DART vs DCTA: Senior Transit Discounts in Plano & Frisco (2026)
Turning 65 in Plano or Frisco should make transit cheaper, not more confusing. But it often does both at once. Two different agencies serve these two neighboring cities, they run two separate applications, and neither one's paperwork does you any good with the other. Sort that out first, and the rest is fast.
Below, you'll find which discount applies to your address, what it costs after the discount, and the phone numbers and websites that process the application in 2026.
Quick Answer
| If You Live In | Your Senior Transit Option |
|---|---|
| Plano | DART Reduced Fare Program — 50% off bus, rail, and GoLink, ages 65+, no Dallas residency required |
| Frisco (on-demand rides) | DCTA GoZone Frisco — 50% senior discount, activated inside the app |
| Frisco (scheduled curb-to-curb, medical trips) | DCTA Frisco Demand Response — flat $3 local / $5 regional fares |
Why One Senior Discount Won't Cover Both Cities
Here's the wrinkle almost nobody expects. Frisco has never been a DART member city. Dallas Area Rapid Transit's rail lines and fixed bus routes belong to a set of member cities that each pay a cent of local sales tax into the system, and Frisco simply isn't one of them. Plano is. It's been a DART member for decades.
So a Plano senior and a Frisco senior aren't dealing with the same transit authority at all, even though their cities touch each other. And to complicate things further, the agency that actually runs Frisco's senior transit isn't based anywhere near Frisco.
It's the Denton County Transportation Authority, headquartered in Lewisville, out in Denton County. DCTA operates Frisco's programs under a service contract with the city, separate from its home routes in Denton, Lewisville, and Highland Village.
π‘ EasySmart Tip for Collin County Residents: If you're a Frisco resident, applying to DART won't get you anywhere. DART doesn't run inside Frisco city limits. Frisco seniors need DCTA's programs instead, even though the "Denton County" in DCTA's name has nothing to do with which county your street sits in.
DART Reduced Fare Program: The Plano Path
Plano riders qualify for DART's standard Reduced Fare Program at age 65. You don't need to live in Dallas proper, and personal assistants accompanying a rider with a disability ride free once the proper ID is shown. Medicare cardholders and non-paratransit-certified riders with disabilities qualify under the same program, alongside seniors.
Two Ways to Apply
DART runs an online application through its Reduced Fare portal. Upload a photo ID showing your age, and once DART verifies eligibility, your Reduced Fare GoPass® Tap Card arrives by mail within about 15 business days.
Prefer to talk to a person first? DART's Reduced Fare Program line is 214-828-6685, staffed Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Representatives there can walk you through the application or mail you a paper copy if you'd rather not do it online.
Pick your path → apply online at DART's Reduced Fare portal, or call 214-828-6685 → provide a valid photo ID showing your date of birth → DART verifies eligibility → your Tap Card arrives by mail → activate and ride at half price.
What the Discount Actually Costs
DART adjusted its regional fare structure on March 1, 2026. Reduced fares now sit at exactly 50% of the full adult rate across the board. Local fares — the ones covering DART bus, rail, streetcar, and GoLink inside the DART service area — didn't change in that update.
| Pass Type | Full Fare | Reduced Fare (65+) |
|---|---|---|
| 3-Hour Pass (Local) | $3.00 | $1.50 |
| Local Day Pass | $6.00 | $3.00 |
| Regional Day Pass (adds TRE, Trinity Metro & DCTA connections) | $9.00 | $4.50 |
| 31-Day Regional Pass | $192.00 | $96.00 |
⚠️ Important Note: DART discontinued its old Senior Retail Annual Pass in this same March 2026 update. If a neighbor mentions buying an annual senior pass at a retail counter, that product is gone. Seniors are now pointed toward the 31-Day Regional Pass instead.
One More Card DART Offers: Don't Mix It Up
DART also runs a separate Discount GoPass® Tap Card, offering the same 50% off, but through an income-qualifying assistance program rather than age. It's a different application, a different eligibility test, and a different card.
If you qualify for both age-based and income-based reduced fares, you only need one — but pick the one that matches how you actually apply, since the two programs aren't interchangeable paperwork.
Frisco Seniors: Two DCTA Programs, Not One
Since DART's routes stop at Frisco's border, the city contracts with DCTA to run two separate senior-eligible services: an app-based rideshare called GoZone Frisco, and a scheduled curb-to-curb program called Frisco Demand Response. They solve different problems, check which one fits your trip before you pick up the phone.
GoZone Frisco: Book It, Ride It, Same Day
GoZone Frisco works like a shared shuttle version of a rideshare app, powered by Via. Request a pickup, and a branded DCTA van meets you at a nearby "virtual stop." Fares scale with distance. Service runs Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and one route connects straight to DART's Northwest Plano Park & Ride — handy if you're transferring onto a DART bus or GoLink zone. Book through the GoZone app for iOS or Android.
| Trip Distance | Full Fare | Reduced Fare (65+/Disabled) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 – 1.5 miles | $3.00 | $1.50 |
| 1.5 – 3 miles | $3.50 | $1.75 |
| 3 – 4.5 miles | $4.00 | $2.00 |
| 4.5 – 6 miles | $4.50 | $2.25 |
| 6+ miles | $5.00 | $2.50 |
| To/from DART Northwest Plano Park & Ride | $3.00 flat | $1.50 flat |
The discount doesn't switch on by itself. Open the GoZone app, tap your rider account, go to "Special Settings," and toggle your reduced-fare qualification yourself. No smartphone? Call DCTA at 940-243-0077 and staff will apply it when booking your ride over the phone.
