Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority

The Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (AAATA), branded as TheRide, is the public transit system serving the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti area in the U.S. state of Michigan. In fiscal year 2021 (October 2020 – October 2021), the system had a ridership of 1,725,797.

"AAATA" redirects here. For the beetle genus, see Aaata.
Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority
FoundedChartered in 1969,[1] operating as early as 1976
Headquarters2700 S. Industrial Hwy.,
Ann Arbor, MI
Service areaAnn Arbor and Ypsilanti
Service typebus service, paratransit, express bus
Daily ridership24,900 (2014)[2]
Fuel typeB12
Chief executiveMatt Carpenter[3]
Websitehttp://www.theride.org/

History

The AAATA was the first transit authority in the United States to operate low-floor buses when, in early 1993, they took delivery of ten New Flyer D40LF buses. In terms of operation, only two Canadian authorities and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey operated such buses prior to the AAATA.

In November 2012, the AATA broke ground on the new Blake Transit Center, at a cost of $8.1 million.[4] The new 2-story, 12,019-square-foot downtown transit hub replaced a one-story structure built at the site at 328 South Fifth Avenue in the 1980s. The new Blake Transit Center was officially opened for use on July 7, 2014.[5] The D2A2 bus provides service from the Blake Transit Center to downtown Detroit.[6]

In August 2013, the agency's board voted to change its name from the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA) to the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (AAATA).[7] The name change reflects the addition of neighboring Ypsilanti to the agency board and the growing focus on regional services within Washtenaw County's urban core. In December 2013, the Ann Arbor City Council approved adding Ypsilanti Township as a charter member of the AAATA.

TheRide bus at the original Blake Transit Center in 2005

Operations

Fixed routes

The authority mainly operates fixed-route bus service within its service area. Two transit centers, the Blake Transit Center (BTC) in downtown Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti Transit Center (YTC) in downtown Ypsilanti, serve as the system's main hubs; the system also services a number of park and ride facilities in the area. Routes that travel between the BTC and YTC (called "Inter-urbans") are numbered in the single digits. Routes that begin at the BTC and serve Ann Arbor neighborhoods (called Local services, or "loops") are numbered 22–34. Similar routes in Ypsilanti that begin at the YTC are numbered 42–47. Routes that connect neighborhoods but do not serve either transit center are numbered 62–68.

Current routes

Effective June 2023.[8]

# Name Termini Frequency (min) Notes
Mon-Fri Sat Sun
3 Huron River Blake TC Ypsilanti TC 30 60 60
4 Washtenaw Blake TC Ypsilanti TC 15-30 30 30
5A Packard Blake TC Ypsilanti TC 30 60 -
5B Meijer, Ypsilanti 30 - 60
6 Ellsworth Blake TC Ypsilanti TC 30 60 60
22 Pontiac-Dhu Varren Blake TC Pierpont Commons 30 60 60
23 Plymouth Blake TC Plymouth Road Park & Ride 15-30 30 60
24 Eisenhower-Golfside Blake TC St. Joseph Hospital 30 60 60
25 Ann Arbor-Saline Blake TC Meijer, Ann Arbor-Saline Rd 30
26 Scio Church Clockwise loop through Blake TC, Scio Ridge 30 60 60 29 follows route counter-clockwise
27 W. Stadium-Oak Valley Blake TC Meijer, Ann Arbor-Saline Rd 30 60 60
28 Pauline Blake TC Maple + Pennsylvania 15-30
29 Liberty Counter-clockwise loop through Blake TC, Scio Ridge 30 60 - 26 follows route clockwise
30 Jackson-Dexter Blake TC Meijer, Jackson Rd 30 60 60
31 Dexter Blake TC Jackson + Wagner 30 60 60
32 Miller-Maple Blake TC Maple + Pennsylvania 30 60 60
33 Newport Blake TC Warrington + Newport 30 30 -
34 Maple-Dexter Blake TC Miller Road Park & Ride 30 - - 11 trips daily; weekday peak only
42 Forest-MacArthur Ypsilanti TC MacArthur + Harris 30 60 60
43 E. Michigan Ypsilanti TC Holmes + Ridge 30 60 60
44 Ecorse-Tyler Ypsilanti TC West Willow Community Center 30 60 60
45 Grove Ypsilanti TC Grove + Harry 30 60 60
46 Huron-Paint Creek Ypsilanti TC Huron River Dr + Textile 30 60 60
47 Harriet-W. Michigan Ypsilanti TC Hewitt + Ellsworth 30 60 60
61 U-M Miller Central Campus TC Miller Road Park & Ride 30 - -
62 U-M State Central Campus TC Wolverine Tower 12-15 - -
63 U-M Pontiac Central Campus TC Food Gatherers 30 - - 8 trips daily; weekday peak only
64 Geddes-E. Stadium Central Campus TC Pioneer High School 30 - - 11 trips daily; weekday peak only
65 U-M Downtown-Green Central Campus TC Glacier Hills 30 - -
66 Carpenter-Huron Meijer, Ypsilanti Green Road Park & Ride 30 60 - select trips extended to Glacier Hills
68 Harris-Ford Gault Village Holmes + Ridge 30 - -

TheRide's fixed routes are supplemented by bus services operated by the University of Michigan.

