[00:00:02]
UH, WE'RE GONNA START WITH THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE.
CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, A PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
FOR ALL PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THIS TEXAS STATE FLAG, HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.
[2. Approval of Minutes: April 28, 2026 ]
CAN I GET, UM, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM APRIL 28TH, 2026.GOT A SECOND, UH, SECOND HAND VOTE.
[4. Public Comments – Agenda Item Specific ]
UH, IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENTS.AGENDA FOR AGENDA ITEMS SPECIFIC.
UH, JEAN, CAN YOU GO AHEAD AND READ THE DISCLAIMER? SURE.
AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH DARTBOARD MEETING, TIME IS ALLOCATED FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS, ADDITIONAL TIME FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED.
AT THE END OF THE MEETING, ALL SPEAKERS MUST COMPLETE A PUBLIC COMMENT REQUEST FORM IN PERSON OR ONLINE PRIOR TO SPEAKING, SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLING THE ORDER IN WHICH THEIR FORMS ARE RECEIVED.
FORMS THAT DO NOT SPECIFY AN AGENDA ITEM WILL BE TREATED AS A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
WHEN YOU, WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED, PLEASE STEP TO THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
SPEAKERS WHO NEED AN INTERPRETER MAY HAVE AT LEAST SIX MINUTES TO ENSURE THAT ALL SPEAKERS RECEIVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
THE GREEN LINE ON THE PODIUM WILL INDICATE WHEN YOU CAN BEGIN.
THE YELLOW LIGHT INDICATES THAT YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE REMAINING, AND THE RED LIGHT INDICATES THAT YOUR TIME IS CONCLUDED.
SPEAKERS MUST REMAIN AT THE PODIUM DURING THEIR COMMENTS.
BOARD MEMBERS WILL NOT ASK QUESTIONS, OFFER THEIR OWN COMMENTS OR OTHERWISE INADEQUATE SPEAKERS DURING THE COMMENT PERIOD.
BOARD MEMBERS CANNOT RESPOND TO PERSONNEL MATTERS DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
THEREFORE, EMPLOYEES SHOULD DIRECT THEIR COMMENTS TO THEIR SUPERVISOR, CHAIN OF COMMAND OR CONTACT HR.
THE AUDIENCE IS ASKED TO REFRAIN FROM APPLAUDING OR OTHER EXPRESSIONS OF SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION.
COPY OF THE FULL PUBLIC COMMENT GUIDELINES IS POSTED IN THE LOBBY AND MAY BE FOUND ON THE DAR.ORG WEBSITE.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
WE HAVE, UH, ONE SPEAKER FOR AGENDA ITEM SPECIFIC, AND THAT IS MARILYN JIMERSON.
LEMME SEE HOW YOU SPELL THE LAST NAME.
I LIVE AT 4,005 AT TRIBUNE WAY, ADDISON, TEXAS.
MY CONCERNS IS TO GOLINK VAN GO DO GOLINK.
UH, COMING INTO MY LOCATION, THEY, SEVERAL TIMES THEY'RE SEEING THEY'RE LOST, SO THEY PUT ME ON A NO SHOW LIST.
IT COUNTS THEM FROM PICKING UP A RIDE AT ANY TIME.
AND THEN DURING THAT COURSE, BY BEING THE ONLY TRANSPORTATION IN ADDISON AT THAT, NOW IT'S ORBIT.
BUT THEN IT WAS ONLY ONE, THE ONLY WAY TO GET TO WORK.
I WOULD HAVE TO PAY ANOTHER SERVICE TO GET THERE.
SO I WANTED TO FIND OUT WHY THEY KEEP PUTTING ME ON THE NO-SHOW LIST BECAUSE THE DRIVERS ARE LOST AND THEN I HAVE TO PAY EXTRA FUNDS.
SO I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD BE IN WORK REIMBURSED FOR IT, BECAUSE I DO HAVE FUNDS ON FILE WITH DOT WHEN THEY COUNSEL ME.
OH, LOOKS LIKE I HAVE A, UH, SECOND SPEC SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM.
THANK YOU FOR THE, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK EARLY AT THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING.
I WANTED TO EXPRESS ON, UH, AGENDA ITEM 11, JUST REGARDING FIFA AND JUST REGARDING SAFETY.
UM, I DID ALLUDE, UH, TO IRONICALLY ON MY WAY HERE TO THE, TO DART TODAY ON THE BLUE LINE, I EXPERIENCED A SITUATION THAT REINFORCED MANY OF THE SAFETY CONCERNS WRITERS QUIETLY EXPERIENCED FAR TOO OFTEN.
[00:05:01]
UH, TODAY ON THE BLUE LINE, A MAN ON THE TRAIN SUDDENLY GOT UP AND BEGAN PUNCHING THE WINDOW AND, UH, BIG AND SHADOW BOXING AGGRESSIVELY FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS BEFORE SITTING BACK DOWN.I DID START TO REPORT IT ON SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING APP.
