TRU kicked off its first Transit Talk Tuesday of 2025 this week with a discussion on countywide expansion with leaders from Oakland and Calhoun County. TRU director Megan Owens was joined by Calhoun County Transit Director Mallory Avis, Oakland County Commissioner Brendan Johnson and Oakland County Transportation Program Manager Eli Cooper
The webinar featured presentations from the two counties on expansion updates, an audience Q&A and updates from TRU.
Mallory Avis, Calhoun County:
- Expansion journey started in 2019 with a transportation study that “identified a vast need for transportation.” Study identified “more than 20,000 trips per year were being unmet.”
- Launched a pilot in 2021 called BC Go that offered app based on-demand rural and urban transportation. “The first introduction to technology for our community and the first opportunity for many of our neighbors in rural areas to access public transit.” One year into the pilot program “we had more than 5800 unique users and more than 150,000 trip requests.
- “In November We went for our first milage general election against everybody’s advice and we passed it–and we didn’t pass by a small margin–it was nearly 60%”
- “The most shocking part for most people was when we explained that best scenario and the price tag that came with it, it was 2.66 mils. And so the board decided, if we’re going to do it, let’s do it right, let’s build a system that’s truly going to meet the needs of the community and not ask for a lesser amount because we’re afraid it won’t pass.”
- ”Right now we have Battle Creek Transit and it has fixed route service, paratransit service and our on-demand pilot.” They have rebranded the different services “so we’ll have RC Max, RC Move and RC flex, each providing a different service.”
Eli Cooper, Oakland County:
- Oakland County millage passed in November 2022.
- ”We’re providing funding to five separate transit operators,” including SMART, OPC, People’s Express, WOTA and NOTA.
- “The contracts that we entered into had stretch targets for the operators, and we wanted them not only to serve larger driving territories, but to also work with one another to create this countywide system.”
- “In the 2022 millage, the tax valuation of .5 generated 64.4 million. If we look at the recent millage for 2024 it was 72.9 million….We also have substantial demand for more services and so what comes in goes out.”
- Cooper said one of the things they’re working on is helping operators acquire more vehicles, “When we started, there were 85 (buses) operating in those communities. We’ve more than doubled the number of vehicles available for our community operators.”
- ”The ridership increase, 50,000 –dramatic– more than doubling, almost tripling and lots more miles driven. So in addition to providing more trips, the service areas have grown, and so have the miles.”
- “We work with transportation referrals, working with low income, homeless and other clients and working with the My Ride and other programs in order to make sure that we do walk the talk and the talk is county wide service for everyone. And we’re maybe not in a position to provide the service, but we’re coordinating with those who can.”
- Using Qualtrics survey to “measure the transit experience throughout the county.”
Click here to see the full powerpoint presentation.
TRU Updates:
Owens shared upcoming transit opportunities and events for attendees to get involved in.
Double DDOT campaign:
- Double DDPT Town Hall Thurs Feb 27
State Funding Campaign:
- Transit Day at the Capitol March 12
Other events:
- March 6 – “Try Transit” Planning Meeting
- March 13 – Volunteer Meeting
- March 26 – Transit on TAP