Posted on February, 14 2024
Based on a newly created corporate partnership with Kemin Industries, a global ingredient manufacturer headquartered in Des Moines, the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) will offer bus service on a new route southeast of downtown starting February 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. Starting as a small agricultural ingredient company, Kemin now serves customers in more than 120 countries with more than 500 specialty ingredients for human and animal health and nutrition, pet food, aquaculture, nutraceutical, food technologies, crop technologies, textile, biofuel, and animal vaccine industries.
“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 St. and E. 30th St. close to Kemin’s global campus. The route will run from 5:31-6:40 a.m. and again from 5:30-6:41 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 SE Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. Due to funding constraints, DART 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 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.
Learn more about the new route at ridedart.com/local-route-2-maury-st. Learn about DART’s Unlimited Access program at ridedart.com/services/partner-programs.
About DART
The Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) is Iowa’s largest, and only, regional transit agency, providing service in and around Polk County. DART operates a family of transportation services, providing more than 3 million annual rides that connect thousands of people every day to jobs, school, health care and other essential destinations. Twelve member governments make up DART’s service area, where the agency carries out its mission to enrich lives, connect communities and expand opportunities for central Iowans. For more information about DART services, schedules, route changes, or directions to the nearest DART stop, visit the website at ridedart.com, download the free MyDART app or call 515-283-8100.
About Kemin Industries
Kemin Industries (www.kemin.com) is a global ingredient manufacturer that strives to sustainably transform the quality of life every day for 80 percent of the world with its products and services. The company supplies over 500 specialty ingredients for human and animal health and nutrition, pet food, aquaculture, nutraceutical, food technologies, crop technologies, textile, biofuel, and animal vaccine industries.
For over half a century, Kemin has been dedicated to using applied science to address industry challenges and offer product solutions to customers in more than 120 countries. Kemin provides ingredients to feed a growing population with its commitment to the quality, safety, and efficacy of food, feed, and health-related products.
Established in 1961, Kemin is a privately held, family-owned-and-operated company with more than 3,500 global employees and operations in 90 countries, including manufacturing facilities in Belgium, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Italy, San Marino, Singapore, South Africa and the United States.