π‘ EasySmart Tip for Collin County Residents: DCTA's own GoZone Frisco page advertises free rides "until September 4, 2026" as a launch promotion — but that date has already passed, and as of this writing the page still shows the free-ride offer as active. That's usually a sign a promotion got quietly extended, or a page just hasn't been updated yet. Either way, don't assume: call 940-243-0077 or check the app before your trip to see whether you're being charged.
Frisco Demand Response: For Medical Trips and Scheduled Rides
Frisco Demand Response is older and more structured than GoZone. It's built specifically for Frisco residents 65 and older, residents with disabilities, and residents needing transportation tied to medical care. Trips are scheduled by phone at least 24 hours ahead, and the service also reaches a defined slice of neighboring Plano, not just Frisco proper.
| Trip Type | Fare |
|---|---|
| Local trip (within Frisco) | $3.00 |
| Regional trip (outside Frisco, into the covered Plano zone) | $5.00 |
The covered Plano boundary runs from the Sam Rayburn Tollway on the north to the President George Bush Turnpike on the south, bounded by Coit Road (which includes Medical City Plano) on the east and West Spring Creek Parkway/Midway Road on the west.
Fall outside that box, and Frisco Demand Response won't reach you — check DART's reduced-fare options instead, since that stretch of Plano falls under DART's own service area.
DCTA also partners with Lyft for this program. Every ride booked with DCTA's partner code starts at a flat $3. If the actual Lyft fare runs higher than $10, the rider only pays the amount above $10 on top of that $3 — so an $11 Lyft ride costs the rider $4 total, and a $14 ride costs $7.
π EasySmart Tip for Frisco Seniors: Apply through DCTA's online Frisco Demand Response application — DCTA calls it the fastest way in. Prefer paper? Download the application, then mail it to DCTA at 604 E. Hickory St., Denton, TX 76205, email it to applications@dcta.net, or fax it to 940-387-1461. Give the process a few days before your first trip, since it isn't a same-day setup like GoZone.
Riding in Denton County? You'll Need a Third Card
If a Frisco or Plano senior also travels DCTA's home-turf routes — the A-train or Connect bus network in Denton, Lewisville, or Highland Village — a different piece of paperwork applies. DCTA requires a separate Reduced Fare Eligible badge for those core services, on top of whatever discount setting is used inside GoZone. Seniors 65 and older, Medicare cardholders, and disabled riders all qualify.
Download DCTA's Reduced Fare Application, submit it by mail, fax, or in person, and DCTA issues the badge. Call 940-243-0077 with questions about the badging process.
π Good to Know: The badge itself isn't a ticket. DCTA is explicit that it only proves eligibility — you still need to buy or load an actual reduced-fare pass separately. Keep both on hand when a fare is checked.
A Realistic Example
A 68-year-old Frisco resident whose daughter lives just across the border in Plano — inside DART's service area. She calls DART's customer service line first, since that's the name she recognizes from Plano commercials.
DART tells her they don't serve her Frisco address at all. She calls DCTA next, applies for GoZone Frisco, and finds out her daughter's neighborhood also happens to sit inside the Frisco Demand Response Plano boundary. One phone call sorted out two workable options for the same trip, once she was calling the right agency.
Which Program Actually Fits Your Trip?
All three DCTA-side programs run under the same agency, but they're not built the same way. Here's how they actually differ once you get past the name.
| Your Situation | Start Here | Good to Know |
|---|---|---|
| You live in Plano and ride DART bus or rail | DART Reduced Fare Program | Slowest to arrive (~15 business days by mail), but covers the widest range of routes |
| You live in Frisco and need same-day, on-demand rides | DCTA GoZone Frisco | Fastest option — same-day booking, but you must self-activate the discount in the app |
| You need scheduled trips for medical care or errands in Frisco | DCTA Frisco Demand Response | Requires 24-hour advance booking, but reaches farther into Plano than GoZone does |
| You also ride DCTA's A-train or Connect bus in Denton County | DCTA Reduced Fare Eligible badge (separate application) | Doesn't carry over from GoZone or Demand Response — apply separately even if already DCTA-approved elsewhere |
Documents to Have Ready Before You Apply
- A government-issued photo ID showing your date of birth
- Your current mailing address and phone number
- A recent photo, if the agency's application calls for one
- Any Medicare or disability documentation, if applying under those categories instead of age
Neither agency requires proof of income for the standard senior category. Age 65 and older is its own eligibility bracket for both DART's Reduced Fare Program and DCTA's Reduced Fare Eligible badge.
