SIGNATURE CUSTOM SHELTERS MODERNIZE TRANSIT STOPS ACROSS THE DART SERVICE AREA
LOCATION
Dallas is a major economic and cultural center of Texas with a population estimated at approximately 1.3 million. Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) serves Dallas and 12 surrounding cities with a network of light rail, commuter rail, bus, and paratransit services, moving more than 220,000 passengers per day across a 700-square-mile service area.
Created in 1983, DART has grown its light rail network to become the longest light rail system in the United States at 93 miles, connecting residents to jobs, schools, healthcare, and destinations across the Dallas metropolitan area. The agency is funded by a voter-approved one-cent sales tax and governed by a 15-member board representing its 13 member cities. Modernizing the bus stop infrastructure across this expansive service area is central to DART’s mission of delivering a better transit experience for the communities it serves.
PROJECT SCOPE
Tolar Manufacturing partnered with Dallas Area Rapid Transit to supply new custom Signature Custom bus shelters as part of a contract authorizing up to $71.5 million to modernize transit stops across the DART service area. The project delivers a fully integrated passenger environment featuring solar-powered LED lighting, real-time arrival information, and a precision-engineered shelter built to perform in the Texas climate.
Tolar is providing 8-foot, 10-foot, and 12-foot Signature Custom shelters featuring an angled roof with Alucobond composite panels secured by gasketed pressure ribs. Perforated aluminum walls and angled support posts provide structural integrity while maintaining open sightlines that support passenger safety. Rider amenities include HDPE slat benches with backs and armrests, a trash receptacle, a static passenger information display, bus stop pole lighting, and steel strap benches.
Solar-powered LED lighting integrated through partner Urban Solar provides consistent illumination without reliance on grid connections. Each shelter also incorporates WaySine’s Real-Time Information System, displaying live bus arrival data at the point of passenger need. Both systems connect to a remote monitoring platform giving DART staff network-wide visibility and automatic alerts when a component needs attention.
A survey of more than 4,200 riders conducted during the design phase found that over 90 percent considered the proposed shelter design an improvement over existing stops. The project is part of DART’s broader commitment to modernizing bus stop infrastructure across its 700-square-mile service area, connecting residents of 13 member cities to jobs, schools, healthcare, and destinations across the Dallas metropolitan area.
