P A S S E N G E R “We Move People” trans aA Messagections from State Transportation Director Gloria J. Jeff Summer 2004 MDOT Annual Report Table of Contents Highlights 2003 Efforts MDOT Annual Report (continued) . 2 The 2003 Michigan Department of Transportation Web PTMS Releases Oct. 2004 . 2 (MDOT) Annual Report, “Moving Michigan Forward Bus Contract Updates . 2 Partnerships and Preservation,” provides an excellent TEA-21 Extended . 2 overview of the transit choices available to Michigan Make Riding Transit Part of Fitness Routine . 3 residents and visitors. The publication Around the State highlights transportation’s role in SMART Encourages Bikes . 4 growing Michigan’s economy and MAX Transit’s Marketing Ideas . 4 improving the quality of life for AATA Serves Two Markets . 5 the public by serving customers Antrim County Welcomes New Manager . 5 effectively, and by strengthening key JTA Dedicates Maintenance Center . 6 partnerships. ITP/The Rapid Opens New Terminal . 6 Bay Metro Celebrates 30 Years . 7 Governmental agencies, by Caro Thumbody Express Celebrates 20 Years . 7 definition, must be responsive to Midland Dial-A-Ride Goes to the Prom . 7 the public. MDOT takes this charge Gloria J. Jeff Kalamazoo County Consolidation Study . 8 very seriously putting words into action by listening 13 Successful Millages . 8 to customers, and continuously striving to improve Training News partnerships with federal, state, and local governments. TV&E Celebrates 27th Year . 8 Nowhere is this outreach effort more apparent than in 2004 Small Bus Roadeo a Success . 9 Michigan’s statewide public transit programs and services. FY 2005 Training Sessions . 10 Mail Lists Enhance Communication . 10 In 2003, the department’s Multi-Modal Transportation Dates to Remember . 11 Services Bureau (MMTSB) and its many partners worked Transit Community Loses a Friend . 11 effectively to maintain and improve existing public Around the State (continued from page 8) transportation. The 2003 Annual Report highlights many of MARQ-TRAN Driver “Goes the Extra Mile” . 12 these efforts including: SMART Honors Five Area Businesses . 12 Training News (continued from page 10) • The first ever 2003 “Transportation Summit” to MTC Travels to Frankenmuth . 12 look at the future and create a shared vision for safe, Head Start Transportation Requires Child effective and flexible transportation. Restraints . 13 US-12 Designated Historic Heritage Route . 13 (continued on page 2) MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORTATION SERVICES BUREAU · PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION DIVISION “Providing Michigan citizens with the best passenger transportation services through quality customer assistance” MDOT Annual Report Medium-Duty Bus Highlights 2003 Efforts (continued from page 1) Contract Awarded and Cutaway Bids Under Review • Embarking on, and accomplishing, significant safety initiatives to improve transportation A new medium-duty bus contract was awarded to services. Hoekstra Transportation, Inc. on Mar. 1, 2004. The manufacturer is ElDorado National and the buses will be • Joints efforts to secure congressional support for built on the new GM medium-duty chassis. The first bus reauthorization. was built and approved by MDOT and regular production of the buses has begun. The two-year contract expires • Michigan Transit Training Network to address on Mar. 2, 2006. You can access the contract including local transit training needs. specifications at the following Web site: www. state.mi.us/ dmb/apps/oop/purchasing_user.asp?frm=contracts&cmd= • Capital improvements for bus and ferry services. view&number=071B4200165. These are only a few of the initiatives “Team MDOT” MDOT is currently reviewing several bids submitted and its partners were able to accomplish in 2003. for the invitation to bid for small buses. The current I urge you to take a few minutes and check out the 2003 small bus contracts with Hoekstra Transportation, Inc. MDOT Annual Report. MDOT is proud of its relationships (ElDorado National buses) and Coach & Equipment with transportation partners and will continue to look Manufacturing were extended to Sept. 1, 2004. A new for new and more effective ways to build and strengthen contract is expected to be awarded shortly after that date. transportation partnerships in Michigan, the nation and across borders. You can view the 2003 MDOT Annual Report on the TEA-21 Extended Until Sept. 30 Web at the following address: http://www.michigan.gov/ The current version of the Transportation Equity Act mdot/0,1607,7-151-9622---,00.html. for the 21st Century (TEA-21) expired on Sept. 30, 2003. Since then, federal funds have continued to be allocated at 2003 levels under a series of short-term extensions. On Web PTMS Releases Oct. 2004 July 22, Congress passed yet another short-term extension of federal transportation funding at last year’s levels The Web PTMS is still on schedule for release in Oct. through the end of September. 