Dallas Area Rapid Transit approved $47.4 million in fiscal year 2026 for security and cleanliness improvements, but its newly released annual report does not identify a funded plan for Level IV-trained personal protection officers aboard every bus and train, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
DART’s November 11 announcement details camera upgrades, additional security funding, and higher passenger satisfaction. The 71-page report reviewed by The Dallas Express also identifies fare gates as a leading security priority, while leaving the proposed around-the-clock onboard protection standard unresolved.
What The $47.4 Million Covers
The agency describes the $47.4 million as approved funding for cleaning, surveillance cameras, additional transit security officer funding, and armed security at buildings, facilities, and selected platforms. It does not present that entire figure as money already spent or provide a full breakdown of how much purchased additional onboard staffing, according to its release.
The report identifies a $21.5 million program to replace more than 7,000 cameras on vehicles and DART property. More than half had been migrated to the new system, with the remainder expected in fiscal year 2027, according to page 27. It also reports an additional $7.8 million for cleaning, increasing service at high-priority stations from once daily to three or four times a day (page 32). Those program figures should not be added to the $47.4 million without verifying overlap.
The Question Of Level IV Security On Every Ride
Another proposed measure for addressing passenger safety calls for a Level IV-trained personal protection officer aboard every DART bus and train, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. DART has not adopted or funded that deployment standard, as previous The Dallas Express coverage has documented.
Level IV is the Texas private-security training level for personal protection officers. Applicants must provide Level II, III, and IV training certificates, as well as a declaration of psychological and emotional health, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety’s guidance.
DART examined a different model at its October 13 security briefing: a mix of sworn police officers, fare enforcement officers, and transit security officers aboard trains. The additional annual staffing estimate was $9.5 million at regular pay or $14.2 million with overtime, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
That model calls for security on at least one light rail vehicle in each train, along with regional and commuter rail coverage. It uses two 10-hour shifts and does not price Level IV-qualified personnel aboard every bus, establish protection on every train car, or document coverage of every trip from first departure through last arrival. The positions also have different legal powers, which should not be treated as interchangeable.
Fare Gates Take Priority
DART’s report identifies closing and gating the light rail network as the highest priority of its Special Committee on Safety and Security, established in September. The committee also plans to examine deployment, response times, behavioral health, technology, criminal justice coordination, and a quarterly Safety and Security Scorecard (page 22).
A separate preliminary proposal estimated $288.3 million to install fare gates at 66 light rail stations, according to the October 27 materials previously examined by The Dallas Express. That estimate does not establish a fully funded construction schedule or recurring operating budget. Station gates also would not, by themselves, place security personnel on each moving vehicle.
90-Day Operation Access Pilot Still Described As Planned
Page 23 of the report describes Operation Access as a 90-day demonstration scheduled to start in late fall. Teams of police, fare enforcement officers, and transit security officers would simulate controlled station entry, enforce fare payment and passenger conduct rules, and measure staffing and technology needs. The progress table on page 56 places implementation in the first quarter of fiscal year 2027.
The initial locations are Bachman, MLK Jr., Forest Lane, 8th & Corinth, and White Rock stations, as previously reported by The Dallas Express. The annual report does not confirm that the demonstration had begun as of its publication.
DART Reports Better Rider Satisfaction
Overall passenger satisfaction reached 74.9%, the highest since 2019, while DART’s Net Promoter Score rose 10.8 points to 33.7. The agency also says 89.6% of surveyed riders were likely to continue using the system, according to page 33 of its report.
DART’s Multidisciplinary Response Team recorded 6,516 direct client contacts, and emergency detentions fell from 424 in fiscal year 2025 to 362 in fiscal year 2026 (page 24).
“From prioritizing rider safety and experience to advancing modernization efforts and strengthening regional partnerships, we remain focused on delivering meaningful results for our riders and the North Texas region,” DART Chief of Staff Kay Shelton said in the agency’s November 11 release.
What Remains Unanswered
DART’s report documents approved funds, cameras installed, cleaning improvements, and planned enforcement initiatives. It does not identify the number of Level IV-qualified personnel assigned aboard vehicles, a 24/7 deployment schedule for all bus and rail service, or the cost of achieving that proposed standard.
Whether the board will consider such a model — and how it would fund personnel, shifts, and bus coverage — remains an open question in the materials reviewed.
Provided by Dallas Express
