SMART Brings On-Demand Transit to Troy and Dearborn
(Crystal A. Proxmire, March 28, 2021)
Troy, MI – The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) is now offering an on-demand shuttle service in test market areas, including the City of Troy.
Using the SMART Flex mobile app, anyone within the zones, including residents and workers in Dearborn, Troy, and the Hall Road corridor between Utica and New Baltimore will be able to hail a vehicle directly from their smartphone or by calling the call center at (734) 212-8429. Via’s advanced algorithms create quick and efficient trips by matching passengers and vehicles together in real time, and directing riders to a nearby “virtual bus stop” for pick up and drop off. The service will offer wheelchair-accessible vehicles and offer door-to-door service for those with limited mobility.
SMART Flex will offer microtransit trips from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. Rides start at $2, with a maximum price of $8, depending on distance. Payment can be made by credit card or with Dart or SMART Passes. The SMART Flex app is available in English and Arabic. When a rider combines both SMART fixed route service and SMART Flex to complete their trip, the first $2 of the ride are included as part of the fixed route total fare – providing more convenient service as part of a fixed route trip. Drivers may pick up multiple riders depending on the need, with the service calculating out most effective routes.
SMART announced the initiative at a press conference in front of the Troy Marriott Friday, with County Executive David Coulter, SMART Deputy General Manager Robert Cramer, Troy Chamber of Commerce President Tara Tomcsik-Husak, and City of Troy Mayor Ethan Baker were on hand to tout the features of the new service, and to cut the giant red ribbon.
“SMART is excited to launch SMART Flex in these three zones across our region to start the next innovation in public transportation” said Robert Cramer, Deputy General Manager of SMART. “This service builds on SMART’s most successful and convenient fixed routes to provide convenient service across these entire zones.”
The partnership with Via allows SMART to test out the service, which could expand to other cities in the future.
Troy was a logical place to start, with over 85,000 residents and thriving businesses of many types including a plethora of hotels, corporate offices, shopping and dining options.
Chamber Director Tomcsik-Husak talked about the benefits for employees being able to get to their jobs early in the morning, as well as having it as an alternative to walking to the bus stop in cold weather.
County Executive Coulter thanked the Marriott for being such a fitting host to launch the initiative. “It will not only help the people of Oakland County, the residents who want to take that, it’s a huge boon to the places where we need to get them,” he said.
“The Marriott couldn’t be a greater example of a business that’s going to be able to benefit from getting their guests from transit to their location, and getting them from here to all the places they want to go.”
Learn more about the new Flex service at https://www.smartbus.org/Services/New-Microtransit-Shuttles