Getting around Grimes without a car: the honest picture.

Does DART serve Grimes?

No. DART ended all service in Grimes in June 2025, after the city withdrew from the DART system. Grimes On Call, which ran trips by request between Grimes and Clive, Johnston, Urbandale, and northern West Des Moines, made its last trips on Monday, June 30, 2025, and so did DART paratransit trips starting or ending in Grimes. The Walmart in Grimes is no longer a DART park-and-ride. DART directed former paratransit riders to HIRTA (the Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency).

Why it happened: the city council voted in November 2023 to leave, and City of Grimes staff told WHO 13 that DART was costing about $180 per ride given how few people used it. You can see the change on your tax bill: the DART levy for Grimes was 57 cents per $1,000 of taxable value in fiscal 2025 and zero in fiscal 2026.

How does HIRTA work in Grimes?

HIRTA runs on-demand rides you book ahead by phone, email, or app, and it is open to the general public, including people with disabilities, not just paratransit riders.

Book by phone, by email at erides@ridehirta.com, online, or in the HIRTA On Demand app for iPhone and Android. Cancel as early as you can: a ride you do not cancel counts as a no-show and may carry a fee. Riders 60 and older may qualify for donation-based service funded partly through Aging Resources of Central Iowa, and HIRTA offers travel training if you have never used it. There is no weekend service in Grimes. When the city signed on in 2025, Mass Transit reported that HIRTA would also work with Grimes Volunteer Support Services, which drives residents to appointments and errands.

How else can you get around Grimes without a car?

• Grimes Volunteer Support Services (GVSS): volunteer rides to medical appointments, shopping, social events, the library, and prescription pickups, without charge. Call (515) 986-5355 or use the online service request; the office at 404 SE 2nd St is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
• DART from a neighboring suburb: drive to a park-and-ride outside town. In its 2025 Grimes notice, DART pointed Express Route 93 riders to the free lot at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 8301 NW Aurora Ave, Urbandale. DART routes change, so check ridedart.com before you count on a schedule.
• HIRTA vanpool: HIRTA also runs a commuter vanpool program; ask about it if you work regular hours.
• Rideshare (Uber and Lyft) operates across the metro.
• Driving is the practical default. Downtown Des Moines is about 25 minutes away in light traffic; see our commute guide.

How many people in Grimes ride transit?

Almost nobody, by the Census numbers. Of about 9,660 Grimes workers in the 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, the public transportation estimate was zero. About 65% drove alone, 11% carpooled, and 22% worked from home, with an average one-way commute of 19.6 minutes.

Transit in Grimes: FAQ

Does DART serve Grimes, Iowa?

No. DART ended service in Grimes in June 2025, after the city withdrew from the DART system; the last Grimes On Call and paratransit trips ran June 30, 2025. There is no fixed-route bus in Grimes today.

How do you get around Grimes without a car?

HIRTA runs on-demand rides open to the general public on weekdays, Grimes Volunteer Support Services gives volunteer rides to appointments and errands, and rideshare operates across the metro, but Grimes is largely a drive-everywhere town.

How much does HIRTA cost in Grimes?

A one-way HIRTA ride is $3 within Grimes and $6 to Des Moines. Riders 60 and older may qualify for donation-based service.

How do I book a HIRTA ride in Grimes?

Call 1-877-686-0029, email erides@ridehirta.com, book online, or use the HIRTA On Demand app. Service in Grimes runs Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.