The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has approved a pilot program to start charging commuters to park at two of the more heavily used stations. If the plan is approved, commuters that don't live in the 13 cities that DART serves will have to pay $2 to park at the Frankford Station in Carrollton and the Parker Road Station in Plano.

Business owners have complained to DART in the past about people parking in their spaces once the stations' lots are all taken. DART officials have cited this as the main reason for the possible parking charges, as opposed to just trying to raise more money.

The people that live in cities that DART does service - Addison, Carrollton, Cockrell Hill, Dallas, Farmers Branch, Garland, Glenn Heights, Highland Park, Irving, Plano, Richardson, Rowlett and University Park - would be unaffected by the parking charges.

At least for now. Now that the federal government is unlikely to fund anymore projects for the foreseeable, DART will need a way to raise money to build its Cotton Belt Corridor project. Charging for parking at all its stations could prove very profitable.