If you're considering riding the bus for the first time, it can be a little intimidating or confusing.  To make it as easy as possible, TRU has developed a quick summary of How to Ride the Bus in greater Detroit.  It explains how to find your route, how and how much to pay, and much more.   Check it out and let us know if it is helpful for you. 

You can also pick up a copy at our table at CityFest or other regional events. 

Some elected officials have questioned whether people in Macomb County really care about public transit, just because they won't get the first rapid transit line.

Come to Roseville Monday night (June 30) to show Macomb County officials that public transit must be one of their top priorities!

Date: Monday, June 30, 2008
Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Location: Erin Presbyterian Church (30000 Gratiot, just north of 12 Mile in Roseville)

MOSES and TRU are partnering to host this event, which will include the latest information on public transit efforts throughout the Detroit area, a challenge to elected officials to make transit a priority, and a commitment from participants to support transit efforts.

A big crowd will show how important this issue is, so please join us, bring lots of friends and spread the word!

Remember, if the people lead, the leaders will follow.

The Detroit People Mover will be closed for four weeks this summer to replace 1,800 feet of track along six curves.  Specifically, it will be closed from 2am July 20 until 6:30am on August 18.  General Manager Barbara Hansen said track needs to be replaced as a result of wear that has accumulated over the past 21 years of operation. The rest of the track is in good shape, but the friction caused by trains moving along some of the sharpest turns on the system have resulted in enough wear that they need to be replaced.

DPM staff recognize the inconvenience this may create and have worked to shorten the construction schedule as much as possible. They held a public briefing this afternoon to provide a more full explanation.  More information is available online or from staff at 313-872-2202.

A big thank you to everyone who came to this week's Dump the Pump day and Oakland County Public Transit event.  Both went quite well, with a strong outcry for more and better transit!  Over 300 people came through downtown Detroit today to learn about alternatives to outrageous gas prices, and over 75 people attended our event Monday in Oak Park, despite Senator Obama stealing a lot of the spotlight that night. 

We've got more great events coming up.  We're holding addition county transit events in Roseville (June 30) and Dearborn (mid-July).  We'll also be out at Detroit RiverDays (part of Green Days in the Ren Cen wintergarden) and at Comerica CityFest (aka Tastefest) over 4th of July.  Stop by, get information about how you can help improve transit, and say hi!

Fully one-third of America's global warming pollution comes from transportation, mostly from driving personal cars.  Congress is considering important legislation to address global warming, but so far, the legislation has been mostly silent on the need to address how much people drive.  We need to make sure they fully address transportation alternatives too!

95 percent of Americans lack easy access to public transportation and walkable neighborhoods. Given high gas prices, global warming, and our energy dependence, we need better alternatives. Future climate legislation in the House of Representatives could kill two birds with one stone by giving Americans alternatives to high gas prices and curbing greenhouse gas emissions: A win-win for everyday Americans and the climate.

Smart Growth America has set up an easy website where you can tell your congressmembers to sign onto a letter from Reps. Earl Blumenauer and Ellen Tauscher urging Congress to increase funding for public transit, biking, public transportation, and walkable neighborhoods in federal climate legislation.

Public transit is clearly one of the most important issues facing greater Detroit. Some candidates for public office have strong platforms supporting transit. Many, however, say nothing at all.

If you want better public transit, one of the most important things you can do this year is to ask questions about transit to candidates for public office.

Check out our new candidate page for tips of where and how to question political candidates and report their responses!

    One important silver lining to the dark cloud of high gas prices is that a lot of people are thinking about public transit.  Record numbers of people are riding, and many more are complaining about gas prices but don't know that they have options.

    To help make sure metro Detroiters know about the transit options available to them, TRU is partnering with transit agencies to host a big Dump the Pump event on Thursday June 19 between 11am and 2pm in Cadillac Square (next to Campus Martius in downtown Detroit).  We’re excited to partner with MDOT, DDOT, SMART, the People Mover, SEMCOG and others on this effort.

    Learn about alternatives to high gas prices, stop by TRU’s table, tell the press why you care about transit, and potentially win bus passes, restaurant gift certificates and more.  Please join us and help spread the word!

    Too many elected officials claim that their constituents don't care about public transit, that they don't hear much about it from their community.  We need your help to prove them wrong!! 

