4 Reasons Why Kemin Invests in Public Transit

A healthy public transit system is essential in Greater Des Moines because it affords everyone an opportunity to not only take part in our community, but our region’s workforce. Organizations can make access to public transit even easier for their employees through a DART Unlimited Access Partnership, which allows their employees to ride transit for free. Employers stand out in recruiting and retention when they proactively break down barriers to transportation. More than a dozen companies and regional employers are among the Unlimited Access partners DART has today.

Kemin Industries, a global specialty ingredient manufacturer headquartered a few miles east of downtown Des Moines, went above and beyond, not only providing unlimited access to bus transportation for all 650+ Des Moines-based employees but also working with DART to launch Local Route 2 – Maury St, a new bus route with direct service from DART Central Station to Kemin’s campus.  

“I see this partnership as a trifecta,” Amanda Formaro, Kemin’s Vice President of Human Resources, explained. “We can help our community. We get to help our current employees and retain them. But we also get to attract new talent.” 

Here’s a deeper look at four main reasons why Kemin has chosen to make a significant investment in public transit:

1. To give employees an easier way of getting to work. 

Formaro says the company first began seriously working with DART when several of their operations team leaders expressed concerns about some employees’ lack of reliable transportation. For example, one group of Kemin employees regularly rode a DART bus to a stop on Grand Avenue in east Des Moines before walking nearly a mile to their work building, often in harsh weather or darkness due to their shift start and end times. Prior to Kemin's unlimited access partnership, this bus stop was the closest available option for Kemin employees to use.  

“It was a pretty long walk, especially after a long day’s work,” said Shawna Fischer, a production manager in Kemin’s operations department.  

Kemin launched an internal survey to evaluate interest in having better access to DART. The survey results were positive and reflected employees’ need for transportation both to and from work and in their personal lives.

Becoming an Unlimited Access member has provided a benefit employees want and adding more direct bus service to Kemin has quickly reduced commute times and stress for their employees. 

 “I’m really lucky that I live on a route. I just have to walk out my door to the stop, and then I can hop on the bus with a connection downtown to get here,” said Alicia Jones, a supervisor in Kemin’s Regulatory Affairs division who often rides DART to get to work. 

2. To expand the pool of diverse candidates. 

On the hiring front, Kemin is excited that an Unlimited Access Partnership with DART expands their options. In the past, Kemin’s Human Resources team often reached out to organizations helping refugees find jobs or second-chance groups helping individuals with convictions get back on their feet to identify potential job applicants, but a lack of reliable transportation to and from work routinely came up as an issue.  

“I feel more comfortable reaching out to those organizations [now] because I know if they don’t have transportation, I can offer this,” Formaro mentioned.  

Job postings at Kemin now include information about the company’s DART benefits and recruiters reference employees’ free access to public transit in hiring phone screens.  

Formaro believes the company is already seeing more hiring success thanks to this new offering.  

“I don’t ever want getting to work to be that barrier. There’s enough going on in people’s lives,” Formaro added. “I think [public transit] plays a vital role for the workforce, for companies to attain talented team members.”

3. To deliver on corporate goals.

Since the partnership began and Local Route 2 started running on weekdays, Kemin leadership has noticed how beneficial transportation access is for their employees. Increased use of public transportation also helps the company deliver on its sustainability pledge, a major ongoing corporate initiative, by reducing its carbon footprint. 

 “I’ve been surprised just by the amount of adoption and interest,” said Formaro.

4. To invest in the surrounding community.

In a letter shared at a DART Commission meeting, Kemin leadership expressed how public transit is an investment in economic and community development. The new route is not just about supporting Kemin employees but driving connection to a growing area southeast of downtown.  

Only a few months after launching Local Route 2, Kemin is reaching out to other employers in east Des Moines to share the benefits of the route and positive outcomes of a DART Unlimited Access Partnership. Getting other employers to invest in this type of transportation access would be a win for Kemin because it could potentially lead to more frequent trip times on Local Route 2, ultimately making the bus more accessible for current and future workers in that Des Moines neighborhood.  

“Down on this side of town, you have to band together,” explained Formaro.  

Public transportation is critical infrastructure

As central Iowa grows, the number of available jobs will rise. 80% of the region’s business leaders, however, are concerned about Iowa’s ability to meet its workforce needs with current strategies and practices¹. For Kemin, public transit is a part of the solution and critical to future economic success.  

“If we are going to grow, if we want to be a place that is going to thrive, both from a business standpoint and to have the right employee population and city population, we need to support the infrastructure,” Formaro said. “That includes public transportation.”  

Learn more about DART’s Unlimited Access Partnership here. 

SOURCES:   

¹BPC and Bâton Global: Envision Iowa: Statewide Leaders Economic Outlook Survey Report 2023