Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) operates mass transit service in Greater Des Moines. It is the largest public transit agency operating in the state of Iowa.[2]
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| Founded | 1973 (as Des Moines MTA) 2006 (as DART) |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 620 Cherry St, Des Moines, IA 50309 |
| Locale | Des Moines, IA, United States |
| Service area | Des Moines and surrounding communities in Polk County |
| Service type | Bus service, Express bus service, Paratransit, On Demand, Vanpool |
| Routes | 26 |
| Stops | 1,721[1] |
| Hubs | 1 (DART Central Station) |
| Fleet | 141 (108 Fixed Route buses & 33 On Call/Paratransit buses) |
| Daily ridership | 7,547 |
| Annual ridership | 2.75 million (FY2022)[1] |
| Fuel type | Diesel, Hybrid, Electric |
| Chief executive | Elizabeth Presutti |
| Website | ridedart.com |
History
DART was founded in 1973 as the Des Moines Metropolitan Transit Authority, commonly known as the MTA. Formed by a partnership of the cities of Des Moines, West Des Moines, Clive, Windsor Heights, and Urbandale. The MTA eventually developed a 14-county carpool and vanpool system in addition to its bus system.[3]
By 2006, population growth in varying regions of central Iowa led to Polk County and nineteen cities forming a regional transportation agency following changes to Iowa law in 2005.[4]
Sunday service was added for the first time in 2007. In 2008, a free shuttle linked downtown Des Moines with the Iowa State Capitol.
DART has offered a Park & Ride service during the Iowa State Fair since 2006.[5]
Free wifi connectivity began to be offered on all buses in 2018. This was implemented at the same time new fareboxes were installed, which required an internet connection.[6]
DART began a pilot electric bus program in October 2020, starting with seven Proterra Catalyst buses on route 60 (Ingersoll/University). The pilot program was funded by a grant from the Federal Transit Administration, with a local match from MidAmerican Energy.[7]
DART is represented by a board of 12 Commissioners, one from each member government it serves. Today [when?], DART serves Altoona, Ankeny, Bondurant, Clive, Des Moines, Grimes, Johnston, Pleasant Hill, Urbandale, West Des Moines, Windsor Heights, and greater Polk County.
Structure
DART utilizes a hub and spoke system, designed to favor commuters, as opposed to point-to-point system.[8] The network was redesigned in 2012 to utilize the new DART Central Station, which most local and express routes terminate at or pass through. A secondary hub around Valley West Mall connects multiple western routes. A northern crosstown route 50 (Euclid/Douglas Crosstown) was added in 2018.[9]
DART also has On Call routes that operate within specific zones in the Greater Des Moines area.
DART Central Station
Located at 620 Cherry Street in downtown Des Moines, DART Central station serves as the primary hub of the DART system. The $21 million bus transfer station opened in November 2012 on the south end of downtown, ending decades of using Walnut Street as a transit mall.[10] DART Central Station has been certified LEED Platinum, the highest certification of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Rating System of the U.S. Green Building Council. The site was selected in part due to proximity of the historic Rock Island Railroad depot, which is hoped to have passenger rail service in the future.[11][12] It was designed by Substance Architecture, built by Weitz Construction, and contains both a bicycle storage room and a cafe.[10]
Routes
Local routes
| Route | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairgrounds | DART Central Station - 6th Avenue - Locust Street - Pennsylvania Avenue (back Grand Avenue - 7th Street) - East Grand Avenue - East 30th Street - East University Avenue - East 33rd Street - Easton Boulevard - East 38st Street - Hubbell Avenue - Hubbell Avenue & East 42nd Street (back East 42nd Street - Easton Boulevard) |
