Tag Archives: bus service

Announcements, FYI

Michigan Flyer pick-up and drop-off location changes

Indian Trails announced the Michigan Flyer motorcoach shuttle to the Detroit Metro Airport McNamara Terminal has moved to a more convenient location effective Feb. 3, 2010. The McNamara Terminal is host to Delta/Northwest, Air France, KLM and Continental* airlines.

The motorcoaches will drop off and pick up at curb-side next to the international arrival doors. This level is well known to travelers as International Arrivals level (Ll).

It shares the pick-up and drop off location with SMART, the airport’s intra-city public transportation bus company. The sign outside the international arrival door is marked “Smart Bus/Employee Shuttle”. There is no specific sign for Michigan Flyer, however, the brand new luxury fleet has enhanced decals identifying the motor coach as Michigan Flyer and Indian Trails. Travelers will be able to see the coach arriving at the terminal through the large glass wall.

For detailed instructions please see www.michiganflyer.com – Detroit Metro location page.

This is great news for passengers, since they will no longer have to cross the bridge walk to the ground transportation parking ramp areas. The International Arrivals waiting area is well heated, has ample restrooms and a convenience store with soft drinks, snacks, magazines and more.

News

Move might make way for Michigan Flyer terminal

From Lansing State Journal
LANSING TWP. – Bud Kouts Chevrolet has moved its used car lot across Michigan Avenue to its new car dealership, clearing the way for a possible Michigan Flyer bus terminal.
Owosso-based Indian Trails Inc. has an option to buy the land for a new terminal for its Michigan Flyer subsidiary, which offers bus service to Detroit Metropolitan Airport from East Lansing, Jackson and Ann Arbor.
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009912010318

News

Boyne City bus stop discontinued

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From The Petoskey News-Review

BOYNE CITY — Boyne City residents will have to go about five miles farther east to catch an Indian Trails bus ride after Dec. 1.

On Tuesday, Indian Trails will discontinue service to a bus stop at the McDonald’s Restaurant on Division Street in Boyne City. The next closest bus stop is at the Mobil E-Z Mart in Boyne Falls.       

The change comes despite a request by Boyne City officials that Indian Trails and the Michigan Department of Transportation reconsider the change.

About a month ago, Boyne City officials received notice that Indian Trails was considering extending its service to Sault Ste. Marie. The route had previously ended in St. Ignace. On Monday, city officials learned that the change had been decided.

Chad Cushman, vice president of business for Indian Trails said the Boyne City stop and stops in Onaway, Tower in Northern Michigan; Epoufette, Naubinway, Nadeau, Carney, Bagley, Daggett, Stephenson, Wallace and Calumet in the Upper Peninsula and a location in Wisconsin will be removed from the company’s service route to offset the extra miles added to the service system between Saint Ignace and Sault Ste. Marie

Cushman explained that Indian Trails’ service is subsidized by the Michigan Department of Transportation and because of the state’s budget crisis, it won’t subsidize additional miles on its rural routes.

He said the locations that were chosen had a history of very low ridership. In 2008, the Boyne City stop had 131 passengers, or about 2.5 passengers per week. During the same year, Tower and Onaway combined had 67 passengers.

Cushman said even with all of the service eliminations — including the 4,380 annual miles from the Boyne City stop — the Sault Ste. Marie route will still add 27 unsubsidized miles for the bus company.

He said bus service will continue in Boyne Falls on roughly the same schedule as was offered in Boyne City with stops around 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily.

For more information on Indian Trails bus service, call (800) 292-3831 or visit www.indiantrials.com.

http://www.petoskeynews.com/news/article_153158f0-db69-11de-a5f5-001cc4c002e0.html

Announcements, News

Amtrak Thruway bus service has a new U.P. MDOT Station

St. Ignace and the Upper Peninsula have a new Bus Depot/Travel Center located on US-2, just east of the I-75 intersection on the North side of US-2 near the Mackinac Bridge.

An Indian Trails official said the company plans on using the new St. Ignace station starting Sept. 22 with dedication slated Sept. 28.

MARP Vice-chair Don Monteith said the Michigan Association of Rail Passengers will be represented at inaugural of service from the station and the dedication.

The new bus station is the northern terminus of Indian Trails‘ Amtrak/Thruway route that starts in Kalamazoo at the Transportation Center that is shared with Kalamazoo Transit buses, Amtrak train and Indian Trails’ Amtrak/Thruway route # 8364. The Amtrak Thruway service leaves Kalamazoo at 3 p.m. for Big Rapids, Cadillac, Traverse City, Boyne Falls, Petoskey, plus other intermediate stops, arriving at St. Ignace at 11:45 p.m. The southbound schedule # 8365 has a 8:30 a.m. departure from St. Ignace with an 5:20 p.m. arrival in Kalamazoo.

The new bus station is also the terminus of another Indian Trails bus route that runs from Lansing and Bay City along the shore of Lake Huron to St. Ignace.

Indian Trails also operates a connecting westbound motor coach to Escanaba, where it connects to another Indian Trails Amtrak/Thruway (# 8539) motor coach to to Marquette, L’Anse, Houghton and Hancock with intermediate stops. Indian Trails extends service to Calumet but it is not part of the Thruway service.

South from Escanaba, Indian Trails operates another Amtrak/Thruway service (# 8532) that stops at Marinette, Green Bay, Manitowoc, and intermediate points. ending at the Milwaukee Amtrak Intermodal Station at 7:45 a.m., connecting to Amtrak’s 8 a.m. Hiawatha train to Chicago. With a layover, passengers can connect to Amtrak’s Empire Builder to Minneapolis-St. Paul, Spokane, Seattle and Portland. In Chicago, U.P. residents can connect to the entire Amtrak network

There is also reported interest to connect at St. Ignace to Sault St. Marie, the third largest city in the U.P., but which has no scheduled transportation service.