The cities of Cedar Falls and Waterloo received a combined $750,000 grant for the joint initiative of creating a microtransit pilot program.

The Black Hawk County Gaming Association awarded the grant that will help the cities and MET Transit to fund a $4.6 million three-year pilot program to test an on-demand, shared-ride public transit system where the fixed MET Transit bus lines do not go.

The microtransit program would use passenger bans in designated zones to provide rides that connect riders to their destination or to an existing MET Transit route. The cities’ goal is to lower transit barriers, shorten travel times and increase ridership of the bus system.

The project’s task force is composed of MET Transit’s general manager; the mayors, community development directors and finance directors of Cedar Falls and Waterloo; and regional transportation planners from the Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments, or INRCOG.

The $750,000 BHCGA award is the project’s first major grant. Cedar Falls will be asked to fund $471,875 and Waterloo will be asked to provide $502,625, along with other local, state and federal grants that have been applied for, as well as private partnerships.

The project will be showcased at the Iowa Public Transit Conference this month.

Those who want to support the project can contact the Cedar Falls’ Community Development director at [email protected].

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