DART and Toyota partner with Circuit to support free ride-share transportation services in west Dallas
The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and Toyota have partnered with Circuit to support a free ride-share transportation service that provides west Dallas residents with an easy way to get to grocery stores, doctor visits and other services throughout west Dallas, as well as access to the larger DART network.
Founded in 2011, Circuit currently operates in seven states across the country, with the goal of reducing congestion and its harmful effects on the environment by getting people out of their cars for short trips and by making connections to existing mass transit hubs.
“The strong collaboration between Toyota and DART, in the form of a private-public partnership, has been a major factor in the success of the Circuit service in west Dallas, said James Mirras, co-founder of Circuit. “These partners, along with our great team and loyal riders, have made the program a quick success, with really high demand from riders. The response from the community has been incredible, and it’s been amazing to see how one solution can help residents in so many ways.”
Through a partnership with Toyota in 2020, Circuit was able to expand their efforts into west dallas, where Toyota launched its Driving Possibilities program through the creation of the west Dallas STEM school. The holistic initiative offers innovative educational programs, wraparound services and improved access to opportunity.
“We worked in community meetings to really understand where the mobility gaps were. The service we helped establish includes access to the main retail and grocery area in the community, education through the west Dallas STEM school and connecting elsewhere throughout the city,” says Kelli Gregory, senior mobility analyst and program leader for Toyota’s social innovation and strategic partnerships. “This mobility program ties into our overall efforts in west Dallas and integrates into DART’s system.”
In November 2022, the DART Board of Directors approved a one-year pilot program with Circuit to provide the West Dallas Site-Specific Shuttle Service. The West Dallas Circuit Circulators are a fleet of six electric vehicles that currently operate Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
With a three-mile service area that reaches from North Westmoreland Road to the west, Canada Drive to the north and Interstate 30 to the south, customers also have easy access to the DART West End and EBJ Union stations, as well as local bus stops.
“DART is happy to help support this important program to ensure that our residents in west Dallas have easy access to the DART system,” says Jing Xu, DART assistant vice president of service planning and scheduling. “DART’s participation in this on-demand shuttle service furthers the agency’s commitment to environmentally friendly shared mobility, local communities and economies in west Dallas. This one-year pilot program will allow DART to evaluate service effectiveness before determining long-term goals and strategies in the area.”