BUT IT DID ENTER THE, UH, TUNNEL AT SMU TO PEARL LINE.
THERE'S, OR A PEARL ARTS, THERE'S NO, UH, CELL SIGNAL FOR SEVEN MINUTES.
AND HE DID HAVE ANOTHER OUTBURST, UM, KICKING AND STOMPING.
AND WHEN WE, WHEN WE SURFACED AT PEARL LINE, PEARL ARTS DISTRICT WAS ABLE TO, UH, CONTINUE TO NOTIFY DART WHAT'S WHAT, UM, CAR I WAS ON.
SO IT WAS JUST A COUPLE MORE STATIONS TO GET TO ACKER, BUT THERE WAS NOBODY THAT ENTERED.
UM, THERE WAS, OR SORRY, THERE WAS ANOTHER PASSENGER THAT ENTERED THAT WAS PANHANDLING TRYING TO TALK TO ME.
I COULDN'T HEAR HIM EXPRESS THAT.
AND THE, THE GENTLEMAN THAT WAS, UM, THE PASSENGER THAT WAS HAVING OUTBURSTS WAS, UM, GOT AGGRESSIVE WITH HIM.
AND SO IT IS A CONCERN THAT I HOPE THAT YOU ARE ADDRESSING FOR THAT.
THERE IS NO CELL SERVICE, THERE'S NO NOBODY ON, UM, ON THOSE TRAINS IN THAT.
AND I DID REPORT IT AND THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL STATIONS THAT, 'CAUSE I DID GET THE TEXTS BACK THAT IT WAS RE REPORTED, BUT I WAS SEVERAL STOPS THAT THERE WAS NO DART EM, OR SORRY, NO SECURITY THAT BOARDED AS I GOT HERE AT ACKER STATION, I ALERTED A COUPLE, UM, SECURITY OFFICERS AND THEY'RE JUST LIKE, OH, SOMEBODY WILL GET ON AT, UM, WEST END.
SO BASICALLY FROM SMU STATION TO WEST END, THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WAS ADDRESSED.
SO THERE IS ALREADY CONCERNS FOR, UM, ACTIVE NOW.
AND THEN WITH FIFA, YOU FIGURE THAT PEOPLE BE DRUNK, DEHYDRATED, CONFUSED.
UM, I JUST DO HOPE THAT YOU TAKE ALL THESE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATIONS AND, UM, JUST FOR THE ACTIVE PASSENGERS THAT ARE REGULARLY RA UH, BUT THERE'S ALCOHOL ABUSE AND, UM, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, THAT THOSE CONTINUE TO WORK AT THESE NEXT TWO AND A HALF WEEKS TO REALLY CLEAN UP THE LINES AS BEST YOU CAN BECAUSE THE ROAD WILL BE ENOUGH OTHER ISSUES, UM, WITH THE CONFUSION OF THE WORLD.
[Consent Items]
UH, CONSENT ITEMS, UH, ITEMS, UH, FIVE THROUGH NINE.UH, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY THAT WANTS ANY OF THESE PRESENTED? ALL RIGHT.
UM, GO AHEAD AND, UH, DO IS A MOTION, RIGHT? YEAH, MOTION.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA JUMP ON TO INDIVIDUAL
[10. +Approval of May 2026 Service Changes Resulting from Withdrawal Election by the Town of Highland Park (Patrick J. Kennedy/Trey Walker) This item will be discussed at the Committee-of-the-Whole only. ]
ITEM NUMBER 10, APPROVAL OF MAY, UH, 2026 SERVICE CHANGES RESULTING FROM WITHDRAWAL ELECTION BY THE TOWN OF HIGHLAND PARK.UM, GO AHEAD AND ANYBODY WANT THAT PRESENTED? NO.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? OKAY, WE GOT ONE.
[12. Approval of Board Member Request for International Travel (Randall B. Bryant/Gene Gamez)]
THANK YOU, CHAIR.I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM THIS ITEM.
WOULD ANYBODY LIKE, UH, ITEM NUMBER 12 PRESENTED, UH, CHAIR, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE REQUEST.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, HAND VOTE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? EIGHT THREE PASSES.
[13. Approval of the Restructure of DART Board of Directors (Gary Slagel/Gene Gamez)]
NUMBER 13.ITEM NUMBER 13, APPROVAL OF THE RESTRUCTURE OF DART BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
ANYBODY WANT THAT PRESENTED? OH, I'M GONNA ROLL CHAIR.
I HAD A VERY BRIEF COMMENT AFTER YOU MAKE THE MOTION.
[00:10:02]
A SECOND.YOU GOT A SECOND FROM MICHELLE? UH, COMMENTS? YES.
SO, JUST A, A VERY BRIEF COMMENT THAT WITH THE WITHDRAWAL OF HIGHLAND PARK, UH, ALL THAT'S REQUIRED, UH, WITH THIS CHANGE IS FOR US TO STRIKE THE TWO WORDS, HIGHLAND PARK.
