Summary of Questions and Concerns Held by DATA Membership Regarding DART Board CEO Decision
Members of DATA gathered during our July regular meeting to participate in a discussion on the likely selection of Nathaniel Ford as the new CEO for DART.
DALLAS, TX, July 20, 2026 - Summary of Questions and Concerns Held by DATA Membership Regarding DART Board CEO Decision
Members of DATA gathered during our July regular meeting to participate in a discussion on the likely selection of Nathaniel Ford as the new CEO for DART. While DATA’s executive board endorsed Dee Leggett for the position, in our statement we also shared a number of rider-focused priorities that can be embraced by any CEO. During Saturday’s discussion, the DATA membership shared many questions and concerns, some outright disagreements, but also their hopes and reasons for optimism. Overall, we want anyone who takes the position of DART’s President and CEO to succeed, and we want the agency to succeed.
Many of us agree that Nathaniel Ford possesses a strong resume, and his ability to obtain funding at the federal and local levels is incredibly impressive. The ridership is all too aware of DART’s urgent need to secure new funding sources given the Board’s commitments to its member cities. We look forward to hearing from Mr. Ford on his plans to negotiate that funding at the Texas Legislature. We also look forward to hearing from Mr. Ford on his plans for the agency in general- how does he think the agency can increase ridership, protect the essential services provided by bus/rail/Paratransit, and improve the rider experience?
In fact, communication is at the core of many of our concerns. The nature of Mr. Ford’s departure from the hiring process and rapid reentry to the pool of finalists confused many of our members. The media reports also reflect this confusion. People don’t really know what’s going on, and they feel as if Mr. Ford is being pushed through to the top without going through the same process as the other candidates. It is our belief that this process and the decisions made by the board should be further clarified, and we should give Mr. Ford an opportunity to clarify his decision points and reasoning as well.
The controversies surrounding Mr. Ford also need to be addressed. While the salaries and the trips are eyebrow raising, they are not themselves a complete disqualification. Those issues can be explained by Mr. Ford and mitigated by clear board policy and strong contract negotiation. What concerns the members more was the fact that Mr. Ford left three transit agencies with less overall ridership than when he joined. Additionally, DATA members remain skeptical about microtransit and autonomous vehicles, modes which come with an extremely high subsidy per rider and would surely come at the cost of core bus or rail service. We want to hear more about how Mr. Ford would balance the pursuit of innovation with the maintenance of the existing operations. DART riders need services they can rely on, and for the majority of DART riders, the most valuable and essential of those services are bus, rail, and paratransit. These must not be sacrificed in the name of unproven and expensive technologies. Part of securing the funding from the state legislature will be demonstrating to the legislators that DART can be a responsible steward of those funds, and put them to good use serving the riders of DART.
Ultimately, the members of DATA see this decision as the beginning of a dialogue. We look forward to hearing from the board and from Mr. Ford. Additionally, we invite any board member, as well as Mr. Ford, to attend any of our upcoming meetings where we would be happy to share any feedback directly. We ask that the chair along with the board take this direct rider feedback into account at this and all future meetings.
About Dallas Area Transit Alliance
The Dallas Area Transit Alliance (DATA) is a grassroots organization dedicated to preserving and advancing public transit in the service area of Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). Founded in 2024, DATA advocates for the continued funding and improvement of services, ensuring that all residents have access to safe, reliable, and efficient public transportation.
Dallas Area Transit Alliance (DATA) is a rider-run advocacy group that is not affiliated with Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) or any other transit or government agency.