What Are Your thoughts on Iowa's Public Transportation Authorities and IPTA? (Des Moines: home, living in)

[Rwarky]

I read somewhere that Iowa has one of the best statewide public transportation systems in the U.S., if not the best. Iowans, how would you rate it? Overall, is it better than all other of the nation's systems (collectively)?

[iowegian]

I can't imagine that Iowa's public transport is better than many other states at all, actually. As far as statewide transportation, there are Greyhound buses and maybe a few other buses that go across the state. There is one Amtrak line that goes to none of Iowa's most populated areas. Some cities have their own transit systems, some more successful than others, but nothing really inter-city.

I had never even heard of IPTA until this post, and the fact that their website is hosted by a blog website is pretty telling. If I wanted to go downtown today, I could use a bus, but if I wanted to go to say, Dubuque, or even Cedar Rapids, I'd drive. The automobile is still by far the most convenient form of transportation in Iowa, which to me means that our public transportation could use work.

If you find that link though, I'd be interested in reading it. Maybe there is something available that I'm not aware of?

[Rwarky]

Originally Posted by iowegian

I can't imagine that Iowa's public transport is better than many other states at all, actually. As far as statewide transportation, there are Greyhound buses and maybe a few other buses that go across the state. There is one Amtrak line that goes to none of Iowa's most populated areas. Some cities have their own transit systems, some more successful than others, but nothing really inter-city.

I had never even heard of IPTA until this post, and the fact that their website is hosted by a blog website is pretty telling. If I wanted to go downtown today, I could use a bus, but if I wanted to go to say, Dubuque, or even Cedar Rapids, I'd drive. The automobile is still by far the most convenient form of transportation in Iowa, which to me means that our public transportation could use work.

If you find that link though, I'd be interested in reading it. Maybe there is something available that I'm not aware of?

Here is the link: Iowa Public Transit Association | Iowa Public Transit Association (http://iapublictransit.markupfactory.com/ - broken link)

[iowegian]

Originally Posted by Rwarky

Here is the link: Iowa Public Transit Association | Iowa Public Transit Association (http://iapublictransit.markupfactory.com/ - broken link)

Oh no, I found that website. I meant to ask if you could find where you had read that our statewide transportation is one of the best systems in the country. Sorry, that wasn't very clear.

[Rwarky]

Originally Posted by iowegian

Oh no, I found that website. I meant to ask if you could find where you had read that our statewide transportation is one of the best systems in the country. Sorry, that wasn't very clear.

Actually, I don't remember...Sorry!

[mfrerkes]

I can tell you from living in the Quad Cities, where Illinois constitutes one half of the metropolitan area, that public transit on the Illinois side is much better than Iowa's.

Every metropolitan area I've seen in Iowa does not have Sunday bus service available. However, Metro (the IL QC mass transit provider) operates service every Sunday, plus their Mon-Sat lines run longer (to 10pm) than those on the Iowa side which halt service around 6pm.

[Northern Traveler]

I don't know much about our public transportation, frankly we hardly need it if you want to be realistic. When I first read this I was thinking IDOT and in that case I would believe it, I think IDOT does an amazing job at everything.

[El Rhino]

Originally Posted by mfrerkes

Every metropolitan area I've seen in Iowa does not have Sunday bus service available. However, Metro (the IL QC mass transit provider) operates service every Sunday, plus their Mon-Sat lines run longer (to 10pm) than those on the Iowa side which halt service around 6pm.

Des Moines does have Sunday service, it's scaled down a bit from their regular service.


Either way, it's nothing to write home about. When you look at the map of the bus routes it looks like quite a bit of ground is covered, but I'd really not want to be stuck without a car and have to depend on the bus service to get where I need to go.

[Dport7476]

I'm in Davenport and I've always thought the Public Transportation was for sh*t. No bus service on sundays and no Amtrak or anything like that even close to us. They talk about bringing an Amtrak line here every so often but then the talk dies down for a couple of years.

[thatguy1]

Iowa has one of the best public transit systems for people of special needs(Elderly, Mental Handicaps, etc.) Maybe thats what the OP was referring to?