ANN ARBOR – Ann Arbor-area residents may soon have a more affordable and convenient option for getting to Detroit Metro Airport starting in April. A proposal will be presented at the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (TheRide) Board of Directors Feb. 16 meeting that would create a public-private partnership with Michigan Flyer (a subsidiary of Indian Trails Bus Company) to provide public transportation to the airport.
“Throughout the transit master plan development process we were told by residents that they needed a convenient, affordable and reliable way to get to the airport,” said TheRide CEO Michael Ford. “Partnering with Michigan Flyer could help us fill that need.”
The new service, which will be named AirRide, will provide twelve daily round trips from Ann Arbor to Detroit Metro Airport and willbe operated by Michigan Flyer on behalf of TheRide. Michigan Flyer currently operates eight round trips between Ann Arbor and Detroit Metro Airport for $15 one-way.
The AirRide partnership will offer four additional trips and provide reduced, more affordable fares on the new total of twelve regularly-scheduled trips. Tickets for AirRide will be offered at an introductory rate of $10 for a one-way trip. The regular adult fare will be $12 with a reservation or $15 without a reservation. Discounts for seniors, people with a disability, and children will also be offered.
“We are very pleased to partner with TheRide to improve public transportation service for travelers to and from Ann Arbor,” said Gordon Mackay, president of Indian Trails, the parent company of Michigan Flyer. “Public transportation helps to alleviate highway congestion, saves energy and expense for consumers, and improves the environment.”
Gov. Rick Snyder has made increased public transportation collaboration in Southeast Michigan a priority for his administration. The new AirRide service will further demonstrate TheRide’s commitment to providing regional transportation solutions.
“This new partnership improves regional transportation options by connecting the Ann Arbor transit system with the SMART bus system for Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties," said Mackay.
Plans call for AirRide busesto pick up passengersat 4th Ave. and William St. across from the Blake Transit Center and at a stop near the Briarwood Mall near I-94 on Ann Arbor’s south side. At Detroit Metro Airport, the AirRide buseswill drop off and pick up passengers at the International Arrival level of the McNamara Terminal, and at the Ground Transportation Center at the North Terminal.
A proposed partnership with the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority will also allow for parking at the Fourth Avenue and William parking structure near the Blake Transit Center for just $2 per trip, with a two week maximum stay. Newlow-emissions Michigan Flyer buses, offering free wireless Internet and restroom amenities will be used for all trips.
TheRide is also engaged in discussions with the Ann Arbor Convention and Visitors Bureau and the University of Michigan to assist with promotional support for this new service.
“There are still some operational details to be worked out, but in the end the convenience and affordability of the service combined with the cost effective public-private partnership will make the AirRide a win for the entire region,” said Ford. “I look forward to discussing this new service at the Feb. 16 Board of Directors meeting.”
The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (TheRide) was chartered in 1969 by the City of Ann Arbor, Michigan, as a not-for-profit unit of government. AATA operates the local public transit system for the greater Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti area, enabling the area’s residents to reach their destinations at reasonable cost, and offers the region efficient, environmentally sound transportation alternatives. For more information, please visit www.TheRide.org.
TheRide’s Board of Directors has endorsed a 30-year Transit Master Plan for Washtenaw County. Updates on the progress of the plan are available at www.MovingYouForward.org.
E-mail and text message updates on bus routes, schedules, detours and other news from TheRide are available by free subscription to MyRide at www.TheRide.org.
Connect with TheRide through social media at www.facebook.com/CatchTheRide, www.twitter.com/CatchTheRide, or www.youtube.com/CatchTheRide.
The Michigan Flyer—whose motto is “Why Drive?”—offers affordable, seamless, luxury motorcoach connections between Lansing, Ann Arbor, and Detroit Metro Airport. A division of Indian Trails, Michigan Flyer has carried more than 400,000 passengers since its launch in November 2006. On the web at www.MichiganFlyer.com.
Indian Trails, Inc.—which has served as Michigan’s premiere, family-owned, inter-city motorcoach carrier for more than 100 years, and is based in Owosso—operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan. Its services include charters, tours, shuttles, airport transfers, and daily scheduled routes throughout Michigan and into Chicago and Milwaukee. On the web at http://www.indiantrails.com/
MICHIGAN FLYER MEDIA CONTACT:
Mark Holoweiko, Stony Point Communications
Phone: 517-339-0123
Email: mh@stonypoint-pr.com
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