AND I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT HOW THAT SHOWS THAT SEVERAL OF OUR MEMBER CITIES DON'T HAVE ANY REAL VOICE IN SELECTING MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD BECAUSE THE WITHDRAWAL OF HIGHLAND PARK IS NOT RESULTING IN ANY CHANGE IN THE COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD.
I, I THINK, AND I HOPE THAT WE'RE ON OUR WAY TO SOLVING THAT WITH THE LEGISLATURE'S HELP, UH, IN THIS NEXT YEAR'S LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT UNDER OUR CURRENT METHODOLOGY, UH, SEVERAL CITIES REALLY DON'T HAVE A VOICE IN, UH, IN, IN HOW THE COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD IS SELECTED AND THE FACT THAT NOTHING REALLY CHANGES WITH THE, UH, UH, WITHDRAWAL OF HIGHLAND PARK FROM DART IN TERMS OF THE COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD JUST HIGHLIGHTS THAT.
SO I WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
UH, BUT OBVIOUSLY WITH HIGHLAND PARK WITHDRAWING, THEY'LL NO LONGER BE REPRESENTED ON THE BOARD.
SO I'M, I'M IN FAVOR OF, OF DOING WHAT'S NEEDED WITH THIS ITEM.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT, DIRECTOR LOPEZ.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UH, IN LIEU OF, OF, OF THEM LEAVING, THAT THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION STILL REMAIN, UH, OPEN WITH THEM, UH, AS THEY CONTINUE TO PAY INTO THE SYSTEM FOR THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
UH, I THINK AS DART WE HAVE TO TAKE THE HIGH ROAD ON THIS AND STILL MAINTAIN THOSE OPEN LINES, UH, AS BEST WE CAN.
UH, AND I DO REALIZE THAT THERE'S NO SERVICE IN, IN THAT COMMUNITY, BUT THEY STILL PROVIDE, UH, DOLLARS TO REDUCE OUR DEBT SERVICE.
SO, UM, I WILL ENCOURAGE OUR INTERIM, UH, PRESIDENT, CEO JUST TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN GOOD RELATIONS WITH THAT COMMUNITY.
UH, AND YOU NEVER KNOW, THEY MAY WANT TO COME BACK.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS ITEM TO A HAND VOTE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, GOT ONE A AND THE REST POSITIVE SO THAT ITEM PASSES.
[16. Public Comments – General ]
NUMBER 16, PUBLIC COMMENTS GENERAL, UH, LOOKS LIKE WE GOT QUITE A FEW SPEAKERS TONIGHT.I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND START WITH ROBERT.
UM, IT STARTS WITH A C ENDS WITH A T.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO SCHOOL ME ON THAT ONE.
UM, BEFORE I SPEAK, I'M JUST GONNA TALK ABOUT THE LADY THAT THAT SPOKE AT THE BEGINNING JUST NOW.
SHE HAD A LEGIT COMPLAINT, A BIG TIME COMPLAINT, AND YOU LET HER WALK OUT WITH NO SOLUTION OR NOTHING.
I WAS GONNA SPEAK ABOUT MY PROBLEM, BUT I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN ANY OF YOU RIGHT NOW.
I SPEAK FOR THE CITY COUNCIL, THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, DID.
BUT WHAT I SAW TONIGHT WAS COMPLETE IGNORANCE OF ALL OF YOU.
I DUNNO WHY YOU DID NOT SAY SOMETHING FOR HER TO TALK TO.
IT HAPPENS CONSISTENTLY AND YOU DIDN'T DO A DARN THING ABOUT IT.
I'M GONNA COME BACK NEXT MONTH.
I HOPE I SEE A BETTER WATCHING, BETTER SEEING WHAT I SAW TONIGHT.
SHE WALKED OUTTA HERE DUMBFOUNDED AND GOT THE SAME PROBLEM.
MI MR. ROBERT, UH, I'M GONNA, HEY, I'M GONNA TAKE THREE MINUTES.
OKAY? I, I, I'M NOT MENTIONING NO NAMES.
ALL I'M SAYING TO YOU IS I'LL BE BACK NEXT MONTH, BUT WHAT SHE DID, SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE STOPPED HER.
AND YOU SHOULD HAVE SOMEONE SHOULD TO HAVE HER TALK TO SOMEBODY NOW THAT HER WALK OUT AND HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN, JUST FOR THE RECORD OF MR. ROBERT, WE DID HAVE SOMEBODY, UH, GO OUT AND SPEAK TO HER, UH, THAT, THAT WAS NOT SEEN, BUT SHE DID GET TO SPEAK WITH ONE OF OUR STAFF PERSONS.
YOU COULD JUST SAY, JUST TO COVER UP.
UH, TAMIKA JOHNSON, SOMEONE SAID NOTHING TO HER ABOUT THAT.
[00:15:10]
ALL RIGHT.MY NAME IS IKA JOHNSON, EMPLOYEE HERE.
