DART Approves Security Improvement Plans

DART Approves Security Improvement Plans

The Dallas Area Rapid Transit Board of Directors unanimously approved plans and funding for security improvements to DART’s light rail and bus systems on Tuesday.

  • Dec 14, 2017

The Dallas Area Rapid Transit Board of Directors unanimously approved plans and funding for security improvements to DART’s light rail and bus systems on Tuesday. The upgrade plans come in response to a wave of security and crime complaints about DART systems.

DART’s board of directors authorized spending at least $14 million on security upgrades in three key areas: people, technology and facilities. The agency will hire 30 new armed security guards to help DART police patrol stations and trains and add cameras to its 163 light rail vehicles. It also plans to improve its stations with new lighting and fencing.

The agency expects to have its first 48 rail cars fitted with cameras by spring and will add the systems to the other 115 in the next two years. DART also aims to have a uniformed presence – police, armed security guard or fare enforcement – on each of its trains by spring 2018.

These security changes come after several high profile incidents on DART trains recently, including the July beating of a man at a DART station that was recorded and put on YouTube. There have been complaints that there are not enough police officers or security cameras to curb criminal activity.

"We know that for so many of our customers, using transit is a choice," DART spokesman Morgan Lyons said. "And they tell us it's gotta be convenient, it's gotta be reliable, but most important, it's gotta be safe. And there are some things that we can do right now to improve that sense of security."

DART recently introduced its “DART Say Something” smartphone app that riders can use to report crimes and submit photos, short videos, text descriptions and locations to improve safety.

Featured

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

  • Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

    Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.