Posted on August, 18 2022

Just in time for the beginning of the 2022-23 school year, funding from a Principal Foundation grant will provide free rides to and from school for most students at North High School and Harding Middle School in the Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS) District. As of Aug. 24, students at North and Harding who previously did not qualify for free DART transit to and from school will be able to use their student ID to ride DART any time of day.

The pilot builds on the existing DART and DMPS partnership by removing the transportation barrier for students who live too close to their school to qualify for free transportation. DMPS high school students who live within three miles of their school and middle school students who live within two miles of their school do not normally receive free transportation to and from school. This pilot will assess how taking away the transportation barrier for these students impacts attendance and student achievement throughout the school year.

DMPS contracts with DART to provide all middle school and high school students with the ability to ride free after 4:30 p.m. on weekdays and any time on days when school is not in session. DART also provides school transportation for many middle school and high school students who qualify for free transportation. Students who do not qualify for free school transportation can pay half fare to ride DART to and from school.

The pilot program for Harding and North schools will continue throughout the 2022-23 school year. Click here to learn more about this service, and DART's other services for DMPS students. 

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