of paper.
Participating in EARTHx
DART will participate in the 2018 EARTHx event April 20-22 at Fair Park in Dallas. Stop by our booth. We’ll be there to answer questions and give you a peek at what we’re doing to make a greener future for North Texans. One of our new electric buses also will be on display.