    TRU is partnering with MOSES to hold a series of public transit rallies in each county to clearly show our elected officials how much people care and to challenge them to take real leadership in making it happen.  The first event will be in Oak Park on June 16.

"We must invest in our nation's infrastructure, and we must reverse climate change. By investing in public transit, we can do both at the same time," said U.S. House Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) rail conference in San Francisco, pointing out that rebuilding America is a combined national security, economic, environmental and equality issue, and that "(t)he fuel savings from using transit are magnified when we add in the 'smart growth' that springs up around transit, especially rail transit stations."

Residents of large metropolitan areas have significantly smaller carbon footprints than the typical American, according to new research from the Brookings Institution. In comparing metro regions to one another, Brookings found that those that are dense, have rail transit and lower vehicle miles being driven generally have smaller carbon footprints on a per capita basis.

The report, "Shrinking the Carbon Footprint of Metropolitan America", is the first to quantify the global-warming emissions of the 100 largest U.S. metros. Researchers tallied emissions from transportation and household energy use, the two areas most under the control of individual residents. (A later report will include commercial and industrial emissions.)

"Metros are responsible for a large amount of the nation's emissions but also offer the best prospects for large savings," said Brookings' Mark Muro, who directs the Metropolitan Policy Program. The report offers some clear policy recommendations for metro areas to lower their emissions; such as moving away from coal, investing in transit, building around transit, and embracing walkable density.

The US Public Interest Research Groups (US PIRG) are sponsoring a national video contest.  They ask:

Are you tired of being stuck in traffic? 

Shouldn’t we have better options? 

US PIRG invites you to create your most persuasive short video about why we need more and better public transportation. The winning videos will be used to help decision-makers imagine a better future and see the dangers of keeping the status quo. The videos will be a critical part of an effort to educate local and state representatives and to call on Washington, D.C. to change the way it funds our transportation system.

And if that wasn't enough, entrants will also have a shot at winning $500.

So get started with your short video.  Entries are due by July 4, 2008. Check out their website to see a sample video and for full contest rules and to enter.  You can also read more about their campaigns to expand transit all across the country.

Check out this link for a great old picture of Detroit from 1942 which includes Woodward streetcars!

Last week’s Mackinac policy conference once again brought a lot of talk about public transit:  the Chamber’s business survey showing public transit as the most important transportation issue, lots of big whigs expressing support for the privately funded Woodward project (even though there’s still no official information on it) and more.

Of special interest to transit advocates - Brooks Patterson said in an interview with WDET he’s willing to support whatever the public wants.  Read interview excerpts or listen to the full interview.

Also in the news:

• MLive.com: Hertel at Mackinac: Mass transit could drive economic turnaround in Metro Detroit
  
  • Nice video interview of John Hertel
    
• Crain's Detroit Business: Legislators, Gilbert, Penske will back light rail on Woodward
  • More details slowly leaking out
    

• WDET news: Keeping Our Young People Here
  • "Claire Nelson asked 50 of her friends what Detroit needs to retain young people.  The first thing they said across the board was "transit, transit, transit."
• WDET Detroit Today: "Moving Forward?" (Mackinac Pt. 3)
  • Interview with Brooks Patterson and Robert Ficano
    
• WDET Detroit Today: Fudge (Mackinac Pt. 2)
  • Transit discussed in the last third of the show
• MLive - Michigan Business Review: Mackinac's top 5: Action items out of today's sessions
• Crain's Detroit Business: Edsel Ford delivers One D report card

A random statistic sent in by a TRU member:

• Number of gas stations in the US - approximately 140,000
• Number of libraries (including schools) - 123,000

The US Congress is considering legislation to dramatically improve passenger train service throughout the country, by providing long overdue investment in rail infrastructure, train cars, technology and more. 

Our friends at the National Association of Rail Passengers have set up an easy toll-free number to call your congressmember - 800-679-1581, enter NARP code 1189 and your zip code, and you’ll be connected to your congressmember’s office.  Tell them to co-sponsor House Bill 6003 and explain why train service is important to you.  Or you can use the website action set up by Environmental Law and Policy Center to email your congressmember.  Either way, take action today!

Read more about the bill from the Congressional committee website. 

With iSearch from iGive.com, you can donate a penny to TRU every time you search the web!  It uses Yahoo!'s search engine and there's no catch: it's free for you, and free for your cause. Our service is made possible by advertiser dollars. When you use iSearchiGive, those advertising dollars benefit your favorite cause.

