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Posted on November 5, 2014
Four of five public transit millage proposals in Michigan passed yesterday. In Cadillac/Wexford County millage was easily renewed, as it was in Bay City. In Genesee County an additional millage for MTA operations narrowly was approved while in Spring Lake Township in Ottawa County a new millage for expansion for Harbor Transit easily was approved. Only a new millage in Addison Township of Oakland County, for North Oakland Transportation Authority operations, failed by a narrow margin.
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Posted on October 29, 2014
Public transportation fleets across the county are turning to propane autogas as a way to reduce their carbon footprint, cut fuel costs, and decrease dependence on foreign oil. This week, the Propane Education & Research Council and Metro Magazine recognized six top fleets for their recent adoptions of clean, American-made propane autogas at BusCon Expo in Indianapolis.
Propane-autogas-powered vehicles emit fewer harmful greenhouse gas and carbon emissions than vehicles running on gasoline and diesel, reducing short-term and long-term health effects on passengers, according to the company.
"This year’s award winners are a great example of how fleets can improve the economic and environmental well-being of their communities without breaking the bank to do it,” PERC Chief Business Development Officer Tucker Perkins said. “Propane autogas is a clean fuel that can also result in a strong ROI due to significant savings on fuel costs. Public fleets can trust propane autogas as an affordable, reliable fuel."
Benzie Transportation Authority recently adopted seven propane autogas shuttle buses with ICOM JTG II Systems, and one Ford E-450 transit vehicle with a dedicated Roush CleanTech fuel system. According to Chad Hollenbeck, BTA Operations Manager, the transit authority is the first in northern Michigan to adopt clean, green propane autogas.
For more information on BusCon Expo and the PERC propane autogas awards, visit busconexpo.com. To learn more about propane-autogas-fueled bus fleets, visit propane.com.
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Posted on September 17, 2014
Troy Lowe of Branch Area Transit Authority won first place in the individual competition at Michigan’s 39th Annual Small Bus Roadeo in Frankenmuth on September 12. Mike Beech of the Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA) was second. Third place went to Harold Smith of Gladwin City/County Transit. Forty small bus drivers from 17 public transit systems participated.
The top three individual winners are eligible to compete next spring in the Community Transportation Association annual National Bus Roadeo. Fourth through tenth place individual winners were: Marvin Frayer, Clare County Transit; Bob Beck, Clinton Area Transit System; Mike Bassett, Barry County Transit; Steffanie Hunt, Isabella County Transportation Commission (ICTC); Marilyn Griffith, ICTC; Jon Greer, Gladwin City/County Transit; and Kevin Kenney, ICTC.
Gladwin had the first place team, composed of Harold Smith, Jon Greer and Deanna Hughes. The second place team was ICTC’s Steffanie Hunt, Marilyn Griffith and Kevin Kenney. CATA’s Mike Beech, Kate Gardner and Ginger Gray were third.
"Rookie of the Year" went to Gladwin’s Jon Greer. The highest score on the written test was a tie between Marvin Frayer of Clare County Transit and Gladwin’s Deanna Hughes. CATA’s Mike Beech had the highest score on the driving course.
Seven drivers had perfect scores in the pre-trip inspection. They were Gladwin’s Harold Smith; Barry County’s Mike Bassett; ICTC’s Steffanie Hunt and Marilyn Griffith; Clare’s Kevin Stamper and Jodi Cole; and Mark Uryga-Williams of Greater Lapeer Transportation Authority.
Nine drivers had perfect scores in Passenger Assistance. They were CATA’s Mike Beech and Ginger Gray; Gladwin’s Harold Smith and Deanna Hughes; Clare’s Marvin Frayer; Clinton Transit’s Bob Beck; ICTC’s Marilyn Griffith and Kevin Kenny; and Theresa Parker of Blue Water Transportation Commission. On the tie breaker of best time, Gladwin’s Harold Smith won the Q’Straint Michigan Driver of the Year for Passenger Assistance.
Photos of the event can be viewed on MDOT’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MichiganDOT.
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Posted on August 29, 2014
by Liz Treutel, Policy & Communications Associate, Trans4M
Despite numerous ways that taking public transit, walking and biking can improve our health, grow our economy and protect our environment, many of us continue to drive most places we go simply because it is so darn easy. Copious amounts of free parking, minimal traffic and high flexibility are just a few reasons why we often default to our personal autos.
Naturally, if we want to shift our transportation culture, we must find ways to encourage the use of other modes of transportation and make it just as easy to take public transit, walk or bike as it is to drive. Employers who recognize the benefits of sustainable and accessible transportation options are finding ways to incentivize different ways of getting around.
A partnership between TheRide, a Trans4M member, and the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is doing just that with the go!pass. The go!pass is available to all downtown Ann Arbor employees free of charge through generous financial support from the DDA and a $10 fee paid by their employer. The pass provides unlimited public transit use, discounts at downtown businesses and other commuter services. The pass is a component of the broader getDowntown program which provides commuting programs and services to downtown Ann Arbor employees to make biking, walking, car sharing and public transit more accessible and fun.
According to the getDowntown website, there are 457 employers that participate in the go!pass program and about 4,000 individuals who have a go!pass. While the program is offered to those who work downtown, go!pass holders are able to take TheRide buses free of charge all over the Ann Arbor area — with many commuting from Ypsilanti and other outlying communities.
Downtown Ann Arbor during the 2013 Green Fair
I spoke with Nancy Shore, Director of the GetDowntown, to learn more about how the go!pass has impacted commuter culture in Ann Arbor:
What have been the greatest impacts of the program?
The go!pass has been able to keep hundreds, if not thousands of cars out of downtown Ann Arbor, increase employees use of public transportation. The go!pass also encourages people to bike and walk because they know they’ll have the bus as a backup if the weather is bad or they get sick. Finally, we’ve had businesses who tell us the go!pass helps them retain and attract high quality employees because either the employer can’t afford to pay for parking or because they have the type of employees who would rather use public transportation than drive.
From what you’ve heard, why do people enjoy having a go!pass?
They enjoy it because the pass makes it easy for them to ride the bus. And of course because they don’t have to pay for parking. They also like it because they can get discounts from downtown stores just by showing their pass.
Do you think the go!pass has helped increase transit support or improve culture around public transit in Ann Arbor?
I do because one of the barriers to using public transportation is figuring out how to pay. The go!pass eliminates that barrier and therefore makes it easier for people to use public transportation.
The go!pass and the getDowntown program are excellent examples of ways that employers, businesses, local government entities and other organizations can team up to make a wide range of commuting options easy for employees. Changing the way people move on a day-to-day basis has wide spread, positive impacts that are good for individuals, families, businesses and the community as a whole.
Are there organizations in your community doing similar work? We’d love to hear about other programs in the comments section or on our Facebook or Twitter pages.
