Officials Cut The Ribbon On New DART South Route In Warrington

WARRINGTON, PA — There’s a new bus in town and it’s taking passengers to destinations all along the Route 611 corridor in Warrington Township.

DART South made its debut on Thursday with an official ribbon cutting and celebration at the Shops at Valley Square attended by a who’s who of state, county and local officials.

The new DART South is now making daily stops at Grundy Hall, the Park at Westminster Apartments, Warrington Crossing Apartments, Wegmans, Walmart, Amazon Fresh, Target, the Shops at Valley Square and more.

Officials gathered at the Shops at Village Square to officially launch DART South.

Lou White, executive director of the DART Committee. (photo by Jeff Werner)

“Today marks a truly remarkable and exciting moment in the history of Bucks County Transport,” said Jim Raymond, the CEO of Bucks County Transport, which operates the DART system. “I am overwhelmed with joy and gratitude as we witness the accumulation of five years of hard work, dedication and perseverance. The journey from conception to reality has been a remarkable one and I am thrilled to see the rubber finally hit the road for the Warrington South bus route.”

Raymond gave a special shout out to former State Rep. Todd Polinchock, who first proposed the idea of DART South and then secured the initial funding for the service from the state.

Raymond also commended the work and support of the DART Committee, Warrington Township Manager Barry Luber, the Bucks County Commissioners, State Senator Frank Farry, State Rep. Brian Monroe, U.S. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick and the Bucks County Transport Board of Directors.

“As we embark on this new journey, let us remember that this achievement is not just a reflection of BTC, but a testament to the power of collaboration, determination and community spirit. Together we are making a tangible impact on the lives of our fellow citizens,” said Raymond.

BTC is using the debut of DART South to rebrand its system as "The Dart," which is now servicing six municipalities in Central Bucks County from New Britain (DART West) to Doylestown (Doylestown DART) and now south to Warrington with stops at the Bucks County government center, Main and State, the Doylestown train station, the Doylestown cultural center, Cross Keys Center, Mercer Square and the Doylestown Hospital.

Other popular stops include Delaware Valley University, the Barn Plaza, New Britain Village Square, the Chalfont Train Station, the Shops at Valley Square and points in between, all for the cost of $1 or free to senior citizens ages 65 and older.

“In January 2019 we had our first expansion - DART West - down Business Route 202 through New Britain Borough and Township and out to County Line Road. But that winter we were hit by COVID and public transportation throughout the country saw a 50 percent reduction," said Lou White, the executive director of the DART committee.

"At the height of the service just prior to COVID, we were averaging 2500 riders per month. So with the possibility of extending our service to Warrington we saw a need and an opportunity to reintroduce not just the DART but the DART system that will now serve residents in six municipalities from New Britain and County Line Road east through Chalfont into Doylestown
and now south on Route 611 into Warrington,” said White. “You will see an aggressive marketing effort starting today not just to get our earlier riders back, but to present this resource to all Central Bucks residents.”

State Rep. Brian Monroe, right, talks with State Rep. Tim Brennan. (photo by Jeff Werner)

The system is funded by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, which is matched by the municipalities serviced by the DART plus grants from the Mercer Museum, Delaware Valley University and Discover Doylestown. DART also runs a daily shuttle service from the county parking garage to the former courthouse, which is funded by the county.

In addition, the DART provides shuttle service for special events happening in its host municipalities, including the Thompson Performing Arts Series in Doylestown Township and the Doylestown Arts Festival in Doylestown Borough.

Fred Gaines, the chairman of the Warrington Township Board of Supervisors, remembered making the case to then State Rep. Polinchock about the need for a bus in Warrington that would connect seniors with shopping and services.

“Having grown up in the city where you were used to using buses, I suggested that it would be great to have our six active adult communities in Warrington have access to a bus route so they wouldn’t have to get in their cars to drive to shopping and restaurants. Todd immediately took
that and ran with it," he said.

According to Gaines, between the six adult communities in Warrington there are 1100 housing units, which represents nearly eight percent of the township’s population.

“What this does is it takes us out of our cars and allows us to get to any place we want in Warrington and, by connecting to the Doylestown DART, anyplace we want to go in Doylestown. We don’t have to look for parking. We’re not putting carbon into the air. There are numerous benefits being derived.”

Fred Gaines, chairman of the Warrington Township Board of Supervisors, addresses the gathering. Looking on is Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie. (photo by Jeff Werner)

In May, the Warrington Township Board of Supervisors approved the new DART South bus route system through the township and voted to make a $5,000 contribution to Bucks County Transport to help fund the system, which provides low cost, convenient public transit in and around the
Doylestown area.

DART primarily services senior citizens (ages 65 and older) who ride free of charge, however it also services residents of all ages at a cost of $1 per person. The $1 fee allows passengers to hop on and hop off all day long without having to pay an additional fee.

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