Learn about public transit opportunities in the Des Moines area during Try Transit Week, October 7-11, organized by the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority.
You can learn about the expansions to the area’s transit service, how to use the transit routes, and a new on-line trip planner, among other things. “In many ways public transit has been transformed in greater Des Moines,” noted Gunnar Olson, public affairs for DART. “This is part of re-introducing the public to their transit system.”
A variety of events will be held in the Des Moines area throughout the week. In addition, all rides will be free, according to information from DART’s offices.
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Among the highlights:
· October 7—Get Onboard with DART. This will take place in downtown Des Moines on 12th Street between Grand Avenue and Locust Streets from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. DART staff will show individuals how to ride DART, answer questions about DART service and give away prizes. Among the prizes—a year’s worth of free rides.
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· October 8--Try the Bus with DART in Johnston. People can meet DART people at Stop #3638 (Johnston City Hall, 6221 Merle Hay Road) from 5:55 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. to take Express Route #91 downtown.
· October 9—Try the Bus with DART in West Des Moines. People can meet DART at Stop #3269, located at the Jordan Creek Town Center, 101 Jordan Creek Parkway, West Des Moines), from 5:50 a.m. to 7:05 a.m. in order to take Express Route #96 downtown; between 6:50 a.m. and 7:50 a.m. to take Flex Route #72 to Valley West Mall and then to Valley Junction; or between 5:50 a.m. and 7:50 a.m. to take Local Route #52 to Valley West Mall and then downtown.
· October 11-DART Date Night. People are invited to take DART to a movie, dinner or other event on the town. This event intends to prove that DART is not just for going to work, Olson explained. “It’s also good for running errands or taking a date out to dinner,”
A highlight of the improvements is DART’s MyDART Trip Planner BETA, which was launched on October 1. It can be used with smartphones, laptop computers and tablets (although not as an application). DART staff plan to introduce the MyDART Trip Planner to the public during the events in Des Moines, Altoona, Johnston and West Des Moines which comprise Try Transit Week. Plans call for the main version of the MyDART Trip Planner to be launched in early 2014; it will schedule e-mail alerts and allow users to track the real-time locations of their buses.
For more information, call DART at 515-283-8100.