A new official to help customers plan their public transit trips might be a future possibility in Des Moines.

The Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) held a “Mobility Matters” event on Nov. 5, which brought together members from all portions of the transit spectrum in Des Moines, including members from the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART), the Federal Transit Administration and the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT). One of the hot topics of discussion was the possibility of a mobility manager in the city.

A mobility manager would coordinate transportation services among customer groups, service providers and funding agencies, and basically act as a travel agent for transit users.

“It’s basically a one-stop shop,” said Bethany Wilcoxon, associate transportation planner for the MPO.

The idea is to have a single official help users coordinate travel between different forms of public transportation. Mobility manager positions already exist in Cedar Rapids, Dubuque and Council Bluffs, with funding coming from the IDOT. The IDOT currently has a mobility manager program that provides local assistance grants at an 80/20 split between state and local funds.

It’s unclear at this point what organization the position would fall under, as the idea is in its infant stages. It could be part of the IDOT but would more likely be a part of DART or the Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency.