Commuter train projects to and from Ann Arbor may take a while but at least the AATA is expanding the reach of mass transit.
The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority will start a commuter bus line between Chelsea and Tree Town starting May 15. The pilot program will make two non-stop trips along I-94, connecting the two cities twice in the morning and twice again in the evening.
"We're looking to see how much demand there is for this type of service," says Chris White, manager of service development for AATA. "If we fill up these buses and charge a reasonable fare, this is something we could do more of."
The bus would pick up riders at the Artic Coliseum Ice Arena in Chelsea and then make four stops in Ann Arbor. Those destinations include two downtown, one on the University of Michigan's campus and one at the U-M Medical Center. The bus would then pick up and return riders to Chelsea from those same spots at the end of the workday.
AATA is contracting with Indian Trails to provide luxury passenger buses for the trips and fares will be priced at less than the cost of gas. The pilot program will last two years and is being funded by a $195,000 from the federal government.
Source: Chris White, manager of service development for AATA
Writer: Jon Zemke
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