DFW Airport’s board has signed off on a roughly $627.4 million deal that will put nearly all of the airport’s landside shuttles and buses under a single operator, LAZ Parking Texas LLC. Airport officials say the move will tighten up operations ahead of the FIFA World Cup, but longtime shuttle providers showed up at the meeting to say they felt blindsided by the decision.
Board Approves Award Over Protests
According to the Fort Worth Report, several current shuttle contractors told the board they had not been notified that LAZ was being recommended for the award and asked trustees to hit pause so the bid scoring and evaluation could be rechecked. The outlet reports that board member Larry DeLuca pushed to delay the vote while staff walked through the scoring, but the full board ultimately voted unanimously to approve the contract.
Contract Snapshot
The airport’s official board packet lists the award as contract no. PA2028 to LAZ Parking Texas, LLC. It carries a five-year base value of $319,293,666.10 and two optional two-year extensions totaling $308,099,480.06, for an estimated maximum of $627,393,146.16 and an expected operational start in October 2026, according to DFW Airport. Airport staff say consolidating multiple bus providers into a single operator is supposed to boost service consistency and make better use of the fleet.
Longtime Providers Say They Were Kept in the Dark
Companies that have shuttled passengers around DFW for decades, including SP Plus Corporation and ABM Aviation Services, told the board they only found out about the recommended award when the meeting agenda was posted and that they had not received bid feedback or formal notice, the Fort Worth Report notes. The outlet also reports that a representative for one bidder filed a public records request for the scoring documents, and several trustees voiced interest in taking more time to review how proposals were evaluated.
World Cup Timeline Tightens The Stakes
DFW has already laid out plans to handle the expected surge of international visitors for FIFA World Cup 2026, including beefed-up rail connections and shuttle links between the airport and key regional hubs, according to DFW’s newsroom. Trinity Metro’s World Cup mobility blueprint, which adds a Cowtown visitor shuttle and extra TRE service to CentrePort, is being coordinated with airport connections to move fans between trains, buses and stadium access routes, as detailed by KERA News.
Other Board Votes: Terminal F Concessions
The same board packet shows trustees also approved a slate of new concessions leases, many targeted for the under-construction Terminal F. National chains such as Panda Express, Popeyes, Wetzel’s Pretzels, Nekter Juice Bar and Sambazon are set to join local fixtures like Ampersand Coffee & Cocktails, Mi Cocina and Whataburger, according to DFW Airport. Airport leaders have framed the new food and retail mix as part of the buildup to heavier summer traffic and the World Cup rush.
What Comes Next
Public contracting listings show the airport has been targeting an October 2026 launch for the new consolidated busing operation, leaving a relatively tight runway for transition, hiring and service testing before peak World Cup travel, according to procurement notices on GovTribe. DFW’s publicly available board materials also outline procedures for closed executive sessions to receive legal advice and confirm board structure, which consists of seven Dallas appointees, four Fort Worth appointees and a rotating 12th nonvoting member representing neighboring cities, per DFW Airport.
