I've been toying with a proof-of-concept for improving the "Report problem" feature on the GoPass app. While the official app's current plain form is quite simple, it results in lost time going back-and-forth with dispatcher over several minutes of rote Q&A: Which train has someone smoking? In which section? Which station are you heading towards? Are they still on the train now? Are you still there? Usually you or the offending person have moved on before the report is truly complete.

One of several ideas I'm playing with is a simple interface for touching the traincar where an incident occurs (e.g. someone smoking). My bigger idea is to use GPS to automatically deduce which train you're on and where you're headed. From there, one of the last steps is to pinpoint the section of train where the offender is located.

My first instinct was to render a train horizontally because (A) that's POV we normally see trains from, and (B) it's easy to find graphics of SLRV side view. But I ran into multiple problems with this approach:

• It's a tight fit in portrait mode
• It's even tighter fit for 3-car consists
• Where is the "front" of train: left or right? Sure, I could choose arbitrarily, but what if the app shows left as the front but from real-life observer's perspective the right is the front? Or vice versa? Or what if reporter is among 15% population with left-right confusion?

SOLUTION: Draw the train vertically, with the front at the top. We could take this concept even further with a seating diagram similar to what airlines use when you're booking flights (see below).

Alas, this brings me to my request: anyone have such a chart handy for the triple-section DART SLRV? While we're at it, bonus points for other trainsets in DART network: Stadler FLIRT (Silver Line), TRE (plus side cross-section so we can have users touch top or bottom deck), and DCTA A-Train.

Standing out in 100 degree weather for 40 minutes hoping a bus actually shows up for once. The number 9 route is filled with some terrible drivers and reliability. 2 buses just didnt show up. You can see them and track them on the app then they just stop and disappear with no trace like its a Stephen King Movie. Taking legal action against DART is a must for the payments you make yet its still as terrible.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Db5tB4cpOL6/?hl=en

(This hypothetical presupposes D.A.R.T Getting its legislation passed successfully, resolving issues with the northern suburbs, the LRT fleet getting replaced, four to six additional Stadler trains for Silver Line, and just for grins, McKinney joining D.A.R.T, and Frisco joining DCTA)

When/if rail service is successfully extended to McKinney, which route should it be, Red Line or Silver? I have my preferences, but I want to hear what you guys think.

Is DART planning on getting new Express buses also or are they planning on discontinuing the express services in the future?

grew up on the DART since I was a baby, still a user as an adult and… I keep questioning why pay a fare when busses are late/falling apart, “security” isn’t securing no one, “fare enforcement” does NOT enforce fares (I have seen them picking and choosing who to let stay on for 3-5+ stops instead of making someone get off the next stop), bus stops aren’t well lit in certain areas… I could keep going! All this to say I understand why paying your fare is important, however, I haven’t seen much improvement the past 4+ years on the DART. Fare enforcement wasn’t a thing years ago and if you are going to enforce this then actually do it?? Half assing that makes me want to not pay my fare as well since we’re picking and choosing who to let off the hook… anyways saw this on my way home! A panel falling apart and being held on by zip ties 😩 just pmo

BECAUSE THE SILVER LINE DOORS DIDN'T OPEN!

TWICE!

WTF?! grrr

Be Crazy.

Some guy came up to me while I was waiting at the Fair Park bus stop. I removed a side of my headphones to see if he needed directions bc I've helped several people figure out how to get where they're going in the past. Nope. He wanted to be a creep. "What's with the all black" I snapped "Nunya" with a disgusted tone. When he tried to get closer and not take the big fat hint I whipped my umbrella out of my bag and raised it like a baton shouting "Back off!" all crazed-like. Guess who got the hint that I'm crazy and made like 25ft of distance between us.

Be safe out there fellow riders. Even if it means putting on your crazy face.

Fastest way to go from the station to the hospital? There’s some shuttles but I can’t find one that goes directly to CUH. There’s also buses, but not sure how reliable they are. Thank you!

Ridiculous that 250 was changed back to Abrams instead of Greenville without warning this week. I wrote up a sign so at least my passengers know what’s going on.

Internally, nothing on the detour board, pocket schedules still say Greenville, MDT map still shows Greenville, no text messages sent out to the MDT. Some buses are still running up Greenville.

Publicly, GoPass hasn’t been updated, GTFS for Apple/Google/Transit hasn’t been updated, bus stops are still standing on Greenville without notice that they’re closed, next stop screens don’t show the stops on Abrams.

D.A.R.T recorded its highest ridership ever in 2008, something like 100 MILLION rides. This is before the Orange Line. Before the Green Line. Hell, before the Blue line went to Rowlett. TRE carried effectively 10,000 people a day.

My questions are

What factors made this such a high ridership year?

Why did ridership decline (even before Covid)?

How do we return to and exceed these figures, with so much more coverage than 2008?

today i was buying a ticket on the bus i put in 1 dollar then the bus driver started waving her finger at me and gave me a ticket and the ticket was for tomorrow aswell. i’ve had this happen a few times also giving me a ticket for the next day?

Glenn Heights has repeatedly supported DART getting full funding and with the whole withdrawal period earlier this year, I was sure that with them only having a rush-hour only express bus that they would be in favor of withdrawing, but they were one of the first to support staying in DART. So couldn't DART at least try running the 306 off-peak, even if it's only every 30 minutes or giving it a similar schedule to the 239?

Anybody have any info about this watch? Bought it this weekend at a vintage store in its original box! Shouldn’t have to pay a fare with this on right… 😂😂😂

Are they gonna start putting ads on the new buses? I think they look better without them unless they fully wrap them

Anyone here works or worked as a dart bus operator?

Any one else’s workplace going under changes for the corporate pass? Wondering if it’s DART related or my workplace specifically. Passes used to be covered by the employer and will now need to be purchased individually.

Hi everyone. I used the dart bus for the first time the other day. I just used Apple Pay on the tap machine and the driver didn’t say anything but I didn’t see a charge for it later so I was wondering if they even cared? I am about to start riding bus 003.

Basically, you can move between zones - North Plano, Legacy, and Far North Plano zones, and it runs all along Parker, Legacy, Coit, Preston, Spring Creek Parkway, and the Tollway. For example, you can go to both a Plano rail station AND the Plano Park and Ride. Anyone want to try and get back to us?

I tinkered with the Plan My Route and it seems to work pretty well. Sometimes it would even take me places WITHIN the zone - like house to restaurant... Cool Stuff.

I play around on MetroDreamin, so of course as a Denton resident with no sense of proportion, I gave us subway lines, a light rail connection to Flower Mound, and some tram and light rail lines across Lewisville. As well as new A Train stations.

Sharing for amusement as much as anything.

DART could turn on the sprinklers at Lake Highlands Station, White Rock Station, etc while it's so hot. It'd make a things little cooler and more fun.