| 3 | University | DART Central Station - 6th Avenue (back 7th Street) - University Avenue - Apple Valley - Buffalo Road - Westown Parkway - 28th Street - University Avenue - 31st Street - Valley West Mall (back Westown Parkway) |
| 4 | E 14st St | DART Central Station - 6th Avenue - Locust Street (back Grand Avenue - 7th Street) - East Grand Avenue - East 15th Street (back East 14th Street) - East 14th Street (shuttle to Polk County Jail and Dee Zee) - East Euclid Avenue - Park Fair Mall |
| 5 | Franklin Ave / Johnston | DART Central Station - 6th Avenue - Grand Avenue (back 10th Street - Locust Street - 7th Street) - 10th Street - Woodland Avenue - 31st Street - 30th Street - Clark Street - 34st Street - Franklin Avenue - Merle Hay Road - Merle Hay Mall & Haymarket - Merle Hay Road - Johnston Public Library |
| 6 | Indianola Ave | DART Central Station - MLK Jr Parkway - SW 2st/3rd Street - Indianola Avenue - SE 14th Street and on 14th & Watrous splits into two routes: Watrous Avenue - SE 5th Street - Army Post Road - Southridge Mall (shuttle to McCombs Middle School)SE 14th Street - Army Post Road - Southridge Mall (shuttle to McCombs Middle School) |
| 7 | SW 9th St | DART Central Station - SW 7th Street - Turtle Street - SW 9th Street (back 8th Street - Turtle Street) - Army Post Road - Southridge Mall (shuttle to McCombs Middle School) |
| 8 | Fleur Dr | Service operates between DART Central Station and Airport South Park & Ride, including destinations at Wakonda Shopping Center and Iowa Center for Higher Education. |
| 10 | East University | DART Central Station - 6th Avenue - Locust Street - Pennsylvania Avenue (back East 6th Street - East Walnut Street - 2nd Avenue - Grand Avenue - 7th Avenue) - East University Avenue - Sherrylynn & East University Avenue |
| 11 | Ingersoll / Valley Junction | DART Central Station - 6th Avenue - Grand Avenue (back 17th Street - Locust Street - 7th Street) - 17th Street - Ingersoll Avenue - 59th Street - Grand Avenue - WEST DES MOINES - 4th Street - Elm Street - 8th Street - Grand Avenue - 9th Street - 9th Street & Ashworth (back Ashworth Road - 8th Street - Grand Avenue) |
| 13 | SE Park Ave | (Weeks Middle School) - Indianola Avenue & Evergreen - Indianola Avenue - Evergreen Avenue - SE 22st Street - East King Avenue - SE 19st Street - East Park Avenue - Indianola Avenue - Indianola Avenue & Evergreen |
| 14 | Beaver Ave | DART Central Station - 6th Avenue - Grand Avenue - 8th Street - High Street (back 9th Street - Locust Street - 7th Street) - 15th Street - Center Street - 19th Street - Cottage Grove - 19th Street (back MLK Jr Parkway - Cottage Grove) - MLK Jr Parkway - Hickman Road - 30th Street - Leado Avenue - Urbandale Avenue - Beaver Avenue - Aurora Avenue - Merle Hay Mall & Haymarket |
| 15 | 6th Ave | DART Central Station - 6th Avenue (back 7th Street) - Douglas Avenue - Park Fair Mall (back Douglas Avenue - Cornell Street - Euclid Avenue) |
| 16 | Douglas Avenue | DART Central Station - 6th Avenue - Mulberry Street (back 7th Street) - 8th Street (back 9th Street) - 9th Street - University Avenue - 31st Street - 16th Street - Hickman Road - Broadlawns Medical Center - Hickman Road - MLK Jr Parkway - Douglas Avenue (shuttles along Lover Beaver Road and to Meredith & Hoover Schools) - Merle Hay Road - Merle Hay Mall & Haymarket |
| 17 | Hubbell Ave / Altoona | DART Central Station - 6th Avenue (back 7th Street) - University Avenue - Hubbell Avenue - 29th Avenue ( - Douglas - 26th Street) - East Euclid Avenue - Hubbell Avenue - 8th Street SW - 36th Avenue SW - Outlets of Des Moines/Altoona |
| 50 | Euclid / Douglas Crosstown* | Merle Hay Mall & Haymarket - Merle Hay Road - Douglas Avenue - Euclid Avenue - East Euclid Avenue - Hubbell Avenue - East 42nd St & Hubbell Ave (back East 42nd Street - East Douglas Avenue - East 38th Street) *Does not to go DART Central Station |
