Iowa’s Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) and its governing body, the DART Commission, launched an 18-month collaborative effort to establish a shared vision for how public transit can meet the community’s needs and connect people to vital destinations across a growing region.

The planning process will continue DART’s evolution of responding to changing travel patterns, regional expansion, and new technologies by taking a fresh look at all the services DART should deliver and how to deliver them.

As funding for public transit becomes tighter, the process will ensure that DART is maximizing resources to meet the region’s priorities for public transit over the next decade.

“DART was created by visionary leaders in 2006 as the regional solution for residents to travel between our communities,” said Amanda Wanke, DART CEO. “We have provided an essential service for residents to get to places that allow them to thrive and contribute to our communities, but a lot has changed over 18 years. Our region looks significantly different from where people live to how they work. While we continue to adapt our services, now is the right time to define a shared vision and roadmap for how public transit can support Greater Des Moines' future growth.”

DART’s Reimagination of Transit

Starting this fall, the Commission, comprised of an elected official from each of DART’s 12 member communities, will set the goals and measures of success DART should achieve.

A transit consulting team, in collaboration with DART staff and the DART Commission, will use the goals to determine the types of services DART should provide and how to best deliver those services. The public will have opportunities to provide input throughout the process to inform decisions.

By December 2025, the DART Commission is expected to vote on final recommendations for a network redesign, ahead of when it will decide DART’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget.

DART staff will then begin implementing the new service network in summer 2026.

Reaction to Growth

Since 2009, DART’s overall service has grown 1% while Greater Des Moines’ population has grown 24%.

Today, DART provides 3.5 million rides across all services, with most trips on fixed bus routes that travel in and out of downtown Des Moines.

Nearly two out of three riders who use DART do not own a car, and DART serves a higher percentage of individuals from under-resourced neighborhoods, individuals who are low income, and individuals with disabilities than the overall population.

Nearly three out of every five rides are to help people get to and from work, and DART has worked with local employers to expand service options.

“Reimagine DART is a unique opportunity to decide how public transit can continue to strengthen and connect our communities as other cities near us are increasing their investment in transit,” said Wanke. “With finite resources, DART cannot provide enough service to meet all of the needs of a diverse region, but we hope this community-informed process will help us decide how our transit system can continue to drive an inclusive and flourishing region for the future.”