Council approves fares for Addison Orbit

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At its April 14 meeting, the Addison City Council approved a fare structure for the new Addison Orbit microtransit service following discussions at the April 7 work session.

The adopted rates align with Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and other regional providers, establishing a $3.00 one-way fare for adults and $1.50 for seniors, with monthly passes set at $126 for adults and $96 for seniors. Paratransit fares will be $3.50 per trip.

Council also approved several fare policies as part of the program, including free rides for children under 12, defining seniors as individuals age 65 and older, and no charge for trips to or from designated rally points for customers connecting to/from DART.

Addison Orbit officially starts service on Friday, April 24. You can plan your trip and book rides within Addison and to rally points using Via’s Addison Orbit mobile app, which is now available for download in the Apple and Google Play stores. DART GoPass integration will not be included at launch, so riders connecting to DART service will need to book those trips separately. 

You can watch the Council's Addison Orbit fare discussion here and read the presentation here.

Council Approves Purchase of New ARFF Vehicle

At its April 14 meeting, the Addison City Council approved the replacement of two Fire Department vehicles to enhance safety, environmental responsibility, and operational readiness.

The purchase includes replacing Squad 101 with a Rapid Intervention Vehicle and upgrading Rescue 101 to a new Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) unit. A key component of this update is transitioning to fluorine-free foam for the ARFF, a safer alternative that eliminates harmful “forever chemicals” and aligns with evolving federal and industry standards.

Funded through the Town’s Capital Improvement Plan, the new vehicles are expected to arrive this summer.

You can watch the Council's AFD Replacement vehicle discussion here and read the presentation here.

Taste on the Tarmac Raises $4,000 for Metrocrest's Sack Summer Hunger

On Thursday, April 15, Mayor Bruce Arfsten, City Manager David Gaines, Special Events and Theatre Director Abby Morales, and Yelibelly Chocolates owner Yeli Marshall joined the Taste on the Tarmac winners from Plano East High School to present a $4,000 check to Metrocrest Services in support of its Sack Summer Hunger Program.

The funds were raised during the April 2 Taste on the Tarmac event at Galaxy FBO, which featured a student culinary competition. Plano East High School earned top honors from the celebrity judges, while Ranchview High School received the People’s Choice Award.

The student chefs also showcased their winning dish during Senior Pantry Day's monthly luncheon, a program that brings senior clients together for a lunch and learn focused on relevant topics. Because half of the dish’s ingredients were required to come from a food pantry, attendees were able to pick up ingredients to make the dish at home during their private pantry shopping time following the presentation.

Thank you to everyone who attended, participated, and supported Taste on the Tarmac and its mission to help provide meals for children in need this summer.

Grant applications open for community services, performing arts

As part of the annual budget process, the Town of Addison considers grant funding to non-profit organizations through an application process. Applications for Fiscal Year 2027 funding are now open and completed applications are due by Friday, May 22, 2026.

The Town will consider funding requests and applications in two categories:

1. Local Service Organizations - To provide funds to local non-profit organizations that promote public purposes and benefit the public within the Addison community.
2. Performing Arts Organization - To provide use of The Addison Performing Arts Centre facility and funding to support programming to achieve the strategic goals and vision of the Centre and the Town.

To be considered for financial assistance from the Town of Addison, organizations must:

• Be a non-profit with 501(c)(3) status.
• Fulfill the requirements as stated in the Program Guidelines
• Complete the relevant application, provide all requested documents, and submit no later than Friday, May 22, 2026.

The City Council Community Partnership Committee (a subcommittee of three Council Members) will review submitted applications. Organizations will be asked to provide a brief in-person presentation to the Committee with a question-and-answer session immediately following the presentation. Presentations are planned to be scheduled in June / July 2026.

The Committee will review, prioritize, and recommend funding within the target budget numbers, with the recommendations discussed and considered by the entire City Council during FY2027 budget work sessions.

^{Local News Matters.}