SMART Scales Back to Main Corridor Routes and Reservation-Based Shuttle
On Wednesday, April 8, SMART will suspend commuter routes and replace them with a reservation-based shuttle.  SMART has been monitoring driver availability and route ridership as the COVID-19 crisis unfolds.  The effects of virus has not spared SMART which is experiencing a number of drivers and operational staff in self-quarantine and impacting operations on a daily basis.
SMART is committed to meeting the need for employers and riders who still require reliable transportation to make essential trips and get essential workers to and from the jobsite.  To meet that need and efficiently serve the higher demand corridors, SMART will redirect buses to main corridor routes which are still seeing significant ridership – and certainly warrant more buses to better facilitate social distancing.
Alternate Commuter Service Options
Starting on Wednesday, April 8, 2020, all commuter routes will be suspended.  These routes include:  255 Ford Road Express, 445 Woodward, 465 Auburn Hills, 530 Schoenherr, 562 FAST Gratiot/WSU, 580 Harper, 620 Charlevoix, 635 Jefferson Express, 805 Grand River P&R, 830 Downriver P&R, 849 Northland P&R, 851 W. Bloomfield P&R.
If a rider relies on one of these routes for essential trips, there are two options available:
SMART encourages those who can drive or are able to take a connecting route to one of the three FAST corridors (Michigan, Woodward, or Gratiot) do so – FAST routes will continue to run all the way downtown.
Share your commute and work information with SMART ahead of time and reserve a seat on a Commuter Shuttle for every weekday you go downtown for work.
How to Reserve a Ride if You Use Commuter Routes to Go to Work
SMART Commuter Shuttles will run weekdays only in each county. SMART will take steps to limit the number of riders per bus to keep within the social distancing guidelines
Riders of a suspended route should call SMART Customer Service at 866-962-5515 and press #1 for Connector or send an email with the following information to commuter@smartbus.org :
Name
Email address
Phone number
Suspended Route name/number
Bus stop location where they board the bus at the beginning of their trip and where they exit the bus downtown.
Schedule of weekdays they are working (this can be updated moving forward if you work different days on different weeks).
Riders will get the following information upon scheduling a ride:
location of pick up
approximate pick-up time for morning and afternoon trips
type of bus to expect (regular fixed route or smaller connector bus)
Do Your Part to Limit the Spread of COVID-19
SMART reminds riders to only make essential trips as defined by the Governor’s Executive Order.  Just as SMART has instituted a screening process for our drivers to prevent the spread of the virus, riders have a responsibility to consider the health of our drivers and riding public. If you are ill or experiencing any of the symptoms of COVID-19 – such as a fever of 100.4 degrees or greater, consistent coughing, shortness of breath and/or difficulty breathing – stay home, and do not ride public transit.
SMART continues with the following initiatives to help prevent the spread of the virus, until further notice: free fare, rear-door boarding, and yellow chain separating drivers from passengers, mid-route cleaning and regular electrostatic spraying of all buses.