Plano launches two Via transit programs for seniors, Legacy West riders

Plano residents 65 and older will get curb-to-curb rides starting May 4, while a second Via service will run fixed routes through Legacy West for people making short trips between The Shops at Legacy, Legacy West and nearby corporate campuses. The city is betting the two programs can solve different mobility problems at once: one aimed at older adults who need door-to-door access, the other aimed at commuters, shoppers and workers in one of Plano’s busiest business districts.

The rollout will begin as a six-month pilot operating within city limits and up to 1.5 miles beyond the boundary. The senior service will run seven days a week from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and riders will be able to use it during a 30-day fare-free period after launch. After that, the fare will be based on distance, time of day and passenger count, with a base fare of $3 per ride.

Plano approved the Via Transportation contract, not to exceed $4 million, on Feb. 23, 2026, the same day the City Council signed off on a new interlocal agreement with Dallas Area Rapid Transit. Under that agreement, DART will return 10% of sales tax contributions through a phased six-year approach, and Plano can exchange or replace some local transit services while DART continues paratransit. City leaders also rescinded the withdrawal election that had been set for May 2026, keeping Plano in the regional system as it tests a more local model.

The Legacy West service is still being shaped. At the April 13 council meeting, Transportation Director Curtis Howard said the route timing and pickup locations were still being coordinated with economic-development staff and corporate campuses. City plans call for two routes in the area, with future circulators also mentioned for Legacy Business Park and Downtown Plano. The city had previously pushed DART for a GoLink expansion and a Legacy West circulator, part of a longer effort to improve coverage as Plano has grown.

Plano’s transit materials say the city wants every resident to have reliable transit and full connectivity across the city. That goal now hinges on whether this Via pilot can do more than fill a few gaps. For seniors trying to reach medical appointments or errands, and for workers moving around Legacy West without a car, the service could become a practical daily option. For everyone else, it may remain a targeted experiment in how Plano bridges the distance between regional transit and the places people actually go.