| 52 | Valley West / Jordan Creek Crosstown | DART Central Station - 6th Avenue (back 7th Street) - I-235 - Valley West Mall - I-235 - Jordan Creek Parkway - EP True Parkway - 68th Street - Jordan Creek Town Center (back Mills Civic Parkway - I-35) |
| 60 | Ingersoll/University | DART Central Station - 6th Avenue (back 7th Street) - University Avenue - 24th Street - Ingersoll Avenue - 17th Street - Locust Street - 7th Street (back 6th Avenue - Grand Avenue) - DART Central Station |
| 72 | West Des Moines Loop* | Service operates between DART Central Station and Airport South Park & Ride, including destinations at Wakonda Shopping Center and Iowa Center for Higher Education. Does not to go DART Central Station |
| 74 | NW Urbandale* | Operates between the Windsor Heights Walmart, Valley West Mall, Mercer/Marsh and the business parks in northwest Urbandale. Does not to go DART Central Station |
Express rush hour-only routes
| Route | Name | Route |
|---|---|---|
| 92 | Hickman Express | Downtown Des Moines - I-235 - 63rd Street - Hickman Road - 72nd Street - Buccaneer Arena - 73rd Street - Hickman Road - NW 108th Street - Clive Hotel Park&Ride - NW 111st Street (back Hickman Road) - Hickman Road - Hickman & 156th Street Park & Ride |
| 93 | NW 86th Express | Downtown Des Moines - I-235 - NW 98th Street - Crescent Chase |
| 94 | Westown Express | Downtown Des Moines - I-235 - 22nd Street - Westown Parkway - Valley West Mall - Westown Parkway - Jordan Creek Parkway - Wells Fargo |
| 95 | Vista Express | Downtown Des Moines - I-235 - Valley West Drive - Ashworth Road - 39th Street - Woodland Avenue - 50th Street - Ashworth Road - Prairie View Drive - Vista Drive - Wells Fargo |
| 96 | EP True Express | Downtown Des Moines - I-235 - 73rd Street - Office Park Road - 11th Street - Ashworth Road - 13th Street - Grand Avenue - EP True Parkway - Jordan Creek Town Center |
| 98 | Ankeny Express | Downtown Des Moines - Mercy North Park & Ride - Hawkeye Park & Ride - Ankeny DMACC |
| 99 | Altoona Express | Downtown Des Moines - I-235 - East Euclid Avenue - Hubbel Avenue - SW 8th Street - Walmart - SW 8th Street - NW 5th Avenue - Adventureland Drive - Adventureland Drive & Prairie Meadows Drive |
Former routes
- 2 Kingman (Discontinued on June 8, 2004, due to budget crisis)[13]
- 9 Express Service (Split into Routes 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, and 96)[14]
- 10 Pleasant Hill (Discontinued on April 25, 2010, due to budget crisis)[15]
- 12 Urbandale Business Park (Discontinued on April 25, 2010, due to budget crisis)[16]
- 51 Merle Hay Crosstown (merged with Route 5 on August 23, 2015)[17]
- 71 Ankeny / Delaware Avenue (Discontinued on November 23, 2012)[18]
- 73 Urbandale / Windsor Heights FLEX (peak only, 20-30 minutes; replaced by DART Flex Connect on October 13, 2019)[19]
- 90 Airport South Business Park Express (Discontinued on June 10, 2012; replaced by extension of Route 8)[20]
- 91 Merle Hay Express (Discontinued on October 1, 2017; replaced by extension of Route 5)[21]
- 97 SW Park Avenue Express (Discontinued on November 22, 2003, due to budget crisis)[22]
- Windsor Heights Express (replaced with new Urbandale Express and On Call Service on March 4, 2002)[23]
- Urbandale Express (replaced with new Urbandale Express and On Call Service on March 4, 2002)[24]
- Summer Special (replaced with new Urbandale Express and On Call Service on March 4, 2002)[25]
Shuttles
- The LINK (free)
- D-Line Shuttle (free)
- Iowa State Fair Park & Ride Shuttle
Flex Connect in Urbandale/NW Des Moines
Flex Connect is a new on-demand service DART is testing that connects riders in the Flex Connect zone to DART buses. Flex Connect replaced Flex Route 73 in Urbandale and Windsor Heights.
With Flex Connect on weekdays, riders in the zone can book an Uber, YellowCabCo. taxi or a DART accessible vehicle to take them to and from one of three transfer points: Gloria Dei Park & Ride, Buccaneer Arena Park & Ride or Merle Hay Mall. From there, riders can connect to DART buses via routes 5, 14, 16, 50, 92 or 93.
