
COMING IN 2024: Senior and Disabled Mobility Service for residents of Allen and Fairview
Starting on February 1, 2024, Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA), will become the service provider for Collin County Rides, a transit service for Allen and Fairview residents who are 65 and older or have a qualifying disability.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) currently operates Collin County Rides, but its last day to operate the program will be January 31, 2024.

The DCTA version of Collin County Rides will feature a dedicated fleet of standard and wheelchair-accessible minivans to transport Allen and Fairview residents where they want and need to go in Collin County on an appointment basis.
Qualified riders will be able to use the RideDCTA mobile app to make appointments. The service will feature an easy-to-use app-based appointment system similar to the one already in use. Users will be able to download the new RideDCTA mobile app from a link on this page sometime in January, and must have the app downloaded in order to schedule service as of February 1, 2024.
Alternatively, riders will be able to make an appointment by telephoning the DCTA Customer Service Center at 940-243-0077. Reservations by phone can be made from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday or 8:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on Saturdays. Telephone reservations for DCTA Collin County Rides will become available in late January.
In addition, customers will be able to reserve a ride via the DCTA website portal for Collin County Rides by visiting www.dcta.net/collincountyrides. The DCTA Collin County Rides web portal will also become available in January.
Many of the Collin County Rides service features will remain the same after the transition, including the fare structure and discounts every month. However, there will be important differences:
- Collin County Rides will operate from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM Monday through Friday, except for major holidays. (The service will not operate on nights or weekends)
- Riders can make reservations up to 7 days prior to your trip, but must make each trip appointment at least the day before traveling. (Same day appointments will not be available.)
- Trips will be available to permanent residents of Allen or Fairview who are registered in the system.
- Trips must begin or end in Allen or Fairview, and will be limited to locations within Collin County.
- Trips must be paid for using a credit or debit card via your online account. (No cash, checks or money orders will be accepted.)
The new RideDCTA app will function the same way as the current (DART) Collin County Rides app, and it will look similar, but all users will be required to download the new app to schedule a ride.
Please note: The DART version of the Collin County Rides app will no longer function beginning February 1, 2024. On that date, all Collin County Rides service must be scheduled with DCTA through the RideDCTA app, the DCTA Customer Service phone line or DCTA website.
DART Resources for Collin County Rides (Available now through January 2024)
DCTA Resources for Collin County Rides (Not available until mid-January 2024)
Frequently Asked Questions
Below is a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Collin County Rides service and transition:
**If I am a DART customer of Collin County Rides, what do I need to do?
First, thank you for being a loyal customer. All you need to do in order to seamlessly transfer to DCTA Collin County Rides is to simply download the RideDCTA mobile app, which will be available for download in January.
From there, you can log into your online account via the mobile app or the DCTA website with your same DART login and password, and check to see that the DCTA mobile app has all the same information.
DCTA will receive the DART customer list on or about January 22, 2024, and officially start providing the service on February 1, 2024.
**If I want to sign up for DCTA Collin County Rides as a NEW customer, what do I do?
For new users of DCTA Collin County Rides (accounts go into effect February 1, 2024), you will need to fill out an application form and submit it to DCTA Customer Service. Once approved, you can log in to the online portal to access your account, or log in via the RideDCTA mobile app. You can update your profile, add payment methods, schedule trips and review recent transactions.
From now through January 22, 2024, new customers can still sign up with DART by visiting the DART Collin County Rides page. Those accounts will be transferred to DCTA on or around that date.
The DCTA Collin County Rides web portal for signing up as a new customer will be available on this page, on or after January 22, 2024.
What are the major changes in the service from DART?
- The Collin County Rides service operates 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM Monday through Friday, except major holidays, the same hours as DCTA’s other paratransit and regional community services. Nighttime and weekend service will no longer be available.
- Appointments must be made at least on the day prior to traveling, and up to seven days prior. Appointments will no longer be available on the same day the request is made.
- Trips will be available only to residents of Allen or Fairview who are registered in the system.
- Trips are limited to locations in Collin County only, and must either start or end in the cities of Allen or Fairview.
- Trips must be paid for using a credit or debit card via your online account. No cash, checks or money orders will be accepted.
How do I qualify as a rider?
All riders with DCTA Collin County Rides must live in the City of Allen or the Town of Fairview, and:
- Be age 65 or older
-or-
- Have a qualifying disability, such as:
- Certified legally blind
- Certified deaf or profound hard of hearing
- Certified to be non-ambulatory (Manual wheelchair, sports wheelchair, or power wheelchair)
- Certified to be semi-ambulatory (Use a mechanical aid such as cane, crutches, walker, or leg brace)
- Physical disability (Hemodialysis, heart disease, portable oxygen, portable respiratory unit, or amputation of an extremity)
- Certified for at least 50% VA disability (Service-connected)
- Certified for Social Security Disability Income (SSDI, SSI, Award Letter)
- Certified as intellectual disability / intellectually disabled
- Certified as having a seizure disorder
- Certified as having a mental illness (Schizophrenia, PTSD, Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder)
Allen and Fairview residents who are signing up as users may need to provide proof of residency, such as a Government Identification Card, a recent utility bill or other documentation verifying residency in order to have your application approved.
**How do I sign up for the service?
For current (DART) users of the service, your account information will be automatically transferred to DCTA several weeks before the official transition day, which is January 31.
You will then need to download the DCTA mobile app (RideDCTA) and log into your account either through the app or the DCTA online portal. You can update your profile, add payment methods, schedule trips and review recent transactions.
For new users of DCTA Collin County Rides (accounts go into effect February 1, 2024), you will need to fill out an application form and submit it to DCTA Customer Service. Once approved, you can log in to the online portal to access your account, or log in via the RideDCTA mobile app. You can update your profile, add payment methods, schedule trips and review recent transactions. The online portal for applying for the service will be available on this web page in January.
All users must have a DCTA online portal account to schedule and pay for transit services using a credit or debit card. Cash payments will not be available on the vehicle, because the fare is calculated as a combination of miles, minutes and fees for drops and care assistants.
How much does the ride cost?
Fares are calculated at the time of scheduling a trip and are calculated using a miles fee ($1.85 per mile), a minutes fee ($0.18 per minute), and a drop fee ($3.49).
For example, if you were to schedule a five-mile trip which takes 15 minutes, you would be charged (5 x $1.85) for miles, (15 x $0.18) for minutes, and $3.49 for the drop fee, for a total cost of $15.44.
Customers will pay 25% of trip costs until they spend $125 in a calendar month, at which point they will be charged 100% of the trip cost. In the example above, you (the customer) would be responsible for $3.86. A trip cost estimate will be given at the time of scheduling.
What are the payment methods accepted?
The only payment method accepted is a credit/debit card. Fares will be charged to your credit/debit card through the establishment of a Collin County Rides online account or in the mobile app. No cash is accepted on board the vehicle.
Can I bring someone to help me?
Yes! Because drivers cannot provide assistance, those who do need assistance are encouraged to include a Personal Care Assistant when they reserve their ride.
There is an additional $2 fee for each additional passenger or personal care attendant that is riding with you. Guest fares are paid at the time of scheduling and are included in the total trip cost.