Anchor award jumpstarts a $4.6 million multi-city effort by Cedar Falls, Waterloo, and MET Transit to launch flexible, on-demand public transit vans.
Cedar Falls; Waterloo, Iowa (November 11, 2026) — A major regional push to modernize public transit in the Cedar Valley has secured a $750,000 grant awarded by the Black Hawk County Gaming Association (BHCGA) to support a comprehensive three-year microtransit pilot program.
The multi-year award provides critical momentum for a joint initiative led by the City of Cedar Falls, the City of Waterloo, and MET Transit. Together, the partners are working to assemble a $4.6 million funding coalition designed to test and deliver on-demand, shared-ride public transit across communities where conventional bus lines cannot easily reach.
“Black Hawk County Gaming Association is proud to support the microtransit pilot program,” said Emily Hanson, Executive Director of BHCGA. “Improving transportation access is a priority for the greater Cedar Valley community, and the BHCGA greatly values the collaboration and partnership between the Cities of Cedar Falls and Waterloo in working together to develop a solution that best serves the needs of the entire Cedar Valley.”
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Unlike standard city buses bound to fixed routes and strict timetables, microtransit operates as a publicly managed, on demand rideshare service. Using smaller passenger vans, the service will navigate designated zones to provide shared rides that connect riders directly to their destination or link them efficiently to MET Transit’s existing fixed-route bus network. By functioning as a “first-mile/last-mile” connector, microtransit is built to solve daily logistical hurdles.
While specific passenger fares remain under evaluation, the program aims to lower transit barriers, shorten travel times, and increase ridership across the metropolitan transit system.
A coalition built on regional alignment
The BHCGA grant represents the culmination of regional planning efforts that began in May, when community partners established a dedicated microtransit task force.
The working group brings together MET Transit’s general manager, municipal administration from both cities (including the mayors, community development director, and finance director), regional transportation planners from the Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments (INRCOG), and BHCGA leadership.
The project advanced publicly following presentations to both the Cedar Falls and Waterloo City Councils, where MET Transit outlined the operational mechanics, logistics, and neighborhood impact of a three-year pilot.
“Increasing mobility for our communities helps support our residents and businesses by making it easier to access jobs and essential daily tasks,” said Cedar Falls Mayor Danny Laudick. “This pilot program can provide useful information on both the challenges and benefits that such a system would bring to the Cedar Valley. Currently we are working hard with our partners at the City of Waterloo, MET Transit, private grants, and area employers to fund the pilot program.”
Waterloo Mayor Dave Boesen states, “Transportation is more than simply getting from one place to another. It is about providing opportunity, independence, and access to the services that make a community successful. Microtransit gives us an opportunity to think differently about public transportation. It allows us to provide flexible, convenient, and potentially more affordable transportation for seniors, individuals with disabilities, working families, students, and residents who may not have access to reliable transportation. It can strengthen our workforce, support local businesses, improve access to healthcare, and make our community more connected.”
Funding the roadmap forward
With the $750,000 BHCGA award serving as the project’s first major grant award, the coalition is working to complete the $4.6 million budget. The Cities of Cedar Falls and Waterloo will be asked to participate in funding by providing a total of $471,875 and $502,625 respectively, along with several other local, state, and federal grants that the group has applied for, as well as additional private and corporate partnerships.
The regional model will be showcased on a statewide stage this November at the Iowa Public Transit Conference. Mayor Laudick, Mayor Boesen, and Cedar Falls Community Development Director Stephanie Houk Sheetz will participate as featured panelists, sharing how intergovernmental collaboration and community grant partnerships can solve complex transit challenges.
Businesses, organizations, and civic donors interested in supporting the microtransit initiative or exploring employer transportation partnerships are invited to contact Cedar Falls Community Development Director Sheetz at Stephanie.Sheetz@cedarfalls.com.