UM, SPEAKING TO HOW Y'ALL DOING, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A FRONTLINE EMPLOYEE, ESPECIALLY OPERATORS FROM BOTH RAIL AND BUS OPERATION, REPRESENT ONE OR MORE COMMUNITIES AND DECISIONS MAKING GROUPS WITH DALLAS AREA RAPID TRANSIT.
YES, THE COMPANY HIRES EDUCATED PROFESSIONALS WITH DEGREES AND EXPERIENCE.
HOWEVER, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVING A DEGREE AND HAVING DAILY OPERATION EXPERIENCE ACTUALLY WORKING WITHIN THE SYSTEM TO OFF THE MAJOR.
OPERATIONAL DECISIONS ARE MADE WITHOUT ENOUGH INPUT FOR EMPLOYEES WHO ACTUALLY PERFORM THE WORK EVERY DAY.
AND WHILE SOME INDIVIDUAL MAY HAVE EXPERIENCE FROM OTHER TRANSIT AGENCY, EVERY TRANSIT SYSTEM OPERATES DIFFERENT.
WHAT WORKS SOMEWHERE ELSE MAY NOT WORK HERE.
WE SEE THE REAL REALTIME EFFORT OF CONSTRUCTION DELAYS, REROUTE SCHEDULING ISSUES, COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN, AND PASSENGER'S CONCERN EVERY SINGLE DAY.
THIS CONCERN ALSO APPLIES TO THE BUS SIDE OF OPERATION.
ARE WE ADOPTING, ARE WE ADAPTING ENOUGH? ARE WE COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY WITH MEMBER CITIES ABOUT CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND ROAD CLOSURE AND INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGES THAT DIRECT DIRECTLY IMPACT BUS ROUTES AND SERVICE ABILITIES? BECAUSE WE COMMUNICATE AND PLAN.
BECAUSE WHEN COMMUNICATING AND PLANNING ARE NOT ALIGNED, OPERATORS AND PASSENGER FAIL TO, OF PASSENGERS AND OPERATORS FEEL THE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
I BELIEVE FRONTLINE OPERATION EMPLOYEES SHOULD HAVE A STRONGER VOICE BEFORE MAJOR CHANGES ARE IMPLEMENTED, NOT AFTERWARDS.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT DISRESPECTING EDUCATION OR LEADERSHIP.
IT IS ABOUT BALANCE MANAGEMENT, MANAGEMENT EDUCATION, AND OPERATION EXPERIENCE SHOULD WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE BETTER OUTCOMES OF EMPLOYEES, OPERATIONS AND RIDING PUBLICLY.
AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
I'M A SUBCONTRACTOR FOR YOU GUYS.
UH, ON THE DART PROJECT, I HAVE A VACANT PROPERTY CONTRACT, UH, AND I ALSO HAVE A PROJECT, UH, I DO THE GREEN LINE FROM CARROLLTON TO, UH, LAKE JUNE.
UH, LONG STORY SHORT, UH, THE OTHER DAY I GOT A, UH, A, UH, CORRESPONDENCE FROM MY DIVORCE MITIGATION LAWYER THAT WAS WRITTEN TO ME AND MY COMPANY CONCERNING MY WIFE AND A BUNCH OF FLAGGING THAT SHE DOES FOR YOU GUYS.
AND IT'S LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, SOMEWHERE IN THERE.
YOU GUYS HAVE MIXED THESE TWO COMPANIES AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO UNIX 'EM SINCE WE GOT DIVORCED, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON IT'S NOT HAPPENING.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE'S GO GOT GOING ON WITH YOU GUYS, BUT SOMEHOW IT'S LIKE TRICKLING DOWN TO ME.
LONG STORY SHORT, I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THEY SAID AS FAR AS THE NEW POLICIES.
UH, I'VE GOT EVERYBODY AT MY COMPANY, EVERYBODY AT MY COMPANY, TEXAS, DOT TESTED, AND THEY JUST KEEP KICKING BACK.
AT FIRST, THEY SAID, YOU'RE GOOD TO GO MEET WITH DONNA.
UH, SHE'LL GET YOU BACK ON THE TRACKS.
AND I KEEP GETTING ALL THESE COMPLAINTS.
THE GRASS IS FOUR FEET HIGH AND IT'S LIKE, I, I'M JUST, I'M REALLY STUCK BECAUSE I MEAN, THIS IS A LOW BALL CONTRACT THAT DID YEARS AGO.
AND NOW WITH ALL THIS STUFF, THIS $13,000 FOR THREE WEEKS WORTH OF WORK TO GET THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE DOWN HERE AND NOW JUST TO DO THAT, ALL THESE EXPENSES ARE ADDED AND I HAVE TO SEND ALL THESE PEOPLE TO A NEW TRAINING, EIGHT HOUR TRAINING, PAY THEM FOR THAT.
