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If Addison voters choose to leave Dallas Area Rapid Transit on May 2, the town will need a replacement transit service ready to go almost immediately. On Tuesday, March 10, the Town Council heard from two companies competing for that job.
The hearing is the latest step in a process that began in January, when the Addison Town Council voted to call a special election asking residents whether the town should withdraw from DART, the regional transit authority that has served the area for decades. A yes vote on May 2 would end that relationship and leave the town responsible for providing its own transit services, including paratransit, the door-to-door transportation program that serves residents with disabilities.
Circuit and Via each made their case during a work session that ran nearly two and a half hours. Council members questioned both vendors on pickup times, driver qualifications, rider safety, technology and what the service would look like for Addison's most vulnerable residents, including those who rely on paratransit to reach medical appointments and essential services across the region.
Deputy City Manager Ashley Shroyer reminded the council of what the town's RFP required: paratransit maintained at current DART levels, reliable on-demand circulation within town limits, connections to nearby transit hubs and booking options that work without a smartphone.
Circuit presented first. Head of Revenue Eric Grebler pitched the company as a flexible operator that can swap out software, vehicles or subcontractors as technology and needs change. The company proposed six all-electric Volkswagen ID Buzz minivans for in-town microtransit and two paratransit vehicles to cover eligible riders across all 13 DART member cities.
Grebler told the council the transit technology industry is moving quickly and that locking into a rigid system would leave the town behind.
"In two years from now, someone from the Addison tech department is gonna be able to put in a few lines of code and bring software and applications for transit that's gonna blow away anything that you see on the screen here," he said.
For paratransit, Circuit said it would subcontract to Ztrip, which already works under Transdev as part of DART's existing paratransit program. That relationship, the company argued, could make the enrollment transition nearly seamless for current riders.
Circuit estimated paratransit could launch within six weeks of a contract award and microtransit within 12 weeks.
Council Member Randy Smith questioned accessibility, asking how a visitor with no smartphone would request a ride. Circuit said a bilingual live call center would run around the clock and that the company works directly with hotel concierge staff to reach tourists unfamiliar with the service.
Where Circuit emphasized flexibility, Via emphasized scale.
Vice President for Partnerships Sarish Kasat, Texas lead Thomas De Ridder and Director of Texas Operations Aaron Guilbeau told the council the company already operates roughly 300 vehicles and 700 drivers across North Texas, including services for the Denton County Transportation Authority and Trinity Metro in Fort Worth.
That existing infrastructure, Via said, is why it could have both microtransit and paratransit running within four weeks of a contract award.
Via proposed eight vehicles, six running at peak demand with two in reserve, and described a blended fleet in which any vehicle can serve either service type. The company also cited a 35 percent lower accident rate than the FTA national average and pointed to a 4.9 out of 5 rider satisfaction rating from its recent service launch in New Braunfels.
Via's integration with DART's Go Pass app drew notable interest from the council. Riders could book, track and pay for an Addison trip entirely within Go Pass without downloading a separate application.
Council Member Chris DeFrancesco questioned what a trip outside Addison's boundaries would involve. A rider would need to wait for a local vehicle, travel to a connection point outside town and time their arrival around a separate DART schedule.
"This all just sounds extremely cumbersome," he said. "We're asking someone to get from wherever their starting point is to somewhere else and wait, and not to mention, there's also a second fare."
Cost remained an unresolved question. Pricing negotiations have not yet begun, and the town still carries an estimated 2.88 years of remaining DART financial obligations. Steven Glickman, the town's finance director, told the council the town has a plan to manage both.
"Our self-funded fund should be able to absorb this for three years until that DART obligation would be repaid," he said.
No action was taken Tuesday. Both vendors were asked to respond in writing to outstanding questions from council members. How much either service will cost the town will be a central focus of negotiations ahead.
The decision rests with Addison voters, who head to the polls on May 2.
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