DART awarded $3.6 million in funding to avoid major service cuts, but still has significant deficit problem

DES MOINES, Iowa — Des Moines Area Transit received good news Thursday in the form of $3.6 million in funding from the Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. The group made up of area metro communities approved the use of federal Carbon Reduction Program dollars DART was seeking to avoid a 40% cut in service.

During the meeting DART CEO Amanda Wanke said allocation of the money will allow most services to continue without disruption for the next two years, but ongoing revenue shortfalls will need to be addressed.

“There are still significant deficits come the third year so no matter how it is applied by the DART commission. And our communities and all of you will need to have very significant conversations, the conversations we’ve started recently and months and years to come,” Wanke said addressing the group.

The city of Pleasant Hill, represented by councilman Leonard Murray, abstained from voting.

“The DART Commission has not been able to face the inevitable. Significant cuts must be made. While I feel DART should receive some of the carbon reduction funding, however 40% off the top does not solve the problem,” Murray said reading a statement prepared by the city. “The city of Pleasant Hill now recognizes we need to reconsider our participation in DART and we’ll have to make a tough decision, in part, because the DART Commission has not been able to make their tough decision.”

The DART Commission will meet next week to specifically identify how to allocate the money awarded Thursday. A majority of the money will likely be used to replace aging busses in the DART fleet, Wanke said.

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