On a typical Monday, University of Texas at Dallas student and Coppell resident Khadijah Mohammed Abdul Mazid leaves home half an hour early, giving her time for the five-minute drive to the Cypress Waters Station. 

With the Comet Card already pulled up on her phone, she hastily makes her way to the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Silver Line, transporting her to UTD for free. 

“I use the Silver Line almost every other day,” Mohammed Abdul Mazid said. “Since I don’t have a car, I used to depend on someone else for rides, but now I can stay on campus longer for events or activities without worrying about getting home. It’s also my first time relying on public transportation this much, and so far it’s been a really good experience.”

The opening of the Silver Line marked an arrival for a long-anticipated 26-mile rail system connecting the Cypress Waters Station to areas such as Addison, Carrollton, Dallas, Richardson and Plano with a connection at the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport.

Now that the trains are running, Coppell students envision the incentives the Silver Line has to offer, including accessibility to different parts of the Metroplex. The Cypress Waters Station is located in the city of Dallas, but borders Coppell city limits and is the nearest rail station to the community.

“Say you and three or four friends want to go check out the Mavs, Stars or a concert, just take the Silver Line into Downtown Carrollton, hop off, and take the elevator or stairs up to the Green Line,” DART project communications manager Mario Zavala said. “The Silver Line takes the stress out of driving down there.”

In addition to the convenience that the Silver Line brings to students, affordability is an appealing factor. According to DART, a local day pass ticket costs $6, and a three-hour pass costs $3. The University of Texas at Dallas provides reduced or free passes for students through the Comet Cruiser and the Dart U Pass programs.

For some high school students, the Silver Line entices them to consider nearby universities such as UTD and commute from home. 

“I would say that it would be beneficial, especially since I won’t be able to drive until I get into my first year of college, so I think it would be really helpful for commuting,” Coppell High School junior Tanvi Sathish said. “I also think people who won’t be able to afford a car and fill its gas often might benefit from the Silver Line.”

While some students view the Silver Line as an accessible and affordable source of commuting to universities, residents view it as efficient and an opportunity to move around the Metroplex freely. 

“The Silver Line is special because Coppell is so landlocked. We have cities all around us,” said Sanaa Ahmed, who has children at CHS and UTD. “This gives us a good option to travel around the city without having to get on highways and pay tolls, and it is going to be really helpful, just not being stuck in traffic all day and still able to get to our own places.”

Despite the benefits the DART Silver Line brings to the community, safety is a consideration for riders on public transportation. According to DART, Transit Security Officers do periodic checks of DART Rail and maintain regular contact between local police and rail dispatchers to ensure the safety of its passengers on the Silver Line. 

Still, teenagers need to assess whether they feel comfortable and secure without an adult’s presence.

“As a high school student and being a minor, going on public transportation is going to make me vulnerable because of all the stories I have heard,” Sathish said. “I am just scared to go on it, and I feel safer if someone just drops me off in a car.”

While some student passengers may feel nervous using public transit alone, Ahmed has assessed the safety of the Silver Line while dropping and picking up her daughter from the Cypress Waters Station.

“So far as I have seen, the Silver Line seems to be very secure. I have seen cops and patrol most of the time,” Ahmed said. “I don’t know what it is going to look like going forward. But I think the main point is that there are hardly any activities around the station, so I am not seeing how anybody who is not supposed to be in the area is going to be using this line. That makes it a little bit more secure than the other lines.”

As the Silver Line completes its first month of operation, the new rail marked a shift in how future generations may transit beyond Coppell.

Follow Zaara Shaik (@sincerely_zaara) and @CHSCampusNews on X.