Common Mistakes That Slow Things Down
| Mistake | How to Avoid It |
|---|---|
| Applying to DART from a Frisco address | Confirm your city is a DART member first — Frisco residents should apply through DCTA instead |
| Assuming the GoZone senior discount applies automatically | Toggle "Special Settings" in the app yourself, or call DCTA to apply it when booking |
| Booking Frisco Demand Response same-day | Call at least 24 hours ahead; the scheduling line only takes requests weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Treating a DCTA badge as a ticket | The badge only proves eligibility — you still need a separate paid pass or fare |
| Assuming a local DART fare covers a regional trip | Check whether your trip crosses into TRE, Trinity Metro, or DCTA territory before you travel |
One thing to Watch: Plano's DART Agreement Is Changing
Plano remains a DART member city in 2026, after the city council canceled a planned withdrawal election in exchange for a new deal running through 2031. That agreement phases a growing share of Plano's sales tax contribution back to the city.
Separately, though, Plano has pushed to end DART's standard local bus and demand-response service within city limits by January 1, 2029, while keeping DART Rail and express bus routes running.
None of that changes today's fares. It does mean Plano's bus network could look different in a few years. Seniors who lean heavily on local bus routes rather than rail might want to check DART's service alerts periodically over the next couple of years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is DART free for seniors in Texas?
A: No. DART's senior program is a 50% reduced fare, not a free ride. You'll need a valid Reduced Fare GoPass Tap Card to pay half price on local and regional fares.
Q: Do I have to live in Dallas to get DART's senior discount?
A: No. DART confirms you don't need Dallas residency to qualify — Plano residents apply through the same Reduced Fare Program as anyone else in the DART service area.
Q: Does Frisco have public transportation for seniors?
A: Yes, through DCTA rather than DART. Frisco seniors can use GoZone Frisco for on-demand rides at a 50% discount, or Frisco Demand Response for scheduled curb-to-curb trips at flat $3 and $5 fares.
Q: If I sign up for GoZone Frisco, does that also make me eligible for Frisco Demand Response?
A: No, and this is where a lot of Frisco seniors assume too much. DCTA confirms the two programs run independently — activating your reduced fare in the GoZone app has no effect on Frisco Demand Response, and applying for Demand Response doesn't touch your GoZone settings. Each one needs its own signup.
Q: Can I have both DART's age-based discount and its income-based Discount GoPass at the same time?
A: You don't need both — they get you to the same 50% fare through different eligibility tests. If you qualify under both, apply through whichever program matches your situation, since the two use separate applications and aren't combined into one card.
Q: Is a DCTA Reduced Fare badge the same thing as a bus ticket?
A: No. The badge proves you're eligible for a reduced fare. DCTA is clear that it must be paired with an actual paid pass or fare — it isn't valid on its own.
Q: Can Plano seniors use DCTA services instead of DART?
A: Only in a limited way. Plano residents inside the specific boundary served by Frisco Demand Response can use that program for a $5 regional fare, but DCTA's core services — like the A-train — are based in Denton County and don't substitute for DART's Plano coverage.
Q: Is GoZone Frisco actually free right now?
A: DCTA's website still lists free rides as a launch promotion, though the promotion's stated end date of September 4, 2026 has already come and gone. Confirm current pricing directly with DCTA at 940-243-0077 or in the app before assuming rides are still free.
Q: What's the fastest way to apply for a DART senior discount?
A: Apply online through DART's Reduced Fare portal with a photo ID, or call 214-828-6685 (Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.) to request a paper application or ask questions before applying.
Final Thoughts
When you know which agency covers your address, the paperwork moves fast. A Plano senior can have a DART Tap Card in the mail within about two weeks of applying online. A Frisco senior can be riding GoZone the same day the reduced-fare toggle gets switched on.
The application itself is usually straightforward. The harder part is knowing which office to contact first.
Key Takeaways
- Plano is a DART member city; Frisco is not. Frisco's senior transit runs through DCTA instead.
- DART's Reduced Fare Program gives seniors 65+ a 50% discount — apply online or call 214-828-6685, no Dallas residency required.
- GoZone Frisco charges $3–$5 per ride based on distance, with a 50% senior discount you must manually enable in the app.
- GoZone Frisco's advertised free-ride window (through September 4, 2026) has technically passed but still shows as active on DCTA's site — confirm before assuming it's free.
- Frisco Demand Response runs flat $3 local / $5 regional fares and also covers a defined slice of Plano near Medical City Plano.
- GoZone Frisco and Frisco Demand Response are separate applications — signing up for one doesn't enroll you in the other.
- DCTA's core Denton County services require a separate Reduced Fare Eligible badge from the GoZone discount toggle.
- Plano's DART bus and demand-response service may change by January 1, 2029; rail and express bus service are expected to continue.
Related Guides
Editorial Note
EasySmartHub is an independent informational resource. We are not affiliated with Dallas Area Rapid Transit, the Denton County Transportation Authority, the City of Plano, or the City of Frisco. Transit fares, service boundaries, and promotional pricing (including GoZone Frisco's free-ride period) can change, so confirm current details directly through DART.org, DCTA.net, or by calling DCTA at 940-243-0077 before relying on any figure mentioned here. Last Checked: September 2026
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