With its continued focus on rider safety, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) announced the addition of more than 100 contract Transit Security Officers (TSO) to improve public safety and security for DART commuters.

TSOs will provide enhanced service on DART’s light rail vehicles and platforms, as well as the Trinity Railway Express (TRE), with a focus on DART Code of Conduct violations and any potential unlawful activities on DART property. The TSOs join the agency’s 252 budgeted DART Police Officers and Fare Enforcement Officers (FEO) in ensuring DART riders have a safe and secure experience.

“The addition of security officers on trains and platforms is just one of many of our ongoing efforts to provide the safest commuting experience for our customers,” said Charlie Cato, DART chief of police. “Having a visible presence on as many of our vehicles as possible will be an important deterrent to misconduct, and I hope it also demonstrates our continued commitment to our customers to keep them safe.”

The TSO program is scheduled to be fully staffed by mid-August, but security officers can already be seen patrolling DART vehicles. The project uses Ridership Improvement Funds approved by the DART Board of Directors to improve security, cleanliness, and reliability for riders across the 13 service area cities.

This program is also part of a series of planned security improvements by DART that riders can expect to see over the next several months, including technology enhancements, physical deterrents, and collaborative partnerships that will improve safety throughout the system.