Posted: May 11, 2020
Effective Monday, May 18, DART will begin offering service on select trips on Local Route 8 – Fleur Drive. Service on this route was temporarily suspended in April as DART needed to make service adjustments to account for decreased ridership and a reduction in available workforce due to COVID-19.
Local Route 8 is the only route impacted by the service change on May 18. DART will continue to monitor ridership levels, available workforce as well as consider input from public health and government officials as it makes future service decisions.
Local Route 8 – Fleur Drive
DART is restoring service with select trips on Local Route 8 beginning Monday, May 18. These schedules are available on the route pages below and can be found on the Local Route 8 webpage on DART’s website.
Please note that since these changes are temporary, DART will not print new Route 8 schedules. Updated schedule information will be available on ridedart.com, and through the MyDART app and trip planner. Riders needing a printed schedule can request one from DART Customer Service at DART Central Station.
| Weekday Southbound-Outbound | |||||||
| DART Central Station | Fleur & Bell | Brody Middle School | Fleur & McKinley | SW 14th & McKinley | SW 15th & Havens | Airport South P&R | |
| AM | - - - - | 6:06 | - - - - | 6:11 | - - - - | - - - - | 6:19 |
| 6:55 | 7:00 | - - - - | 7:05 | - - - - | - - - - | 7:14 | |
| 7:50 | 7:55 | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | |
| PM | 3:00 | 3:05 | - - - - | - - - - | 3:12 | 3:18 | 3:26 |
| 3:55 | 4:00 | - - - - | - - - - | 4:08 | 4:15 | 4:24 | |
| 4:55 | 5:00 | - - - - | - - - - | 5:08 | 5:15 | 5:24 | |
| 5:55 | 6:00 | - - - - | - - - - | 6:07 | 6:13 | To Garage | |
| Weekday Northbound-Inbound | ||||||
| Airport South P&R | SW 15th & Havens | SW 14th & McKinley | Fleur & McKinley | Fleur & Bell | DART Central Station | |
| AM | 6:19 | 6:27 | 6:34 | - - - - | 6:40 | 6:45 |
| 7:19 | 7:28 | 7:35 | - - - - | 7:41 | 7:46 | |
| PM | 3:26 | - - - - | - - - - | 3:35 | 3:40 | 3:45 |
| 4:26 | - - - - | - - - - | 4:35 | 4:40 | 4:45 | |
| 5:26 | - - - - | - - - - | 5:35 | 5:40 | 5:45 | |
Riders should do the following:
- Use DART for essential travel only, such as trips to essential work, the grocery store or pharmacy
- Wear a mask on the bus and at DART Central Station
- Remain six feet apart from others to the extent possible
- Use hand sanitizer before and after you board the bus
- Avoid touching your face
DART is committed to safety and continues to:
- Clean and sanitize vehicles and facilities daily
- Run extra buses on busier routes to accommodate social distancing
- Temporary fare suspension and rear door boarding
DART’s service reduction due to COVID-19
Ridership has stayed low for the past several weeks as Iowans are encouraged to stay home and avoid unnecessary travel and practice social distancing. DART also continues to experience a shortage in available frontline staff while the region continues to deal with COVID-19. This is why we will continue to offer a reduced level of service to ensure central Iowans still have the ability to get to work and essential services, while also keeping the number of drivers DART needs to operate the service low. Several DART operators fall in the high-risk category for COVID-19. Keeping service levels low while the pandemic continues helps to ensure the safety of DART employees by allowing those who are at high-risk, or those who have to take care for children, to stay home.