Ride Services,
651-455-1339
Dial-a-ride service
for Dakota County residents; door-through-door rides for
older adults and adults with disabilities using professional,
courteous, and trained drivers in specially equipped vehicles
within the Dakota County service area.
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.
The DARTS bus fare
is $4.00 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 $3.00 during the non-peak
hours of 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and after 6:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday.
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.
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 $4.00 or $3.00 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. For questions
about paying the fare, contact the DARTS transportation
office at 651-455-1339.
Rider eligibility
Dakota County residents can use the DARTS transportation
service as can persons certified through the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA). ADA-certified ride requests receive
scheduling priority; DARTS accepts all other ride requests
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
ADA-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 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on weekends and holidays.
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