On call
- Ankeny
- Bondurant
- Easter Lake
- Grimes
Fares and Passes
Fares
The following fares are charged on the various services DART operates: [26]
| Type | Adult | Half Fare | Full Fare Token | Half Fare Token | Children 6-10 | Children 5 and Under |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Fares | $1.75 | $0.75 | Token (10/$17.50) | Token (10/$7.50) | $0.75 | Free |
| Express Fares | $2.00 | $0.75 | Token (10/$17.50) + $0.25 | Token (10/$7.50) | $0.75 | Free |
| On Call Fares | $3.50 | $0.75 | 2 Tokens (10/$17.50) | Token (10/$7.50) | $0.75 | Free |
| Shuttle Fares | Free | |||||
Unlimited Ride Passes
| Type | Price | Half Fare Price |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | $16.00 | $7.00 |
| Monthly | $48.00 | $24.00 |
| Monthly Express Plus | $58.00 | $29.00 |
| Day Pass | $4.00 | |
Fleet
| Fleet number(s) | Photo | Model Year | Manufacturer | Model | Powertrain | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1001-1020 |  | 2010 | Orion Bus Industries | Orion VII NG |
| |
| 1021-1022 |  | 2011 | Orion Bus Industries | Orion VII EPA10 | ||
| 1023-1027 |  | 2012 | Orion Bus Industries | Orion VII EPA10 | ||
| 1028 |  | 2010 (built in 2011) | Orion Bus Industries | Orion VII EPA10 |
| |
| 1029-1032 |  | 2013 | New Flyer | XDE35 | ||
| 1033-1034 |  | 2012 (built in 2013) | New Flyer | XDE40 | ||
| 1401-1410 |  | 2014 | Freightliner Champion Defender | M2 |
| |
| 1411-1416 |  | 2014 | New Flyer | XD40 | ||
| 1601-1606 |  | 2016 | Freightliner Champion Defender | M2 |
| |
| 1607-1633 |  | 2016 | New Flyer | XD40 |
| |
| 1701-1706 |  | 2017 | Freightliner Champion Defender | M2 |
| |
| 1801-1806 |  | 2018 | Freightliner Champion Defender | M2 |
| |
| 1807-1810 |  | 2018 | New Flyer | XD35 | ||
| 1811-1813 |  | 2018 | New Flyer | XD40 | ||
| 1901-1906 | 2019 | Freightliner Champion Defender | M2 |
| ||
| 2001-2007 |  | 2020 | Proterra | Catalyst BE40 | ||
| 2008-2012 |  | 2020 | Gillig | Low Floor Plus 29' | ||
| 2013-2017 |  | 2021 | New Flyer | XD40 | ||
| 2101-2105 |  | 2021 | Gillig | Low Floor Plus 29' | ||
| 2106-2115 |
| 2022 (built in 2021) | New Flyer | XD40 | ||
| 2301-2304 |  | 2023 | Gillig | Low Floor Plus 29' | ||
| 2305-2311 |  | 2023 | Ram New England Wheels | ProMaster Frontrunner LFXLT |
| |
| 7612, 7712 |  | 2012 | Gillig | Low Floor 29' |
| |
| 28455-28461 |  | 2008 | Orion Bus Industries | Orion VII NG |
|
Fixed Route Ridership
The ridership and service statistics shown here are of fixed route services only and do not include demand response. Per capita statistics are based on the Des Moines urbanized area as reported in NTD data. Starting in 2011, 2010 census numbers replace the 2000 census numbers to calculate per capita statistics.[30]
| Ridership | Change | Ridership per capita | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 3,905,433 | n/a | 10.54 |
| 2003 | 3,748,879 |  4.01% | 10.12 |
| 2004 | 3,696,785 | 1.39% | 9.98 |
| 2005 | 3,854,006 |  4.25% | 10.4 |
| 2006 | 3,919,908 | 1.71% | 10.58 |
| 2007 | 3,987,237 | 1.72% | 10.76 |
| 2008 | 4,612,776 | 15.69% | 12.45 |
| 2009 | 4,212,082 | 8.69% | 11.37 |
| 2010 | 3,768,611 | 10.53% | 10.17 |
| 2011 | 3,909,347 | 3.73% | 8.69 |
| 2012 | 4,094,122 | 4.73% | 9.1 |
| 2013 | 4,185,756 | 2.24% | 9.3 |
| 2014 | 4,388,019 | 4.83% | 9.75 |
| 2015 | 4,413,233 | 0.57% | 9.81 |
| 2016 | 4,359,827 | 1.21% | 9.69 |
| 2017 | 4,239,530 | 2.76% | 9.42 |
| 2018 | 4,163,656 | 1.79% | 9.25 |
| 2019 | 4,061,258 | 2.46% | 9,02 |
| 2020 | 2,132,628 | 47.49% | 4.74 |
| 2021 | 2,207,078 | 3.49% | 4.9 |
| 2022 | 2,754,733 | 24.81% | 6.12 |
Gallery
2010 Orion VII NG #1009
2012 Orion VII EPA10 #1027
2013 New Flyer XDE35 #1029
2014 New Flyer XD40 #1413
2016 New Flyer XD40 #1630
2018 New Flyer XD35 #1809
2018 New Flyer XD40 #1813
2020 Gillig Low Floor Plus 29' #2012
2021 New Flyer XD40 #2016
2021 Gillig Low Floor Plus 29' #2103
2022 New Flyer XD40 #2113
2023 Gillig Low Floor Plus 29' #2303
2006 Orion VII #26442 (retired)
2008 Orion VII NG #28460
2010 Orion VII NG #1011 interior
2012 Orion VII EPA10 #1023 interior
2010 Orion VII EPA10 HEV #1028 interior
2016 New Flyer XD40 #1621 interior
2018 New Flyer XD35 #1810 interior
2008 Orion VII NG #28459 interior