IT'S JUST, I, I, I'VE GOT OTHER CONTRACTS WITH DART AND I'VE ALWAYS HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU GUYS.
I LOVE WORKING WITH YOU GUYS, BUT I'M ALMOST AT A POINT TO WHERE I WANT TO KNOW IF I CAN BOW OUT OF THIS GREAT GRACEFULLY AND LET YOU GUYS HAVE THE GREEN LINE.
I EVEN TRIED TO SUB IT OUT TO A FRIEND OF MINE AND APPARENTLY YOU GUYS HAVE SHUT HIM HOW TOO.
AND IT'S LIKE ALL THIS WORK IS JUST SHUT DOWN AND THE GRASS IS GROWING.
AND WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IS THEY'RE GONNA SAY, OKAY, CHRIS, GO AHEAD.
GET YOU GUYS IN VIVIAN'S ON VACATION.
SO AIN'T NOBODY GETTING IN TRAINING, BUT GO AHEAD, GET YOU GUYS IN, THEN A WEEK LATER WE'LL GET AN ALLOCATION.
THEN THE NEXT WEEK WE CAN WORK.
FOR ME TO CUT FOUR FOOT TALL GRASS, I GOTTA HAVE BRUSH HOG AND IT'S GONNA COST TRIPLE.
[00:20:01]
NOT GOING TO WANT TO PAY TRIPLE.SO I'M JUST, I'M LIKE STUCK AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AND I'M TRYING TO DO RIGHT.
AND I JUST, I AM NOT REGIONAL RAILROAD.
ME AND MY WIFE ARE REGIONAL RAILROAD, DESTROYED MY MARRIAGE.
SO PLEASE JUST, I WANNA SEPARATE THAT AND WHATEVER SHE'S GOT GOING ON WITH YOU GUYS, I DON'T WANT NO PARTS OF IT.
I HAVE A LOVELY RELATIONSHIP WITH DART.
WE HIRE REENTRY, UH, DA CRUZO.
Y'ALL USED TO LOVE US FOR THAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ABOUT HELPING PEOPLE.
AND I GOT PEOPLE AT 10 PEOPLE RIGHT NOW, CAN'T WORK.
UH, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET 'EM BACK TO WORK.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHO TO TALK TO.
UH, MR. LOFTON, I'LL BE CALLING YOU.
ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER IS JOSE VILLA.
THIS IS MY, UH, SECOND BOARD MEETING TO EVER ATTEND.
AND MY FIRST TIME TO EVER COME UP HERE AND SPEAK.
AND WHAT I HAVE TO SAY, I NEED 10 MINUTES.
I DON'T HAVE THAT TIME OBVIOUSLY.
SO, UM, THERE'S GONNA BE HOLES IN MY STORY AND, UH, I'LL DO THE BEST I CAN.
IT'S CONVENIENT, LOVE WRITING IT, IT'S CONVENIENT IT GO ANYWHERE.
UM, THE LIGHT RAIL, NO ISSUES AT ALL.
UH, AS FAR AS MY ELECTRIC SCOOTER GOES, ELECTRIC SCOOTER, UH, I HAVE, I I LIKE TO RIDE THE BUS TOO AS WELL, OR THE BUS AS WELL.
AND THERE'S A SMALL HANDFUL, A SMALL HANDFUL OF DAR BUS DRIVERS THAT HAVE AN ISSUE WITH MY ELECTRIC SCOOTER.
BE THEY, UH, THEY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH IT.
UM, UH, I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO ALL THE DETAILS BECAUSE THERE'S LIKE FIVE OF 'EM.
OKAY? SO, UH, THE, THE, UM, UM, THEY, UM, MOST OF THE BUS DRIVERS ARE WONDERFUL.
THEY DON'T SAY ANYTHING TO ME ABOUT MY SCOOTER OR ABOUT ME, NOTHING.
I SAY THANK YOU, THANK YOU WHEN I WALK OUT, UH, THIS AND THAT.
BUT THERE IS A SMALL NUMBER WHO ARE NOT CLEAR ON WHAT THE RULES ARE AS FAR AS MY ELECTRIC SCOOTER GOES.
DOES NOT HAVE NO ENGINE COMBUSTION ENGINE GASOLINE DOES NOT HAVE, UH, UH, THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE FOR IT WAS, IT IS SMALLER THAN AN A DA COMPLIANT WHEELCHAIR THAT I SEE GO ON THE DARK BUS THAT TAKES A LITTLE PIECE OF THE AISLE.
WHEREAS MY SCOOTER IS SMALLER IN EVERY DIRECTION, EVEN LIGHTING UP.
I CAN PICK IT UP AND IT IS NOT CLEAR ON WHAT THE RULES ARE TO ME AS TO WHAT I CAN AND CANNOT DO AS FAR AS HAVING MY BUS, MY SCOOTER ON THE BUS.
UM, THE FIRST ONE WAS THE FIRST BUS DRIVER SAID, I HAVE TO PUT IT ON THE RACK ON THE FRONT.
YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE, ON THE, ON THE, ON THE RACK ON THE FRONT OF THE BUS.
THERE'S NO GAS, THERE'S NO ENGINE ON IT.
AND I GET SO FRUSTRATED THAT THE LAST, UH, MEETING, I DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT.
WHY? I GOT KICKED OFF THE BUS ON THE, ON THE 1 45 COMING TO LET'S COME OVER HERE.
AND ONE OF THE, UH, UH, STAFF MEMBERS WAS RIGHT, WAS SITTING DOWN ON THE, UH, WHERE THE HANDICAP PULL IN THEIR A DA COMPLIANT WHEELCHAIR WAS SITTING THERE AND DID NOT PRACTICE ANY, UH, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? UH, DEESCALATION TACTIC.
HE TALKED TO THE GUY ACROSS, UH, THE GUY AND SAID, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE YOUR SCOOTER, DA DA.
AND I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND HIM.
AND I GOT VERY ANGRY AND UPSET WITH HIM.
WHAT DO I DO WHEN THERE'S INJUSTICE AGAINST ME? I DON'T CARE WHERE I'M AT, WHO I'M AT.
I DON'T CARE WHAT THE LAW IS, WHAT THE RULES ARE, I'M GONNA PROBLEM MYSELF.
I DON'T RECORD BECAUSE OF THAT.
HE THREW ME OFF THE BUS AND I MISSED THE LAST, UH, MEETING RIGHT HERE.
ANY INJUSTICE AGAINST ME? AND IF I'M WRONG, I WANNA BE TOLD I'M WRONG.
I'M GONNA WALK OUT THE DOOR HERE.
I'M GONNA GET ON THE BUS AND LET'S SEE WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO THE BUS.
HE'S GONNA THROW ME OFF THE BUS SO I FOLLOW MY SCREW.
ALRIGHT, UH, NEXT SPEAKER IS, UH, STANLEY SMALLS.
WE SUPPOSED TO BE GRABBING THESE PEOPLE.
I'M A SENIOR ORGANIZER WITH A TU INTERNATIONAL.
UM, I, I GUESS MINES IS MORE SO OF A, A STATEMENT OR A QUESTION.
UM, WE DO APPRECIATE, AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE TRANS DEV EMPLOYEES, UM, THAT ARE, UM,
[00:25:01]
REALLY FRUSTRATED AND THEY'RE AT THEIR WITS ENDS.AND I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY GET AT THEIR WITS ENDS.
AND THEY EXPRESS THAT ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
UM, WE APPRECIATE THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS PUT INTO THE CONTRACT BETWEEN DART AND TRANSDEV, BUT FOR SOME REASON IT'S NOT BEING ENFORCED.
UM, ONLY THE PARTS THAT CAN BE USED AS WEAPONS AGAINST THE EMPLOYEES, SUCH AS THE DOT PHYSICAL, WHICH I STRUGGLE TO UNDERSTAND.
WHY YOU GUYS REQUIRING PEOPLE WITHOUT A CDL TO GET A DOT PHYSICAL.
THAT IS A COMPLETE WASTE OF MONEY.
UM, YOU COULD JUST DO REGULAR PHYSICALS TO HAVE THESE JOBS.
YOU DON'T NEED THE DOT PHYSICAL THAT IS FOR CDL HOLDERS.
BUT OUR MEMBERS OVER THERE ARE WANTING, THEY'RE WANTING UNIFORMS. IN YOUR CONTRACT ALONE, YOU GUYS SAID THAT THEY MUST LOOK LIKE THE DART EMPLOYEES AND THE YOUNG LADY, MS. JOHNSON THAT CAME UP HERE, SHE'S A DART EMPLOYEE.
OUR MEMBERS WANNA LOOK LIKE THAT.
AND WHEN WE'RE AT THE TABLE NEGOTIATING THESE ITEMS, WE ARE BEING TOLD THAT DART IS NOT REQUIRING IT.
AND I'M, I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED AS IN TO WHY WOULD YOU PUT IT IN YOUR CONTRACT? PAY THEM FOR THIS AND THEN DON'T REQUIRE THEM TO DO IT.
WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING HIRED BY TRANS DEV AND THEY'RE BEING, THEY'RE NEW PEOPLE LOOKING FOR A JOB.
THEY'VE BEEN UNEMPLOYED LOOKING FOR A JOB.
THEY HAVE TO BUY THEIR OWN WHITE T-SHIRT AND SLACKS TO COME GET A JOB.
AND THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO GET A DART A A BLUE SHIRT FOR, FOR 90 DAYS.
SO THEY'RE GOING OUT HERE TO PICK UP THE PASSENGERS, THE COMMUNITY LOOKING VERY UNPROFESSIONAL.
YOU GOT PEOPLE THAT BEEN WORKING HERE FOR TWO YEARS WITH THE SAME SHIRT.
UM, AND I SEE I ONLY GOT 40 OR 49 SECONDS LEFT.
