Posted on November, 21 2012
For major service change, DART offers reminders – plus free bus rides all weekend
Three major changes to Greater Des Moines’ public transit system go into effect Friday, November 23, including system-wide changes to the network of bus routes, the opening of the new DART Central Station to bus operations, and the closing of downtown transit mall on Walnut Street.
The Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) offers the following reminders to assist customers through this transition:
Holiday hours: DART is closed Thursday, November 22, in observation of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Service changes: Several changes to bus routes take effect Friday, November 23, including the launch of two new routes, an overall expansion in service, and the discontinuation of some underutilized route segments.
New primary downtown transfer location: Buses will begin operating out of the new DART Central Station at 620 Cherry Street in downtown Des Moines effective Friday, November 23. The transit mall will cease to operate on Walnut Street at this time. Riders will continue to be able to board and depart the bus elsewhere throughout downtown.
Free service: DART is offering free service on all of its routes Friday through Sunday, November 23-25, to promote its new services during a major shopping weekend. This includes the new crosstown Route 52, which offers fast, direct service connecting downtown Des Moines, Valley West Mall and the Jordan Creek Town Centre. The routes will be operating on a weekend schedule Friday through Sunday.
School routes: Several changes are being made to the DART routes serving the students Des Moines Public Schools effective Monday, November 26. Parents are advised to make sure their students know about the changes, as some times, route names and pick-up locations are changing.
Additional information is available online at www.ridedart.com or by calling Customer Service at 515-283-8100.