STAR Transit

STAR Transit
A STARNow shuttle at UNT Dallas Station
Overview
Locale	Kaufman County, Rockwall County, parts of Dallas County, Texas
Transit type	Bus, On-Demand, Paratransit
Number of lines	3 (bus)
Annual ridership	135,000+[1]
Chief executive	Jerry Dittman
Headquarters	500 Industrial Blvd. Terrell, Texas
Website	startransit.org
Operation
Began operation	1988
Number of vehicles	55[1]

STAR Transit is a transit agency in Texas serving the cities of Mesquite, Balch Springs, Seagoville, Hutchins, and DeSoto, plus the entirety of Rockwall County and Kaufman County. From its inception in 1988, it was previously known as Kaufman Area Rural Transit (KART) and operated only as a rural transit district before adopting its current name in 2011.

STAR Transit primarily connects non-DART member cities to the light rail system in Dallas with fixed bus routes and on-demand service. The agency also provides general and Medicaid transportation in its entire service area (plus neighboring Ellis and Navarro counties) and operates one of DART's GoLink service areas.

The Texas and Pacific Railway runs through the city of Mesquite and through Kaufman County; passenger trains such as the Sunshine Special and Texas Eagle regularly traveled on the route for much of the 20th century (Amtrak continues to run its modern Texas Eagle through the old track). Passenger trains never have and still do not drop off passengers in either Mesquite or Kaufman County, instead doing so in Dallas.^[2][3]

The origins of public transport for residents East of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex began in 1980 when the company Kaufman County Senior Citizens Services (presently known as Senior Connect)^[4] started providing limited transportation services to the county. The system ceased being senior-exclusive in 1988 when it fell under a new name: Kaufman Area Rural Transit.^[1][5]

KART operated only in Kaufman County for the next 17 years until the agency began servicing neighboring Rockwall County in 2005. The agency also began providing Medicaid transportation for Ellis and Navarro counties in 2009.^[1][6]

However, KART would soon need to expand its focus as cities in Dallas County who had originally rejected to join DART in the 1980s realized the system's benefits; Mesquite agreed to pay over $300,000 a year for DART to establish a new bus route that connected the city's Hanby Stadium to the Green Line through Lawnview station.^[7] In 2011, KART renamed itself to STAR Transit. By April 2018, STAR Transit had launched fixed bus routes in seven cities. In 2021, the agency released a ridesharing on-demand app known as STARNow.^[1]

Below is a table displaying cities and counties that are members of STAR Transit. As of April 2023, no cities have left the agency since joining. Due to the volume of members, only cities that have or have had fixed bus routes are included on this list; otherwise, they are part of the listed counties.

As of April 6, 2023, STAR Transit operates three fixed bus routes in three cities. All services connect to a DART light rail station, whether automatically or by verbal request.^[8]

The MTX 101 Route starts at Walmart and ends at Peachtree Senior Living Apartments, providing access to Floyd Elementary School, Balch Springs Recreation Center, and other destinations with a total of ten stops. Upon request, the bus will also travel to DART Green Line Buckner station. No service on Sundays.^[9][10]

The COMPASS Shuttle travels directly from DART Green Line Lawnview station to Hanby Stadium near downtown Mesquite on weekdays only.^[11]

The 401 Shuttle operates in a loop, providing service to DART Blue Line UNT Dallas station, Cedar Valley College, and various apartments and stores via 11 stops. Weekdays only.^[10][12]

STAR Transit has suspended various fixed routes, mostly due to low ridership or high cost reasonings:

• Route 102 - Second route of the Balch Springs Midtown Express. Formed a loop around Balch Springs and connected with MTX 101 at three points. Replaced by STARNow service in 2020.^[10][13]
• Route 501 - The city of DeSoto's fixed bus route. Connected to UNT Dallas station and Methodist Charlton Medical Center. Closed in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and replaced with STARNow service.^[10][14]
• Routes 803 and 804 - Served the city of Terrell and canceled due to COVID-19 concerns.^[15]
• Kaufman Trolley - Served the city of Kaufman and canceled due to COVID-19 concerns.^[15]
• Seagoville Express - Weekday-only service that connected to DART's Buckner station by verbal request. Replaced by STARNow service in 2021 due to cost concerns.^[16][17]

STAR Transit provides on-demand service in Mesquite, Balch Springs, Kaufman, Terrell, Forney, Seagoville, and DeSoto via the associated STARNow app or phone number. Pick-up and drop-off points must be located inside the zone. Open Monday-Saturday.^[18]

STAR Transit allows for origin-to-destination pickup service for its member cities in Dallas County plus anywhere in the counties of Kaufman and Rockwall. Rides must be scheduled by phone at least one day in advance.

STAR Transit also provides for Medicaid clients in the aforementioned areas and, despite not being members, Navarro County and Ellis County.^[19]

One of DART's on-demand GoLink zones, the Inland Port Connect Service, is operated by STAR Transit. Tickets and fares for STAR Transit can be paid for through DART's GoPass app.^[5][20]