On January 24, 2025, our Executive Committee was notified that Mary Collier, our Events Planning Committee Chair, passed away on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.

Mary was a fierce warrior for public transportation while also planning so many social gatherings that brought this community together, her work shines across many organizations and groups. Mary’s efforts laid the foundation for much of what DATA stands for today, inspiring countless individuals to take action.

Mary started her work in DATA with organizing our founding event caused by city council member remarks and organizing a trash cleanup in Farmers Branch, Texas. Mary exemplified how to get to work and make a difference in the community.

Mary continued her advocacy by speaking at City Council meetings (namely in Carrollton, Plano, and the City of Dallas) and DART Board meetings to advocate for continued DART funding (No Caps, No Cuts), Bus Procurement, and Bus Frequency Improvements.

In September, after planning many unofficial DATA events, Mary put in her candidacy for the Event Planning Coordinator Chair, Mary won the vote and started planning all events for DATA and other partner organizations like DFW Urbanistas and Comet's for Better Transit (CfBT is a DART advovacy group for UT Dallas Students)

Some of the many events she planned were across many organizations and in many cities.

• Canvassing and Tabling Events in Carrollton, Dallas, Farmers Branch, Irving, Plano, Richardson and Rowlett
• DATA General Meetings
• City of Dallas speaking engagements
• City of Plano speaking engagements
• DART Board and Committee of the Whole speaking engagements
• Week without Driving in 2024 with DFW Urbanistas, Better Block, and Dallas Bicycle Coalition
• Downtown Series (Explore and Canvass in various cities)
• DFW Urbanistas events in Carrollton
• Happy Hour and Social Events
• Volunteering with DART at the Dallas Holiday Parade 2024

Mary had planned several events in the calendar, and we realize that may raise some important questions. The Executive Committee has decided that out of respect for her and all the work she put into DATA, these events will not be canceled. It is our belief that she would have wanted us to keep the community together and continue our efforts to save DART, so that is exactly what we will be doing.

Transit Tangents Podcast

• Date: Saturday, February 1
• Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
• Location: J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas
• Room: Hamon Training Room, 5th Floor
• Nearest Rail Station: Akard Station (Red, Orange, Blue, & Green)
• Note: This event is not sponsored by the Dallas Public Library

Plano Social

• Date: Sunday, February 2
• Time: 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
• Location: Dumpling House, Plano (Parker Road) location
• Nearest Rail/Bus Stop: Parker Road Station (Red Line), then take the 234 bus route westbound

Plano City Council Meetings

• Meeting Dates: 2/10/2025, 2/24/2025
• Time: 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM (If DART is on the POM, then these meetings will start at 5:00 PM)
• Location: Plano Municipal Center, 1520 K Ave, Plano
• Nearest Rail Station: Downtown Plano Station (Red & Orange)

How TxDOT works, with the Texas Streets Coalition

• Date: Wednesday, February 19
• Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
• Location: Zoom Meeting

DATA February General Meeting

• Date: Saturday, February 22
• Time: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
• Location: J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 1515 Young Street, Dallas
• Room: Hamon Training Room, 5th Floor
• Nearest Rail Station: Akard Station (Red, Orange, Blue, & Green)
• Note: This event is not sponsored by the Dallas Public Library

DATA Book Club

• Date: Sunday, February 23
• Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
• Location: Dolce Paradisio in Addison (5030 Addison Cir, Addison)
• Nearest Rail Station: Addision Transit Center
• Details: Reading Human Transit for the month of February

Services, Honors and Dedications

For those wishing to share condolences or honor Mary’s memory, please see the following webpage.

To Honor Mary, she always would want to pull people onto trains and buses. DATA will be doing an "honor ride" where we will be taking the Green Line from Downtown Carrollton Station and riding the 230 bus to her workplace where she worked as an instrument repair technician. The date and time will be updated and announced on social media as we get more details.

• Date: TBA
• Time: TBA
• Location: TBA

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This post will be updated when we have more information to share and with Mary's legacy for DATA.

Last Updated: February 2, 2025 - 3:00 PM CT