| Column:Public-private partnership would help keep Michigan Flyer running to Jackson We are actively exploring ways to restore the route as soon as possible. 127 route through Jackson. That one-year, one-time assistance would have enabled us to double our daily round trips from seven to 14, providing near-hourly service between early morning and late evening. S. For example, MDOT offers a relatively small subsidy to our parent company, Indian Trails, Inc. (a 100-year-old family-run business based in Owosso) to operate statewide routes that connect low-ridership communities, including many in the Upper Peninsula, with major cities and the national transportation network. But a grant may not be the only answer. Currently, Michigan Flyer is making eight round trips a day. Also, competing with the personal car is especially tough in a state that is the automobile capital of the world. For example, if there is only a one-hour wait between motorcoaches rather than two hours, business travelers are more apt to ride with us than to drive. One way to do this is with a grant of public funds, such as we sought last year to begin an I-96 route while preserving the U. 127 route between East Lansing and Detroit Metro Airport. Part of our challenge is that too few people — particularly business travelers, who account for three fourths of all airline trip — appreciate the savings in cost, energy, traffic congestion and environmental impact that can be gained with privately owned public transportation like Michigan Flyer. The solution is to enhance the frequency of our trips. For its new "AirRide" service starting April 2, we'll be making 12, near-hourly trips between Ann Arbor and the airport. Another possibility would be assistance from the Michigan Department of Transportation. We're already talking with the Jackson Transportation Authority about options for restoring Michigan Flyer service in the future, perhaps through a public-private partnership like we have with Ann Arbor Transportation Authority. Column:Public-private partnership would help keep Michigan Flyer running to Jackson |
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Column:Public-private partnership would help keep Michigan Flyer running to Jackson
