DART will provide free fixed-route and Paratransit rides to approved warming centers in Polk County beginning at noon on Saturday, January 18, 2025, and continuing while Polk County's Extreme Temperature Plan is active. The National Weather Service expects frigid air to impact Iowa through the middle of next week.
To access a warming center, you should identify a daytime warming center near you and the bus route to get there. As you board the bus beginning Saturday, tell the driver you're heading to a warming center. Notify the driver when you need to exit the bus at the stop nearest the warming center.
Polk County has a list of approved warming centers here.
Paratransit-approved bus riders can request a ride to a warming center by calling DART Customer Service at 515-283-8100.
DART will also offer free rides to Central Iowa Shelter Services (CISS) and Bethel Mission locations.
The effects of freezing temperatures can be so gradual that it can be difficult to tell when you're at risk for cold-related injuries.
- Be proactive. Don't wait until your face, hands, or toes are numb to get help. Frostbite can develop quickly. Seek shelter later in the day before temperatures fall to their lowest levels.
- Find a center near you. Look at the list of approved emergency centers so you're aware of the safest places to be during extreme cold.
- Plan your trip. You can use the Trip Planner tool on the MyDART app or at ridedart.com to find how to get to the warming center closest to you. Type in the location you are traveling from and the warming center address to see options for riding the bus to get there.
- Let us know. As your board the bus, tell the driver which approved warming center you're heading to so they can give you a ride for free.