The Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART), in partnership with Kemin Industries, will offer bus service on a new route southeast of downtown Des Moines, Iowa, starting Feb. 18. Kemin is investing in the new local route that will run twice daily by its Des Moines campus and, as an Unlimited Access partner, will offer all its Des Moines-based employees free access to DART’s local, express, on call and on-demand bus services across the region.
“With our growing workforce, access to public transit has become increasingly important at our global headquarters in Des Moines,” said Dr. Chris Nelson, Kemin president and CEO. “Our investment in the new route is an opportunity to remove transportation barriers for our current and future employees and support economic growth and opportunity in the southeast corridor of Des Moines. Having dependable public transit is essential for a thriving city and community.”
Created in 1961 by RW and Mary Nelson, Kemin has remained invested in the southeast area of downtown Des Moines, where it was founded and has committed more than $95.5 million in expansions in recent years.
“We thank Kemin for its investment in expanding an essential service for employees and our community,” said Amanda Wanke, DART CEO. “This partnership demonstrates the innovative ways we’re working to provide service for residents and businesses and underscores the importance of public transit in fostering an inclusive and vibrant region for all.”
The new route, Local Route 2 – Maury St, will travel from DART Central Station to the Iowa State Fairgrounds and back, with stops along Maury Street and E. 30th St. close to Kemin’s global campus. The route will run from 5:31 a.m. to 6:40 a.m. and again from 5:30 p.m. to 6:41 p.m. each day to closely align with Kemin’s work shift times.
DART’s Transit Optimization Study published in 2022 identified a need for transit service along Southeast Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. Due to funding constraints, DART says it has been unable to add service in this area without additional revenue. With Kemin providing the foundational support in the area, if additional funding is secured, DART notes it will be able to increase the number of trips on the route to serve more employers and community members in the area.
Kemin joins a growing list of organizations that are partnering with DART to reduce barriers to transportation for employees, students and residents. Two dozen organizations – including residential communities, manufacturing facilities, higher education institutions, and Fortune 500 companies – participate in DART’s Unlimited Access program.
