DART to Pilot Microtransit Program in Ankeny and West Des Moines, IA 2021

The Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) has announced that it will launch a mobility on-demand (MOD) service later this fall. This MOD service will serve two separate zones in West Des Moines and Ankeny, a suburban community in the Des Moines area. In this microtransit service, customers can request point-to-point shared rides. All vehicles will be ADA-accessible, equipped with wheelchair lifts. Customers can request their rides through an app and pay their fares by cash or a pass used at the farebox on board the vehicle. The new MOD service will replace one bus route in West Des Moines and no bus routes in Ankeny.

DART sees this microtransit program as an opportunity to improve mobility options in more suburban areas outside of Des Moines. At times, microtransit can be more efficient than fixed-route transit in connecting customers to important destinations like medical appointments and grocery stores. Overtime, it will be important to observe the popularity of this microtransit pilot and if it expands to other areas throughout the Des Moines area.

Last updated October 6, 2021