District 1 is currently served by only two DART bus routes (566 and 513), the lightest coverage of any district in the city.

Extensions of the DART Orange and Blue light rail lines this year are prompting a number of proposed bus route changes, too. Most of the changes associated with the summertime extension of the Orange line to DFW Airport are in the Irving and Dallas areas. Closer to home, the extension of the Blue line from Downtown Garland to Rowlett by the end of the year is prompting changes in Garland and Rowlett and other areas. Some lines are being rerouted, service discontinued on certain days or permanently on others, and new routes will be created.
 
DART officials will hold a community meeting to receive input from citizens at 6:30 pm on Thur, Jan 12 at Garland City Hall. The following week, Garland's DART Board representatives, Michael Cheney and Mark Enoch, and DART officials, will present to the Council at its work session on Jan 17. The DART Board is also looking at two options for service delivery. Public input is very important for our representatives to know if our residents are receiving the service we all pay toward with each retail purchase (part of the sales tax charged in Garland goes to DART).
 
Most of Garland has a DART bus stop within a half-mile. District 1 is the biggest exception with minimal service. The only two routes in the district extend from Downtown to shopping area near Target and Walmart on N Garland Ave (566) and another to the Firewheel Town Center (513). However, many District 1 residents drive to Downtown, and some to the George Bush station near Central Exwy, to catch the train. The only direct impact to District 1 appears to be that under one of the options, Sunday service on 513 might be discontinued through the east portion of the district and to the Town Center because ridership is already low. So while we know there will be some impact, it might literally affect only a few or none.
 
The transportation opportunities for district residents actually increase with the extension directly to DFW Airport and a new bus route at Love Field. A bus and a train ride to catch a flight will soon be practical and relatively quick.
 
Other parts of Garland will be more strongly impacted by the anticipated changes, as will other areas of the Metroplex. District residents that rely on DART as a preferred transportation option should any proposed changes along the lines they now use. Information about all changes is available on the DART website but pulling up each map to see what changes are proposed is tedious. It would probably just be easier to attend the meeting next week or, if that's not an option, one of the other numerous sessions that will be held in Rowlett, Plano, Richardson, etc. The schedule is at that link.