Tips for Riding DART in Winter Weather

Snow and ice often cause travel disruptions across Greater Des Moines during the winter. At DART, we know that winter weather can make it difficult for some riders to access our stops and use our services. Below you’ll find tips for riding DART in winter weather and important things you should know before boarding a bus in snowy or icy conditions. 

Anticipate delays in winter weather

We will provide service during winter weather for as long as weather and road conditions allow. Just as it often takes cars longer to travel from one place to another when it snows or roads get slick, hazardous winter weather can cause challenges for DART buses. Although we make every effort to keep service running on time, we often experience delays or need to implement detours when the weather deteriorates.  

The best way to stay informed on delays and winter weather-related detours is to visit ridedart.com or use the MyDART app. We encourage you to use the real-time rider tools found on those platforms to track the location of your bus so you can reduce the amount of time you spend waiting in the elements for your bus to arrive. If we expect significant delays or detours for an extended period of time, we may post a news alert to the homepage of ridedart.com. DART staff will strive to provide updates about every 30-60 minutes on bus routes that are delayed by 20 or more minutes or that are on detour during the worst of the storm.

While service delays can affect all of our buses, we know that snow and ice can lead to more significant slowdowns for DART Paratransit, On Demand, On Call and Flex Connect services. Please consider rescheduling your trip if you know winter weather is expected. If you must travel during winter weather, please plan on extra time to make your trip and call Customer Service at 515-283-8147 to confirm the status of your trip. 

Des Moines Public Schools students who ride a regular DART bus or a DART school tripper route to get to and from school may also experience delays or route detours when winter weather occurs. If the school district changes its daily schedule due to winter weather, we will adjust our schedule for school tripper routes to match.

When we receive 1 – 2 inches of snow and/or a trace to 0.05 inches of ice: 

• Many DART riders could experience delays of 15 – 30 minutes. 

• DART Paratransit, On Call, On Demand and Flex Connect scheduled pick-up times could be delayed by 30 – 60 minutes. 

When we receive 2 – 4 inches of snow and/or 0.05 to 0.10 inches of ice:  

• Most, if not all, DART riders should expect delays. Some bus routes may experience delays of 30-60 minutes. Hazardous road conditions may force DART to re-route some buses or temporarily cancel some routes. Use the Next DART Bus feature at ridedart.com or in the MyDART app to see if your bus is delayed. 

• DART Paratransit, On Call, On Demand and Flex Connect scheduled pick-up times will likely be delayed by more than 60 minutes. Service on some residential streets and into parking lots may be temporarily suspended. 

When we receive 4 – 8 inches of snow and cities are struggling to keep snow routes cleared, and/or 0.10 to 0.15 inches of ice:  

• All DART riders will likely experience delays. Some delays will reach an hour or longer. Bus service frequency may be adjusted if conditions worsen. Check ridedart.com for updated information and use the Next DART Bus tools to track your bus. 

• DART Paratransit, On Call, On Demand and Flex Connect scheduled pick-up times will almost certainly be delayed by more than 60 minutes. Riders with non-critical trips are encouraged to cancel or reschedule. Service may be temporarily suspended in certain areas based on the weather and road or parking lot conditions. 

When we receive more than 8 inches of snow and/or more than 0.15 inches of ice:  

• DART services may be suspended because of the hazardous conditions. Check ridedart.com as soon as possible for information. 

• DART Paratransit, On Call, On Demand and Flex Connect services will likely be temporarily suspended. Riders with non-critical trips are strongly encouraged to cancel or reschedule.

Tips for riding DART in winter weather

Here are some important reminders for safely riding DART when there is winter weather. 

1. Wear clothing that protects you from the elements and makes you visible to bus drivers. 

It can be hard for bus drivers to see riders during periods of heavy snow and blowing snow.  

During the day, wear dark-colored clothing that contrasts with the snow, such as items that are black, blue, dark green or red. 

At night, wear bright-colored clothing that makes you more visible, such as items that are yellow, orange or pink.  

2. Wear footwear that is appropriate for snowy or icy walkways. 

If possible, please shake or stomp your feet to remove excess snow or slush from your shoes before boarding the bus.  

3. Wave to your bus driver as the bus is approaching.  

It’s never a bad idea to make sure they can see that you are waiting to board! 

4. Use the MyDART app and ridedart.com to plan your trip.

Tracking your bus through our app or website can help you get to your bus stop 3-5 minutes before the bus arrives, minimizing the time you are in cold temperatures and winter weather. You can also stay informed about weather-related delays and detours on ridedart.com or by texting “DART” and your bus stop number (example: DART 1235) to 515515. 

KEEP IN MIND: DART bus drivers will do what they can to try to find a clear place to board, but they may not fully pull up to the curb if there is snow accumulation that would cause the bus to get stuck.

 

For DART Paratransit or On Demand riders:  

• Please know DART cannot pick up or drop off passengers in parking lots that have not been plowed. We also ask that you ensure your sidewalk or walkway leading up to your home is cleared of snow and/or ice, so our bus drivers have a safe path to walk on before your scheduled pick-up. 

• Please confirm the location you are traveling to is open prior to leaving.

Clearing snow from DART bus stops

During and after a snowfall, our facilities team works quickly to clear snow and ice from DART Central Station and our operations facility to ensure buses can be in service. After those areas are cleared, the facilities crew begins clearing snow from DART’s 50+ bus shelters.

If a bus stop has a shelter or bench, DART’s facilities team is responsible for clearing them within 48 hours of a snowfall. 

If a bus stop has a cement pad and walkway, we request that property owners clear the snow, just as they would clear public sidewalks. 

For all other stops, including those in grass areas, it is unlikely that snow will be cleared because it can be difficult or unsafe. If snow is blocking the stop, we encourage riders to get on or off the bus at a nearby safe, clear location.

Accessing a bus or a bus stop when there is snow

We take safety seriously, especially when snow or ice make roads, sidewalks and DART bus stops difficult to navigate. 

If you are boarding a bus at a stop that is not clear of snow, we ask that you stand at the next safe, cleared location, such as a sidewalk near an intersection or a driveway that’s not in use. Please try to stand as near to a bus stop as possible. When your bus is approaching, wave your hand to the bus driver.  

If you are getting off a bus at a stop that cannot be accessed due to snow, please ask the driver to let you off somewhere that is free from snow. The bus driver will drop you off at a nearby safe, cleared location.

Contact DART if you experience issues

We will do our best to serve you through winter weather, but if you experience an issue, please let us know. Be prepared to share as much detail as possible about an incident, including time of day, route you were traveling, direction you were traveling and bus or stop number.  

You can contact us by: 

• Emailing dart@ridedart.com to notify Customer Service of the issue. Please include your bus stop number, or a description of the location of your bus stop and what route you ride. 

• Calling DART Customer Service during open hours at 515-283-8100 option 0 to report inaccessible stops. 

• Talking with staff at the Customer Service window in the DART Central Station lobby.