Ride Services, 651-455-1339
DARTS
provides door-through-door rides for Dakota County seniors,
adults with disabilities, and other residents using professional,
courteous, and trained drivers in specially equipped vehicles
within the Dakota County service area.
See our Rider's Guide
for answers to commonly asked questions about DARTS transportation
services.
If
you are a transit professional or provider, check out
our specialized transit solutions,
including driver training, vehicle maintenance, and transit
planning and operations.
Fares for DARTS' Bus Rides
The
Metropolitan Council establishes the ride fares for all
regional bus service; the fares apply to riders certified
for specialized transportation service under the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) and all other DARTS riders.
As the ADA provider in Dakota County, DARTS is required
to comply with this regional policy. Therefore, the DARTS
bus fare is $3.50 for each one-way ride taken during
the "peak hours" of the day (peak hours are 6:00
a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday). The fare is $2.50 during the non-peak
hours of 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and after 6:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday, as well as all day Saturday, Sunday, and
holidays.
For more information about ride fares and other options,
call 651-455-1339 or send us an
e-mail.
Using the DARTS Ride Service
It's
easy to make the switch from driving a car to using a
transit service. If you use the following tips, your ride
on a DARTS bus could be one of the easiest trips you'll
ever make. See
our Rider's Guide
for answers to commonly asked questions.
Call ahead
We can take your request for a ride 1 to 4 days in advance.
We can also answer your questions about a future transit
need weeks in advance. When requesting your ride, tell
us if you have a scheduled appointment so we can allow
for traffic and other stops.
Understand the service
DARTS is a shared ride service. That
means your driver may also be scheduled to pick up other
riders before, during, and immediately after your ride.
So it's important that you're ready to go 15 minutes ahead
of your scheduled pick up time. If you can't make your
scheduled time, please remember to call DARTS to cancel
or reschedule your ride.
Door-through-door service
The DARTS driver can go to the door of your home or destination
and make sure you get safely through the door.
If
you give us enough notice, DARTS can arrange a volunteer
to escort you in the building or ride with you on the bus.
Tell us if you need an escort when requesting your ride.
Safety first
Your safety and that of the other passengers is the driver's
top priority. Drivers are able to assist wheelchair passengers
and others with specific needs go up and down stairs if
it is safe to do so.
To
keep everyone safe, be sure your sidewalks and steps are
clear of ice and snow. If traveling is treacherous due to
bad weather, the driver will stop picking up new passengers
and return existing passengers to their homes as soon as
possible.
Ride fare
As a shared ride service, every rider is expected to
pay a $3.50 or $2.50 fare (see fare info above) for each
one-way trip. Fares can be paid with cash, check, or a DARTS
ride ticket, which can be purchased from the DARTS office
or the driver. Drivers don't carry cash or change. Seniors
who have difficulty paying the fare should contact the DARTS
transportation office at 651-455-1339.
Rider eligibility
Persons 60 years or older who are residents of Dakota
County can use the DARTS transportation
service as can persons certified for special transportation
service through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
DARTS also accepts ride requests from other residents on
a “resource availability” basis; that is, when
our operations and schedules can accommodate the requests.
Communities,
agencies, and special groups can reserve DARTS transportation
on a space available or contractual basis.
Service hours
General transportation service hours are 8:00 am to
4:30 pm Monday through Friday. Requests can be taken from
7:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday.
Ride
service hours for certified riders are 5:30 am to 11:00
pm every day. Requests can be taken from 7:00 am to 5:00
pm Monday through Friday and 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on weekends
and holidays.
Being a certified rider has its perks
Did you know that someone unable to use a bigger city
bus because of a health condition or disability is likely
eligible for DARTS' specialized ride service? For instance,
if you can’t walk ¾ of a mile in bad weather
and wait for the bus, you should ask about being certified
for the special ride service. Some perks are:
• Ride scheduling priority
• Longer ride service hours, including evenings and
weekends
• Access to 89 communities outside Dakota County
Call DARTS transportation at 651-455-1339 to learn more
about being a certified rider.
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