Learn more at iSearchiGive.com.    

Despite the enormous benefits of public transit and the outrageous gas prices Michiganders are facing, some legislators question whether the people of Michigan really care about transit. 

As you know, a 21st century state must have modern transportation options to attract 21st century jobs and workers.  Michigan has the opportunity to launch a quality rapid transit system, including the Detroit-Metro Airport-Ann Arbor commuter train, a Grand Rapids rapid transit line and more.

These projects will help jumpstart Michigan’s economy, create jobs and strong vibrant communities. Yet many Michigan legislators say we can’t afford to invest in transit. TRU asks, can we afford not to?

Our friends at ProgressMichigan have set up a tool to make it easy for you to tell your legislators what you think.  Go to www.FundMiTransit.com to send a letter to your Michigan legislators.  You can use their sample letter,edit their letter with your own thoughts, or write your own letter about why it is so critical to fund transit.  Whichever you prefer, take action today!

Celebrate National Bike to Work Day in Detroit with the 3rd Annual Woodward Avenue event. 

A perfect end to National Transportation Week, participate in a viable means of transit, a healthy and productive activity, and a event that builds community pride while on your way to work. Experienced cyclists and casual Friday co-workers welcome.

The ride will begin at the Royal Oak Farmer's Market at 6:20am and end downtown Detroit around 8am, with several stops in between.  Check the Detroit Bikes! website for full details.

Also catch the morning buzz about Detroit Bikes! to Work Day - Woodward Avenue on the Detroit Today Show on 101.9 FM WDET around 10:45am, Friday, May 16th.

According to SMART:

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. Weekend ridership is also experiencing record numbers with an 14% increase on Sundays and a 10.4% increase on Saturdays year to date.

“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,” said Jones.  For less than the cost of a tank of gas, people have access to SMART’s system which covers more than 1200 square miles.

If you're fed up with gas prices and considering the bus, check out SMART's trip planning tools or Google Transit to figure out your route and schedule. 

As reported by the Detroit News, there was an exciting discussion about public transit at the Brownfields Conference at Cobo Hall last week:

Former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer and Dan Gilbert, head of Quicken Loans, said mass transit is key to the success of the region. They also said people under age 35 are the most willing to move to Detroit to live and work.

Gilbert and businessman Dave Bing were part of a panel, moderated by Archer, discussing why companies should relocate downtown. Each urged support for creating light rail systems and other mass transit.

"The trains are coming," Gilbert said. "There's no way this region is going to compete, period, if the trains aren't coming."

Archer said there is willingness among political and business leaders to finally resolve a mass transportation system for the region.

May 11-17 is National Transportation Week; "an opportunity for the transportation community to join together for greater awareness about the importance of transportation. National Transportation Week also focuses on making youth aware of transportation-related careers."

Unfortunately: "Detroit’s theme for National Transportation Week 2008 is “The Year of the Car”, in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the world’s largest car company, General Motors, and the Centennial of the Ford Model T, the car that changed the world."

That means most of the events are very auto-centric.  However, there is one event that has a broader vision and might be of interest:

Thursday, May 15, 8am-10am
WWJ Newsradio 950 Business Breakfast
The Henry Ford's IMAX Theatre Lobby/Anderson Theatre
20900 Oakwood Blvd. | Dearborn, MI 48124-4088

WWJ/FOX 2 Business Editor Murray Feldman moderates a two-panel discussion on Detroit's future in moving freight and moving people. How can Detroit's existing infrastructure be leveraged to drive economic growth for the region?  Featured Speakers Include:

• Dick Blouse, President & CEO, Detroit Regional Chamber
• Heather Carmona, Executive Director, Woodward Avenue Action Association
• Dan Deane, President, Nicholson Terminal & Dock, Inc.
• Robert Ficano, Wayne County Executive, on the Aerotropolis Concept
• John Hertel, CEO, Regional Transit Coordinating Council
• Marc Higginbotham, representing Norfolk Southern Corporation, on the Detroit International Freight Terminal project
• Kirk Steudle, Director, Michigan Department of Transportation
• Paul Tait, Executive Director, SEMCOG, 2035 Southeast Michigan Transportation Plan

Tickets for are $25, breakfast included.  Advanced reservations are required.  To register or for more information, visit http://www.wwj.com/pages/2085706.php or call 248-455-7200.