Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART)

The Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) is undergoing a major transformation through its Reimagine DART initiative. A major component of this effort is redesigning the region’s bus network to better serve current and future needs. Reimagine DART also includes setting a regional vision for transit, updating DART’s fare policy and studying the economic impact of transit. Here's a breakdown of what's happening, why it's happening, and what challenges lie ahead.

What Changes Are Being Made?

DART is planning a complete redesign of its bus network, with implementation expected in summer 2026. Key elements include:

  • New route structures: Launching a new network of local bus routes and microtransit zones, along with updated times in which service runs.
  • Service goals: Prioritizing high ridership (frequent service in dense areas) for the region overall with  coverage service (reaching a wider area) in some suburban communities.
  • Quantity of service: Reducing total hours of service by 10% to limit property tax growth and ensure sustainability for the next few years.

Why These Changes Are Happening

Several factors are driving the overhaul:

  • Changing metro: DART hasn’t redesigned its network for more than a decade, despite significant shifts in travel patterns and regional growth
  • Post-pandemic realities: More people are working remotely, aging in place, or choosing not to drive.
  • Economic impact: Nearly 90% of DART trips are tied to earning or spending money, making transit vital to the local economy 
  • Funding pressures: DART is primarily funded by property taxes and local communities face pressure to limit property tax growth.

Challenges Ahead

DART faces several hurdles as it moves forward:

  1. Funding Constraints: Limited resources without new funding tools mean tough decisions about which services to prioritize.
  2. Competing Goals: There’s no one-size-fits-all solution; transit can either promote high ridership with frequent routes in busy areas or ensure coverage, so more people have some access to service.
  3. Balancing Needs: Coordinating  across DART’s member communities with varying needs and priorities while operating as a regional network.
  4. Membership Loss: Several cities have chosen to withdraw in recent years, including Grimes and Pleasant Hill, reducing DART’s service area and creating additional financial pressures on DART and the remaining member communities.
  5. Community Contribution: A new formula adopted by the DART Commission that better aligns cost with the level of service means some communities’ contributions to DART are exceeding what DART can collect in property taxes, requiring those communities to provide additional funding from other revenue sources to fulfill their DART contribution.