About Us

Mission Statement

Southern Iowa Trolley, through its employees, is dedicated to serving the general public’s mobility needs by providing affordable, safe, secure, timely and clean transportation for all our customers, including persons with disabilities and to provide a professional working atmosphere for all Southern Iowa Trolley personnel.

History

Southern Iowa Trolley has been operating as a regional transit system since February, 1979. We replaced a fragmented transit system where many agencies maintained their own fleet of vans and buses. An area agency on aging transported the elderly, Community Action Programs transported head-start children, and special vans and buses transported handicapped children and adults. Within city limits, the general public had use of a taxi service only, if available. Usually there was no coordinated transit system existed to transport anyone between towns or cities.

Under the mandate of 601J of the Iowa Code, County Boards of Supervisors in the seven-county area empowered the Executive Board of the Southern Iowa Council of Governments to organize a regional transit system. This flexible, multi-purpose system provides services for elderly, handicapped, students, and the general population. The area agency on aging, based in Creston that was already in daily contact with all the seven counties through its congregate meal sites, was chosen to operate the integrated transit system. Southern Iowa Trolley was organized by the area agency on aging and the Southern Iowa Council of Governments.

In 2007, a full-time professional mechanic was hired to maintain the buses onsite. This resulted in significant savings and improved operation of the fleet.

Several years of unprofitability in the early 2000’s resulted in a lack of funds for replacing old buses. In 2009, federal stimulus funds (ARRA) helped us replace eight buses and 4 minivans and get us caught up with vehicle replacement.

On July 1st 2012 the Southern Iowa Trolley was separated from Area XIV Agency on Aging and organized under Iowa code Chapter 28E as a free-standing agency.

Our experienced drivers and managers have contributed to a successful transportation program that benefits many who need the support of public transportation.