Dodger Area Rapid Transit

{{Short description|Provider of mass transportation in Webster County, Iowa}}

{{Infobox Bus transit

| name = Dodger Area Rapid Transit

| logo =

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| headquarters = 530 1st Ave South

| locale = Fort Dodge, Iowa

| service_area = Webster County, Iowa

| service_type = Bus service, paratransit

| alliance =

| routes = 6

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| annual ridership= 100,941 (2019)

| website = {{official url}}

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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.{{cite web|url=https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/transit_agency_profile_doc/2019/7R01-70108.pdf|title= Dodger Area Rapid Transit Agency Profile|access-date=July 10, 2023}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagorailfan.com/aatia2.html|title=Transit Systems in Iowa|access-date=July 10, 2023}}

In 2020, service was temporarily discontinued from April 1 to May 21 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news|url=https://www.freemanjournal.net/news/local-news/2020/04/midas%E2%80%88suspends-transit-service/|title=MIDAS suspends transit service|newspaper=The Daily Freeman-Journal|date=April 1, 2020|access-date=July 10, 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://www.messengernews.net/news/local-news/2020/05/midas-to-resume-limited-transit-services/|title=MIDAS to resume limited transit services|newspaper=The Daily Freeman-Journal|date=May 20, 2020|access-date=July 10, 2023}} 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.{{cite news|url=https://www.messengernews.net/news/local-news/2021/02/dart-hitting-financial-potholes/|title=DART hitting financial potholes|newspaper=The Messenger|date=February 2, 2021|author=Bill Shea|access-date=July 10, 2023}}

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.{{cite web|url=https://www.midascogia.net/transit/transit_index.php|title=Transit|access-date=July 10, 2023}}

Ridership

The ridership statistics shown here are of fixed route services only and do not include demand response services.{{cite web | title=The National Transit Database (NTD) | url=https://www.transit.dot.gov/ntd/transit-agency-profiles/doger-area-rapids-transit-city-fort-dodge | access-date=July 10, 2023}}

{{#invoke:Chart | bar chart

| group 1 = 169052:170316:147282:102696:103500:100941:79766:31069

| units suffix =

| group names = Annual ridership

| x legends =2014:2015:2016:2017:2018:2019:2020:2021

| colors = #{{rcr|Metra|Rock Island}}

}}

References

External links

{{Official website}}

Category:Fort Dodge, Iowa

Category:Bus transportation in Iowa

Category:Transit agencies in Iowa