THE OTHER THING IN YOUR CONTRACT, WHICH WAS AMAZING THAT YOU SAID YOUR CONTRACTOR HAD TO PAY A PREVAILING WAGE, ACCORDING TO THE MIT CALCULATOR, IF YOU GO ON THERE TO TEXAS, DALLAS COUNTY, THAT CALCULATOR TODAY SAYS $23 AND 31 CENTS.
FOR TWO YEARS, THESE PEOPLE ONLY MAKING $19 AND 21 CENTS, 25 CENTS.
BY YOUR PURPOSE, BY YOUR, BY YOUR OWN CONTRACT.
YOU TOLD THEM THAT THEY HAD TO PAY THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY WITHOUT A UNION THERE.
IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, GO LOOK IT UP.
MMIT CALCULATOR TEXAS, DALLAS COUNTY.
THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO MAKE TODAY.
WE ARE SIMPLY ASKING FOR SOMEBODY TO, TO LET US KNOW, ARE Y'ALL ENFORCING THIS CONTRACT? ARE Y'ALL REQUIRING IT OR IT'S JUST WE ARE NOT GETTING INVOLVED.
UH, NEXT SPEAKER IS CRYSTAL GAY.
UH, NEXT SPEAKER IS TAMMY GREENBERG.
I JUST WANNA SAY WE GOT FOCUS BACK WITH THE, SINCE THE ELECTION'S OVER, WE NEED TO FOCUS BACK.
REALITY TODAY WAS NOT FUN THIS MORNING.
UM, I HAD, I COULDN'T GET HIM, COULDN'T GET TO MY BUS.
13 BUS ON HICKORY AND BRAMAN IRV ALMONT BECAUSE THERE WAS A MENTAL HEALTH PERSON WHO WAS, WHO DUMPED THE GARBAGE CAN.
AND SHE WAS POINTING TO ME AND TALKING TO ME.
AND SHE WAS RIGHT BETWEEN HICKORY AND BEAUMONT.
AND I'VE HAD TO, I HAD TO TIE DOWN THE BUS.
I SAY, LOOK, PLEASE GET ME ON THIS BUS.
I CAN'T GET ON MY BUS AT MY BUS STOP.
PARTICULARLY, I CAN'T STOP HERE.
WHAT? IT'S LIKE MY SAFETY IS MORE CONCERNED THAN THE BUS STOP.
AND THEN ON NO LAWN SERIOUS PIN, WE GOT SO MANY HOMELESS PEOPLE WHO'S SITTING ON THE BENCH ARE STAYING NEAR THE DART BENCHES.
WE NEED YOU GUYS TO WORK WITH CF DALLAS OUTREACH PROGRAM AND DART NEED TO WORK OUT THIS.
'CAUSE THIS IS GETTING TO BE RIDICULOUS AND I'M TIRED.
I'M BEGGING YOU GUYS TO GET ME OFF GOAL LINK TO FARMER'S MARKET.
IT'S NOT THAT FAR FROM CEDARS.
I HAD TO, I WAS AT CEDARS THEN I HAD TO GO BACK TO THE BUS 13 DOWNTOWN BECAUSE I'M NOT SAFE TO WALK DOWNTOWN ON IRV.
AND MY ACRO STREET IS CLOSED FOR TWO YEARS BECAUSE OF THE BRIDGE.
'CAUSE IT'S NOT SAFE FOR ME TO WALK ON CAN TO FARMER'S MARKET WITH A MENTAL HEALTH LAYING ON THE SIDEWALK.
AND BY THE WAY, WHO COULD WHO CAN HELP ME WITH A EMPTY MAN, A MANHOLE THAT HAS BEEN,
[00:30:01]
I JUST FOUND OUT IT, IT BELONGS TO DART SINCE MARCH.WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING WITH A MANHOLE LID HAS BEEN OPEN RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF GRIFFIN TO PACIFIC BETWEEN WEST END AND CRO STATION.
WE FOUND OUT THE LID, BUT NOW WE FOUND OUT WITH DART RESPONSIBILITY.
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CONTACT ABOUT THAT ALSO.
AND PLEASE GET THE BUS 13 BACK TO EVERY 15 MINUTES PLEASE.
IT'S GETTING TOO CONGESTED THE TIME AND THE BOTH BUSES ARE MEETING THE SAME TIME.
NEXT SPEAKER IS MERCEDES HALL.
IS THIS A GENERAL COMMENT OR? YEAH, I'M MS. HALL, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA HAVE TO JUMP IN HERE.
YOU ONLY GET ONE THREE MINUTES.
YOU HAD YOUR OPPORTUNITY ON THAT TODAY.
UH, LAST SPEAKER IS GALEN JOHNSTON.
YEAH, SHE, OKAY, I WANNA SPEAK ABOUT YOUR DRIVERS.
THE BUS THEY DRIVE, THEY THINK IT'S THEIR BUS.