2004. Your 2006 Annual Application will be submitted through this new system. How is this costing Michigan money? Currently, there are three plans being considered in Washington – the Web PTMS was demonstrated at the Financial Administration’s bill, the Senate bill, and the House bill. Management for Transit Training in September (in Michigan prefers the Senate version’s funding level (S. Houghton Lake) and is being tested by several MDOT staff 1072); under this version, Michigan would receive an and a few transit agencies right now. Training is scheduled additional $343 million per year. at the Michigan Transit Conference in late October, and will also be available throughout the state during the Each day that funds are distributed under the old months of November and December. formula rather than under S. 1072, Michigan loses approximately $940,000. The total funding loss to The functionality of the system is similar to the Michigan between Sept. 30, 2003 and the time the current current PTMS, but the “look and feel” of the system has extension runs out on Sept. 30, 2004 is estimated at $343 changed. With the release of the Web PTMS, we anticipate million which includes $36 million in transit funding. easier access and use of the system for all users. For more information, contact Kathy Urda at 517/335-2575, e-mail You can see the on-going cost of this delay on the [email protected]. MDOT Web site at www.michigan.gov/mdot/. 2 Make Riding Transit A Part of Your Fitness Routine by Janet Geissler Eight-year-old Michaela Daler (right) doesn’t think of it as exercise – it’s just plain old fun. But she gets several hours of daily physical activity - and the Eaton County Transportation Authority (EATRAN) helps make that possible. Michaela, who lives in Charlotte, takes advantage of EATRAN’s Summer Fun Pass, which gives youth unlimited rides for one price during the summer. EATRAN teamed up with several local businesses – many of which offer fitness opportunities – to provide incentives for using the pass. For example, the Westside YMCA and The Summit offer free skate rental for students who arrive using the Summer Fun Pass, and discounts are available at golf courses, a bowling alley, riding stable, sports center and other sites. Michaela takes the bus each morning to Bennett Park, where she studies nature, plays on the playground and participates in physical activities, such as kickball. In the afternoon she heads to Galewood Elementary School for a summer recreation program where she chases frogs, plays games like freeze tag and hockey, competes in jump-rope contests and plays on the playground. During the school year, she takes EATRAN to a karate class. Riding the bus can be part of an active lifestyle. It can be in the form of taking a trip to a destination to participate in a physical activity, as Michaela does, or just walking a few blocks to and from a bus stop. Just 30 minutes of walking per day – which can be broken up into 10-minute intervals – will burn 100 calories. Do that 5 times a week, and over the course of a year, you’ll have walked off about 7 1⁄2 pounds. Several public transit systems have added bicycle racks to their buses, which provide another fitness opportunity (see page 4 for a list of Michigan transit systems with bus bike racks). Bay Area Transportation Authority (BATA), which operates in Leelanau and Grand Traverse counties, has bike racks on 31 of its 60 vehicles. In the picture Get on Board for Fitness! above, Missy Luyk of Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation Trails, Inc. loads a bicycle onto the Here are ways to use public transit to help achieve your fitness goals: rack on the front of a BATA bus. • Walk to and from a bus stop. For an extra workout, get on Bob Otwell, executive director of Traverse Area or off a stop earlier than usual. Recreation and Transportation Trails, sees the bus • If you have curb-to-curb service, have the bus pick you up system as an extension of the recreational trails. He or drop you off a few blocks from your home or destination. says the bike racks promote more physical activity, as people in outlying communities load their bikes • Take advantage of bike racks to conveniently transport your on a BATA bus and then cycle around Traverse City. bicycle to a great place to ride. • Take the bus to destinations where you can participate in “My wife and daughter rode BATA with their healthy activities: the gym, a golf course, bowling alley, two bikes from Traverse City to Suttons Bay and park, hiking trail, swimming pool, sports center. then rode the Leelanau trail back to Traverse City,” Otwell said. That was a 15-mile bike ride. “The bike racks have been very well received by the community,” said BATA executive director Joe DeKoning.