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Public Transit in Iowa

Transit agencies based in Iowa and what they reported to the 2025 National Transit Database

Transit agencies
41
Passenger trips (2025)
20.1 million
6.3 per resident
Vehicle revenue miles
25.7 million
Fare revenue
$29.2 million
17.6% of operating costs

Monthly ridership

Passenger trips at Iowa agencies that report every month, in millions

Show as a table
PeriodPassenger trips
Aug 20261.10 million
Dec 20251.30 million
Dec 20241.28 million
Dec 20230.98 million
Dec 20220.90 million
Dec 20210.80 million
Dec 20200.41 million
Dec 20191.46 million
Dec 20181.21 million
Dec 20171.31 million
Dec 20161.44 million

August 2026: 1.1 million trips (-21.6% vs. a year earlier).

Transit agencies in Iowa

By passenger trips in 2025

Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.

AgencyTripsRevenue milesFare recovery
Ames Transit AgencyAmes · Bus4.98 million1.39 million33.5%
Des Moines Area Regional Transit AuthorityDes Moines · Bus, Demand Response, Vanpool3.7 million4.3 million13.3%
University of IowaIowa City · Bus, Demand Response2.68 million605,936Not reported
City of Iowa CityIowa City · Bus1.75 million777,0300.7%
City of Cedar RapidsCedar Rapids · Bus, Demand Response1.28 million1.16 million3.5%
City of Sioux CitySioux City · Bus, Demand Response664,642846,35812.7%
City of DavenportDavenport · Bus634,771631,6023.9%
Southwest Iowa Planning CouncilAtlantic · Demand Response, Vanpool530,1301.71 million31.8%
City of DubuqueDubuque · Bus, Demand Response395,352555,7568.5%
City of CoralvilleCoralville · Bus341,098200,13221.2%
10-15 Regional Transit AgencyOttumwa · Demand Response, Bus307,5462.54 million27.4%
City of ClintonClinton · Bus, Demand Response234,182346,9089.4%
Metropolitan Transit Authority of Black Hawk CountyWaterloo · Bus, Demand Response229,805751,43211.2%
North Iowa Area Council of GovernmentsMason City · Demand Response217,221829,92439.5%
River Bend TransitDavenport · Demand Response, Bus173,791833,94912.7%
City of Mason CityMason City · Bus144,139216,7256.6%
East Central Iowa Council of GovernmentsCedar Rapids · Commuter Bus, Vanpool142,026781,17536.7%
City of MarshalltownMarshalltown · Bus130,332109,16410.5%
Heart of Iowa Regional Transit AgencyUrbandale · Demand Response, Vanpool125,340671,70423.3%
City of BurlingtonBurlington · Bus117,373179,9126.1%
County of Johnson, IowaIowa City · Demand Response116,086530,0261.8%
City of MuscatineMuscatine · Bus, Demand Response110,922241,70113.2%
Regional Transit AuthoritySpencer · Demand Response105,608601,43940.1%
City of Fort DodgeFort Dodge · Bus, Demand Response102,580228,2608.7%
Southeast Iowa Regional Planning CommissionWest Burlington · Demand Response100,559304,31530.2%
Mid Iowa Development Association Council of GovernmentsFort Dodge · Demand Response96,413145,28714.2%
Delaware, Dubuque & Jackson County Regional Transit AuthorityDubuque · Demand Response, Vanpool96,081450,41031.7%
Region 12 Council of GovernmentsCarroll · Demand Response95,595741,26231.0%
Northeast Iowa Community Action CorporationDecorah · Demand Response94,296580,33243.2%
Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning CouncilSioux City · Demand Response83,418454,67819.7%
Southern Iowa TrolleyCreston · Demand Response75,849292,51224.1%
City of BettendorfBettendorf · Bus50,895166,8481.7%
Linn CountyCedar Rapids · Demand Response48,815277,5334.8%
Iowa CountyMarengo · Demand Response42,674179,97546.5%
Washington CountyWashington · Demand Response39,692161,06422.8%
Iowa Northland Regional Council of GovernmentsWaterloo · Demand Response34,721324,48542.9%
Region Six Planning CommissionMarshalltown · Demand Response33,933196,13338.6%
Benton CountyVinton · Demand Response19,626205,90946.9%
Jones CountyAnamosa · Demand Response17,615198,51562.2%

Other agencies on file

These agencies did not report 2025 service data, or report through another agency.

Frequently asked questions

What is the largest transit agency in Iowa?
Ames Transit Agency carried the most passengers among agencies based in Iowa, with 4.98 million trips in 2025.
How many transit trips are taken in Iowa?
Agencies based in Iowa reported 20.1 million unlinked passenger trips in 2025, about 6.3 per resident.
Why is an agency missing ridership?
Small agencies that report through a state program, and agencies that started or stopped service, may have no service data for the year. Agencies are listed in the state of their headquarters even if they serve several states.

Source: Federal Transit Administration, National Transit Database · 2025 annual data, monthly data through August 2026