WHEN YOU TRY TO ASK MANY QUESTIONS, I DON'T CARE WHAT CITY YOU FROM, WHAT COUNTY YOU FROM STATE, THEY SAY THEIR ONLY DRIVE, THEIR ONLY, UM, POSITION IS TO DRIVE.
THEY GET ON YOUR CASE AND THEY CUSS YOU OUT.
THEY TELL, CALL YOU ALL KIND OF NAMES.
WHEN YOU ASK 'EM QUESTIONS, HOW TO CONNECT TO OTHER BUSES.
AND THAT'S HOW THE ARGUMENT STARTS.
AND THEN THEY WANT TO CALL DART TO GET INVOLVED AND THEY THINK YOU ARE LUNATICS FROM ASKING QUESTIONS.
THIS CITY HAS 25,000 PEOPLE MOVING TO IT EVERY YEAR.
SOME PE PEOPLE HAVE TO USE THAT BUS.
I HAVE A, I HAVE A, A SITUATION WHERE I, UH, ON THE 21ST, ON THURSDAY, I HAD A BUS DRIVER CALL ME ALL KIND OF NAMES.
I GOT A BROKE ARM NOW THAT NEEDS TO BE REDONE.
BUT WHEN I ASKED HIM DID MY, MY, UH, PASS GO THROUGH CORRECTLY, HE CALLED ME A DUMB ASS BECAUSE I, MY BUS PASSED DIDN'T GO THROUGH.
UH, I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WENT, WENT THROUGH, NOT CORRECTLY, BUT HE HIT HIS BRAKES SO HARD.
I ALMOST FLEW THROUGH, THROUGH UH, I ALMOST WENT THROUGH THE WIND WINDSHIELDS.
YOU GUYS HAVE A YELLOW LINE THERE, WHICH IS NOT PROTECTING ANYBODY, BUT HE WASN'T CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
HE HIT THE BRAKES SO HARD AND WE SAT THERE AND HE STATED THAT HE WOULD TAKE MY LIFE IF I TRIED TO DO ANYTHING.
I SAID, MAN, I'M NOT TRYING TO TAKE YOUR LIFE.
I SAID, DON'T CALL ME A DUMB ASS.
I SAID, I WENT THROUGH COLLECTIONS.
I WENT THROUGH CUSTOMER SERVICE.
I SAID, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO START? I'M TRYING TO ASK YOU A SIMPLE QUESTION.
I WENT TO HIS SUPERVISOR AFTER ALL THIS WENT THROUGH.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE A STARTED FOR, BUT I WENT AND I TALKED TO HIS SUPERVISOR.
I SAID, I GOT PART OF THE VIDEO OF WHERE HE STATED ALL THAT TO ME AND WENT THROUGH AND WE WENT THROUGH A BIG, UH, ARGUMENT.
I SAID, WHEN FIFA COME IN, Y'ALL BETTER BE ON Y'ALL BEST BEHAVIOR.
'CAUSE Y'ALL GOING, Y'ALL WANNA GET ALL THE MONEY Y'ALL CAN FROM FIFA BECAUSE THEY GONNA BE IN, THEY GONNA BRING BILLIONS INTO THE CITY, INTO THIS WHOLE COUNTRY.
I SAID, Y'ALL HAVE NO CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS.
HE BASICALLY SAID TO ME, I'M SCARED FOR MY LIFE.
I SAID, THAT'S ALL KIND OF FAKE STUFF.
THIS BUS BEEN GOING THROUGH THAT ALL THE TIME.
ANYTIME YOU MIGHT TRY TO GET SOMEBODY'S ATTENTION, THEY SAY, DON'T GET ON MY CASE.
I SAID, YOU DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE GOT PHONES OR NOT.
PEOPLE LIVE, MOVE TO THE CITY.
THEY WANNA KNOW QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS BUS.
PEOPLE START OFF DRIVING WHEN YOU WANNA KNOW QUESTIONS, ASK THE BUS DRIVER.
THAT'S, THEY GET TRAINED TO NOT ONLY DRIVE THE ROUTE, BUT KNOW THE QUESTIONS TO THE PEOPLE, TO THE UH, THE ANSWERS THAT PEOPLE GOT.
PEOPLE DON'T TREAT PEOPLE LIKE THE, THE THINGS ON BOTTOM OF THE SHOES THAT YOU WANNA SCRAPE OFF.
UM, THE SYSTEM IS CORRUPT AS FAR AS THE PEOPLE DRIVING.
NOW, UM, BASICALLY I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THIS, THIS SYSTEM IS, I WANTED, I I, I WAS SURPRISED THAT THE SUPERVISOR DIDN'T EVEN WANNA SEE THE VIDEO.
THE MAN I HAD AIN'T LOCK IT AND I KNEW WHAT TIME IT WAS.
HE DIDN'T WANNA SEE THE VIDEO AND HE WAS RIGHT.
ALRIGHT, THAT'S IT FOR, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN THIS MEETING AT 6 35.