Dodger Area Rapid Transit

Dodger Area Rapid Transit
Headquarters530 1st Ave South
LocaleFort Dodge, Iowa
Service areaWebster County, Iowa
Service typeBus service, paratransit
Routes6
Annual ridership100,941 (2019)
WebsiteDodger Area Rapid Transit

Dodger Area Rapid Transit is the primary provider of mass transportation in Fort Dodge, Iowa with six routes serving the region. As of 2019, the system provided 100,941 rides over 16,998 annual vehicle revenue hours with 12 buses and 3 paratransit vehicles.[1] The service is managed by the Mid-Iowa Development Association (MIDAS) Council of Governments.

History

Public transit in Fort Dodge began with streetcars in 1903, with the Fort Dodge Light & Power Co. In 1925, the streetcars were replaced with bus service.[2]

In 2020, service was temporarily discontinued from April 1 to May 21 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[3][4] As a result of a ridership drop due to the pandemic, the system faced funding challenges in 2021. The issue was exacerbated by a driver shortage that left the full operation of the system in question.[5]

Service

Dodger Area Rapid Transit operates 6 weekday bus routes on a pulse system with all routes leaving the central transfer point on the half hour. The transfer point is located at the corner of Central Avenue and 9th Street in downtown Fort Dodge.

Hours of operation for the system are Monday through Friday from 7:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. There is no service on Saturdays and Sundays. Regular fares are $1.50, with discounts for students and seniors.[6]

Ridership

The ridership statistics shown here are of fixed route services only and do not include demand response services.[7]

50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021

See also

References

  1. ^ "Dodger Area Rapid Transit Agency Profile" (PDF). Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  2. ^ "Transit Systems in Iowa". Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  3. ^ "MIDAS suspends transit service". The Daily Freeman-Journal. April 1, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  4. ^ "MIDAS to resume limited transit services". The Daily Freeman-Journal. May 20, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  5. ^ Bill Shea (February 2, 2021). "DART hitting financial potholes". The Messenger. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  6. ^ "Transit". Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  7. ^ "The National Transit Database (NTD)". Retrieved July 10, 2023.


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