SMART Ridership Reaches Record Levels

The Suburban Mobility for Regional Transportation (SMART) is posting the highest ridership since its formation in 1967. SMART carried more than 44,000 passengers daily for the month of April. Weekend service on SMART is also at its peak. Overall, ridership on the Fixed Route system has increased more than 6.5% from this time last year.

“With gas prices at an all-time high, people are choosing to park their cars in the driveway and ride the bus,” said Hayes W. Jones, SMART general manager. “We haven’t seen ridership like this since the early eighties.” 

Routes along Gratiot and Woodward are requiring expanded service with more frequency to accommodate standing loads.  Total weekly ridership, including weekends and Connector small bus service exceeded 250,000 in April.  Weekend ridership is also experiencing record numbers with an 14% increase on Sundays and a 10.4% increase on Saturdays year to date.

“For many families, having one car, let alone two cars is a luxury in this economy,” said Jones. “The price of gas is a huge deficit for most families. We charge $1.50 a trip…the best deal in town and we can get you anywhere you need to go.”  For less than the cost of a tank of gas per household, communities have access to SMART’s system which covers more than 1200 square miles.

SMART customers can also find a number of tools to make riding the bus easy and efficient. SMART has partnered with Google Transit to provide an easy-to-use trip planner on the homepage. New passengers can check out a series of “How to Ride the Bus” videos that explain how to load bikes, how to pay the fare and how to find routes.

MySMART customers who register online can also receive customized route information, service bulletins and new marketing programs delivered directly to their inbox. To access these products and services, customers can go to www.smartbus.org. Bus passes can be purchased online or at any number of locations which are located under Fares and Passes on the website.

Mass transportation is becoming increasingly important to the public with national statistics posting the highest numbers in 50 years. 

SMART is the regional transit system in southeast Michigan servicing more than 1200 square miles Macomb, Oakland and Wayne Counties. 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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