SMART Offers Michigan’s First “Google Maps™” Trip Planner for Customer Convenience

March 12, 2008 (Detroit, MI) – The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) is now offering Michigan’s first “Google™ Maps” Trip Planner for customer’s looking for a fast and easy way to plan their bus trips. SMART has partnered with Google™  Maps to offer the free service on the authority’s Web site at www.smartbus.org.

“Google™  Maps is a tool designed to help you find your bus route step-by-step,” said Hayes W. Jones, SMART general manager. “It’s so convenient and easy, it makes riding the bus an obvious choice.”  SMART fixed route bus fare is $1.50 per trip. 

The online service is available at 21 transit agencies nationwide. Users can click on the Google™ Maps icon and get detailed itineraries. By using your origin and destination addresses and the time of day you would like to travel, Google™  plans your route based on all public transportation schedules available on Google™  and information including route numbers and locations, schedules, transfer information on SMART buses, return trips and walking directions. Also available on SMART’s Web site is a complete listing of local destinations  with addresses and contact information.

“We are pleased to partner with SMART to offer Google™  Maps Transit Trip Planner in Southeast Michigan. Google™ ’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful, providing transit information is a step towards that,” said Tom Sly, Google™  New Business Development. Transit customers can also find this service on the Google™  Transit page at www.google.com/transit on the web to plan their trips.

SMART provides service within suburban communities and between Detroit and the suburbs. Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) buses operate local service within Detroit. For DDOT Route and Schedule information, go to www.ridedetroittransit.com.

SMART is the regional transit system in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne Counties and services more than 1200 square miles. Recognized nationally as an innovator in community based service for its unique partnerships with 75 communities, SMART is posting record ridership with more than 12 million passengers using the service annually. For more information, go to www.smartbus.org or call Customer Information at 866-962-5515.

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