Employees and supporters of the current DART paratransit system rallied in Dallas on Friday, protesting consideration of a new contract that could cost some current employees their jobs and increase reliance on ride sharing companies.
"We think this would be a tragedy, no one wants their parents or loved ones to be riding with an unknown person, an unregulated person," Kenneth Day, President ATU Local 1338 said.
According to DART, the contract under consideration is similar to the current one that they say already uses taxis and Lyft for some users.
But critics of the proposed contract, including Dallas City Councilman Scott Griggs, believe it erodes service quality in the name of cost savings.
"It is bad for our people that need this service, it is bad for the entire city of Dallas, this is not the direction that DART is going," Griggs said at the rally.
DART says under the proposed plan riders who need special vehicles to assist with their loading would still be able to get them and the use of ride shares, which they say have been well received, would increase.
The DART board will vote on the proposal this coming Tuesday.
