1645 Marthaler Lane, West St Paul, MN 55118
For more information about senior living options: (866) 208-4318
Overall Review of Darts
Pros
The rides themselves are super and friendly.- Erica remained calm, professional, and very caring during the entire ordeal.
- Erica is a true asset to Darts.
- The service is an excellent source for caregiving support and older adult resources.
- The staff are very good people.
Cons
Hours of operation information is unavailable and the company is inconsistent in answering or returning calls.- Communication started but nothing happened, leaving a mangled dent and a driver's-side door that won’t open from the outside.
- The lack of taking responsibility by the company was disappointing.
- The reviewer claimed the company hires plow workers who damage vehicles and won’t take action.
- The reviewer reported damage to their vehicle from plowing and felt there was no accountability.
- The company should do better since it serves elderly and disadvantaged customers.
Review
This community is best suited for seniors who need regular, door-to-door transportation to medical appointments, therapy sessions, and everyday errands, combined with access to caregiving support and older-adult resources. It serves families that want a practical extension of care, someone reliable to get a parent to PT on time, to pick up groceries, and to help navigate local aging-services options, without taking on full caregiving duties themselves. The model works best for active, mobile seniors who can tolerate a degree of schedule flexibility and for households that value a resource-rich network alongside transport. Those who require rigid, strictly predictable scheduling or who demand flawless accountability may find this a poor fit.
The strongest upside shows up in the human elements on the road. Rides are consistently described as friendly and dependable, with drivers who combine competence with genuine warmth. A standout example highlights Erica, a driver who remained calm, professional, and caring through a stressful vehicle breakdown, keeping the passenger safe and reassured. Beyond individual anecdotes, the program is framed as an excellent source for caregiving support and older-adult resources, with staff generally described as very good people who contribute real, practical value to families navigating appointments, home care, and accessibility needs. In short, the transportation team often feels like a trusted ally in a complex care plan.
Nevertheless, several meaningful drawbacks temper the overall value. Hours of operation and dispatch schedules are not transparently posted, and response times to calls or inquiries can be inconsistent. That gap matters deeply when transportation intersects with medical commitments and daily routines. Reliability concerns surface again in a reported ride incident where a DARTS vehicle failed during transport, underscoring that not every trip can be counted on to go smoothly. Even more vexing for some families are documented issues around property damage caused by an external plow contractor and the subsequent handling. One reviewer described a lack of proof-based accountability and slow progress toward resolution, raising legitimate worries about how such incidents are managed and whether families can expect swift, firm answers when problems arise.
These strengths and weaknesses form a realistic balance. The compassionate drivers, the care-oriented posture, and the embedded caregiving resources offset many scheduling frictions for households that can tolerate occasional hiccups. For families juggling multiple care needs, the ability to access guidance and connect with elder-care resources through the same provider can substantially ease the overall burden, making this option more than just a ride service. The rating, 4.3 out of 14 reviews, with a plurality of five-star experiences, reflects meaningful trust built in many cases, even as a subset of experiences highlights gaps in reliability and accountability.
Where to steer if considering alternatives is prudent. For families that prize strict predictability, transparent hours, and a clear, timely process for handling property damage, exploring other transportation options or senior-services programs may be wise. Those outside West St. Paul or households with rigid dispatch expectations should benchmark this option against services that offer explicit service-level commitments and straightforward incident resolution. The decision hinges on whether the value of caregiving integration and compassionate transport outweighs the potential for scheduling ambiguity and slower resolution of issues.
Practical next steps translate into concrete checks. Confirm exact hours of operation and the typical response window for inquiries; request a written policy on incident handling and property damage, including timelines and the designated point of contact; ask for a single program coordinator to streamline communications and ensure accountability; verify service coverage for the home address and inquire about vehicle maintenance and driver training. If these elements align, DARTS delivers a compelling mix of accessibility, caregiving support, and a trusted driver network. If not, families should pursue alternatives that deliver firmer reliability, clearer accountability, and a more predictable schedule.
21 resident community capacity
Assisted Living
Beauty salon
Cable or satellite TV
Dining room
Fully furnished
Garden
Housekeeping services
Kitchenette
Move-in coordination
Outdoor space
Telephone
Wi-Fi/high-speed internet available
Minneapolis-St Paul International (7 miles away)
24-hour call system
Activities of daily living assistance
Assistance with bathing
Assistance with dressing
Assistance with transfers
Diabetes diet
Meal preparation and service
Medication management
Mental wellness program
Special dietary restrictions
Transportation arrangement (medical)
Transportation to doctors appointments
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