The City of West Des Moines and the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) offer a pass program for eligible West Des Moines residents. The program allows riders to ride any of the DART buses for free throughout the entire metro area.  To qualify for assistance from this program, the applicant must meet all of the following requirements:

•  Gross household income must be less than 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) based on household size.  Household income includes gross wages and salaries, dividends, social security payments, pensions, taxable interest on assets (not the balance of assets), etc.    Please refer to the eligibility guide below:

• Applicant must be over 18 years of age
• Applicant must be a resident of the City of West Des Moines

In order to have access to the program and receive a bus pass you need to submit an application. Click here to submit an application through the Neighborly portal. You will be required to set up an account. 

1. Application 
   Applicants will be asked to provide the following information on the application in the Neighborly portal. 
   • Income of members of the household (age 18 or older) 
   • Assets of members of the household (age 18 or older) 
   • Declaration of total household income
2. Documentation Required 
   • Proof of West Des Moines Residency
     (Copy of one of the following:  Utility Bill - MidAmerican, Water Works, Cable, Cell Phone; Bank Statement; Proof of eligibility from another assistance program; Paystub with name and address; lease)
   • Tax Returns (most recent) tax return
     If you do not file a tax return, please inquire about , and complete the Tax Waiver Certification. 
   • Income: Please provide whichever is applicable: 
     
     • Last months’ worth of all employer check stubs for everyone in the household over the age of 18
     • Social Security Benefits – If you receive social security benefits, please provide a copy of your award letter as verification of benefit.  You may contact the Social Security Administration office at 1-800-772-1213 to receive a copy of your letter.  If you are not able to obtain a letter, please provide proof of deposit from a checking/savings account.
     • If anyone in the household is receiving child support, please submit documentation such as a divorce decree, Child Support Recovery Unit statement or other proof of support.
     • If anyone in the household is receiving unemployment, a statement from the Iowa Workforce Development office is required.  (The City is also able to retrieve this information by submitting the authorization to release information form – please request form if needed).
     • If anyone in the household is receiving any other type of income (pension, rental income, etc.) you will be required to submit appropriate documentation as well.
   • Assets: Please provide whichever is applicable:
     •  One month bank statements (first page only) from all banks and/or lenders that you are affiliated with for everyone in the household over the age of 18 including Certificate of Deposits.
     • Current statement for any assets/investments (stocks/bonds, mutual funds, annuity, IRA, 401(k), IPERS, or retirement accounts, etc.) please include a most current statement.

With the pass, you may ride any of the DART buses throughout the entire metro area including the DART on Demand. Paratransit is not included in the program. Please contact DART at (515) 283-8100 if you have questions about service. 

Passes and applications will be available in person at the West Des Moines Human Services Department at 139 6th Street. There are a limited number of passes. The passes are available on a first come first serve basis. 

 If you need assistance completing the online application or require a paper application, please contact (515) 273-0770.