Kalamazoo Metro Transit is a

public transport Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typic ...

service that operates 20 routes in the

Kalamazoo, Michigan Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in the southwest region of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Kalamazoo County. At the 2010 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 74,262. Kalamazoo is the major city of the Kalamazoo-Portage Metropol ...

, metropolitan area. Most routes serve the city proper, but some extend into the neighboring communities of

Portage Portage or portaging (Canada: ; ) is the practice of carrying water craft or cargo over land, either around an obstacle in a river, or between two bodies of water. A path where items are regularly carried between bodies of water is also called a ...

Parchment Parchment is a writing material made from specially prepared untanned skins of animals—primarily sheep, calves, and goats. It has been used as a writing medium for over two millennia. Vellum is a finer quality parchment made from the skins o ...

, Comstock Township,

Kalamazoo Township Kalamazoo Charter Township is a charter township of Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 21,918 at the 2010 census. The cities of Kalamazoo and Parchment are adjacent to the township and have annexed much land that ...

, and

Oshtemo Township Oshtemo Charter Township is a charter township of Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The 2010 census recorded a population of 21,705, up from 17,003 at the 2000 census. The township was organized in 1839. Geography According to the ...

. Service is primarily by

bus A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a road vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van. It is most commonly used in public transport, but is also in use for cha ...

, although a special door to door Metro County Connect service is also available for riders. In , the system had a ridership of , or about per weekday as of . Metro Transit is primarily funded by a combination of federal, state, and local contributions; in 2003, rider fares made up 19.25% of the operating budget. Kalamazoo Metro Transit was formed in 1967, when residents of Kalamazoo voted to acquire the failing private transit company Kalamazoo City Lines. In 1980, with the purchase of a new bus fleet, Metro Transit operated the first fully wheelchair-accessible fleet in Michigan. In 2003, Kalamazoo Metro Transit carried riders on more than three million trips. About one-third of the passengers had no driver's license, automobile, or other means of motorized transport. In 2006, voters approved a millage to permit Metro Transit to retain night and Saturday service and add two routes in Portage. Declining financial support from the state, a flagging local economy, and rising fuel prices, led Metro Transit to increase fares to the current rate (as of January 2010) of $1.50 per adult. In August 2015 voters approved a millage of up to 0.75 mills to extend service to 10 p.m. on 3 routes, 11:15 p.m. for 3 routes and to 12:15 p.m. on 12 routes and also added daytime Sunday service from 8:15 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. on 17 routes starting in September 2016 and running through 2020. In January 2018 Metro extended 11 routes on Sunday to 6:15pm. In January 2019 Metro added an additional route #20 East Comstock in response to the whole township of Comstock starting to pay for service in the 2015 millage and only the Western edge had currently been receiving fixed route service. Through a partnership with

Western Michigan University Western Michigan University (Western Michigan, Western or WMU) is a Public university, public research university in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was initially established as Western State Normal School in 1903 by Governor Aaron T. Bliss for the tr ...

WMU students and faculty are allowed to utilize any route in the system free of charge when showing their Bronco ID. In Fall 2019, Metro reached an agreement with Kalamazoo Public Schools to allow students to utilize any route for free similar to their long running contract with

. This program was initially extremely popular, however, behavioral and capacity issues on city buses led to the program being restricted to an opt-in system. In April 2020, Metro temporarily suspended operations due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...

. although single passenger trips were permitted on a first come first serve basis. Fare-free fixed route services resumed mid-May 2020 for essential services only. In April 2021,transit services were scaled back due to Covid-19 case surges and driver shortages.

Oversight

Metro is governed by a seven-member Transit Authority Board of Directors appointed by the Mayor of Kalamazoo with consent of the Kalamazoo city commission and an executive director appointed by the city commission. The current executive director is Sean McBride. The Transit Authority Board Board of Directors includes * Garylee McCormick, Chair * Jason Meddaugh, Secretary and Treasurer * Andy Havice * Zachary Lassiter * Lynn North * Jack Urban, City Commissioner

Routes

The Kalamazoo Transportation Center serves as the primary transfer hub for Kalamazoo Metro Transit bus routes

References

External links

Kalamazoo Metro Transit

Kalamazoo County Transit Authority
{{Michigan public transit Bus transportation in Michigan Kalamazoo, Michigan Transportation in Kalamazoo County, Michigan