The Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) will hold three open houses on Thursday to discuss the idea of “bus-rapid transit.”

DART has started on a study to look at the possibility of developing bus-rapid transit on a route between Ingersoll and University avenues between downtown and 42nd Street. DART officials describe a bus-rapid transit system as a rail-like service that is delivered with buses, which can include more frequent arrival times and technology to change stoplights.

Open houses on Thursday will take place from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at the Greater Des Moines Partnership, 700 Locust St., 2:30 to 4 p.m. at the Olmsted Center at Drake University, 2507 University Ave. and from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Plymouth United Church of Christ, 4126 Ingersoll Ave.