Paratransit and shuttles

TheRide also operates the ARide paratransit system and ArtFairRide and FootballRide event shuttles. It oversees the iShareARide and VanRide carpooling services. The system also formerly ran a free Link Bus connecting central campus and downtown during the U-M school year until 20 August 2009.[9][10][11]

The AAATA is also the designated authority for the proposed Ann Arbor-Howell commuter rail line.[12]

Non-managerial and non-administrative workers at the TheRide are union members, organized in Local 171 of the Transport Workers Union of America.

Fleet
2022 Nova LFS

TheRide currently operates a mix of Gillig Low Floor and Nova Bus LFS buses on its fixed routes.[13] The system's buses run on B12 biodiesel, and many are diesel-electric hybrid units. The AAATA has 55 hybrid electric buses in its fleet and, in 2007, became the first public transit operator in the Midwest to state its intention to convert to all hybrid electric buses, though these plans never came to fruition.[14]

In 2022, the AAATA began exploring a series of plans to replace its entire diesel-powered fleet with battery-electric or hydrogen fuel cell-powered buses by 2035.[15]

Fares
AAATA 25th anniversary token

AAATA uses a fixed-fare system. Full fare on fixed-route buses is $1.50, payable by cash or tokens. University of Michigan students, faculty, and staff with a valid yellow Mcard ride for free. Reduced cash fares and discounted passes and tokens are also available, with children under 6, registered seniors 65 years of age and over, and TheRide employees riding for free. 1-day and 30-day unlimited-ride passes are available for $3.00 and $45 respectively.[16]

Transfers are free, and are valid for unlimited connections to fixed-route buses for 90 minutes, including return trips on the same route. They are not valid for event shuttles, or AirRide.

FootballRide and ArtFairRide shuttles have the same $1.50 fare as normal service. Passes and transfers are not accepted, and reduced fares are not available.

The Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority operates the 98 AirRide line in cooperation with the Michigan Flyer coach service, which runs an express route between downtown Ann Arbor and the McNamara and Evans terminals of the Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus, Wayne County. Fares are $12.00 for standard adults with reservation, $15.00 per walk-on, and $6.00 for the elderly or disabled. Children under 18 are allowed on free with a paying adult, during round trips.[17]

See also

References
  1. "The Ride - Ann Arbor Transportation Authority". Archived from the original on 2009-12-02. Retrieved 2009-11-28. AATA FAQ page
  2. "Fourth Quarter & End-of-Year 2014" (PDF). Public Transportation Ridership Report. American Public Transportation Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 October 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  3. "Executive Staff | Leadership | About Us | AATA - Ann Arbor Transportation Authority". Archived from the original on 8 September 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  4. Stanton, Ryan J. (19 November 2012). "AATA breaks ground on $8.1M new and improved Blake Transit Center in downtown Ann Arbor". AnnArbor.com. MLive Media Group. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  5. Kline, Don. "Grand opening ceremony celebrates AAATA's new and improved downtown Blake Transit Center". theride.org. Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  6. "D2A2 stops". Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  7. "Just Say The Ride". Ann Arbor Chronicle. August 15, 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  8. "Route Maps & Schedules Library". Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  9. "Fares". Ann Arbor Transportation Authority. 2009. Archived from the original on 15 June 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  10. "The Link" (PDF). Ann Arbor Transportation Authority. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 27, 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  11. Reed, Tina (8 August 2009). "Downtown Ann Arbor Link bus service not expected to resume". News. AnnArbor.com. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
  12. Shea, Bill (2008-10-29). "Ann Arbor-Howell commuter rail line chugs ahead; authority named". Crain's Detroit Business. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
  13. "Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority". CPTDB Wiki. Canadian Public Transit Discussion Board. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  14. "AATA Goes Hybrid". Arbor Update—Ann Arbor Area Community News. 24 October 2007. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  15. Stanton, Ryan (2022-10-21). "Ann Arbor transit system weighing pros and cons of electric buses". MLive. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  16. "Fixed Route Fares". Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
  17. "My Air Ride". Michigan Flyer. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
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