Grimes council votes to eliminate bus service, cut ties with DART

Grimes will no longer have public transportation.

The city found only 13 residents have used the Des Moines Area Regional Transit system despite paying about $645,919 this fiscal year in property taxes, according to city documents. The Grimes City Council voted unanimously Nov. 28 to withdraw from DART, effective July 1, 2025.

It's a disappointing decision for DART leaders.

"Just like other infrastructure, everyone benefits from investing in public transit because it helps foster a healthy, vibrant community and ensures everyone regardless of income or ability can fully participate in our communities," DART's CEO Amanda Wanke said in a statement.

More: DART is losing millions. Are bus route service cuts or tax hikes needed to save it?

Why is Grimes cutting its bus route?

Grimes officials said it had determined only six people travel daily between Grimes and downtown Des Moines on Express Route 93, which was extended into the suburb in 2019, and seven people have used paratransit services over the past year. DART also has an on-call door-to-door transit service in Grimes that was expanded in 2021, but no one has requested a ride through it in 2023, according to city documents.

With the property tax levy, that means each DART trip from a Grimes resident cost more than $180.

"The cost per trip only gets more expensive as taxes increase and service decreases. While it is understood that a regional transit system will not provide the same level of service to every community, the cost-benefit analysis doesn’t pay off for Grimes," according to city documents.

DART spokesperson Sarah Welch wrote in an email to the Des Moines Register that DART does not know the exact number of residents who have used the express route over the past year. And while only seven Grimes residents have used paratransit services over the past year, Welch said one of those individuals has used it twice a week to get to dialysis treatments.

"The other impact of Grimes withdrawing is that DART Paratransit users in other communities will not be able to travel into Grimes for work or for appointments, shopping, etc. More than half of the Paratransit trips in Grimes are residents traveling into Grimes from other communities to work and visit Grimes businesses," Welch said.

Grimes city documents said a reason paratransit use has been low in Grimes is likely due to Grimes Volunteer Support Services. About 70 volunteers transport more than 210 Grimes residents to appointments, shopping and other needs.

Despite the withdrawal, DART has indicated it "may continue to provide services" through June 30, 2025, in Grimes, the city documents say. And in the future, the city said it would look into contracting paratransit services with DART or an independent company or increasing funding for Grimes Volunteer Support Services.

The Des Moines metro community of about 15,000 residents is still on the hook for funding DART through the end of its service. It will pay $705,783 for fiscal year 2025.

It also owes about $59,000 in debt service. Valuations received in January 2024 will determine the final amount, according to city documents. The city could either pay its share of debt to DART before the withdrawal or continue its property tax levy until the debt is repaid.

More: Longer waits for buses, fewer routes: DART faces 40% service cut unless Des Moines pays more

DART already is losing money before Grimes' departure

DART, the state's only regional transit system, is funded by a formula created in 2021 that takes into account the population and level of service in each of its 11 cities and Polk County. But DART's sustainability is in question as it's on track to hit an approximate $4 million deficit by fiscal year 2025 unless it can find alternative forms of funding.

DART already is facing large service cuts in Des Moines if the City Council there does not approve a new franchise fee to pay for services. Under the proposed cuts, most routes would run every hour instead of every 30 minutes, service would be limited on weekends, with fewer buses on Sundays, and buses would be limited throughout the day, with some routes running only at peak travel times.

While Des Moines is facing immediate cuts, the DART Commission also will consider a redesign of suburban service ahead of fiscal year 2026 budget discussions.

"We have worked hard as a Commission to be as efficient and effective as we possibly could over the years. We've gotten very innovative in our transportation services, and we're constantly looking at ways to reinvent ourselves and do more with less," Russ Trimble, DART commission chair and mayor of West Des Moines, said in a statement.

"The rest of DART’s member communities will continue to work together as a region to provide transportation services that are a lifeline for many people in central Iowa," Trimble added.

Phillip Sitter focuses for the Des Moines Register on reporting on suburban growth and development in the western metro areas. Phillip can be reached via email at psitter@gannett.com. He is on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @pslifeisabeauty.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Grimes will no longer have bus routes as city cancels DART services