The People’s Express recently started running a bus service up and down Jackson Road in Scio Township.  There is some info on this service on the Township of Scio website. Here’s the scoop on the new service from Terri Blackmore of the Washtenaw Area Transportation Study (WATS):

Scio Township is contracting with People’s Express to provide a Flex Route (a flexible fixed route) along Jackson Road between Scio Farms and Jackson and Wagner.  The service will cost 50 cents for trips initiating and ending along Jackson Road.  Trips that begin or end off the route (up to ½ mile) will cost $1.00.  The service will operate between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm Monday through Friday.

The Inbound trip from Scio Farms will begin each morning at 7:00 am at Scio Farms with stops at Meijer’s (stops at the produce door at 5 minutes after the hour and leaves at 10 minutes after the hour), Lake point and ending at Jackson and Wagner at 7:30 in time for transfers to the AATA number 9 bus at 7:31 am.  The reverse trip will make stops as needed ending at Scio Farms at 8:00 am for the second inbound trip.

The small lift equipped bus will be able to flex off the route up to ½ mile (however will service the Scio Township Hall and  Eastern Washtenaw County Service Center) and reservations for a pick up off Jackson Road can be made at 734-678-3935.   People’s Express has signed a one year contract for the trial service.

The Official Google Blog recently wrote this post to celebrate their 2 year Anniversary in Ann Arbor.

As part of highlighting some of the things that make Ann Arbor great, the blog discusses Google A2’s commitment to being green:

“Popular Science magazine ranked Ann Arbor in the top 25 greenest cities in America.  Some 50,000 trees grow along Ann Arbor streets, and city parks boast another 50,000. And while no trees actually grow in the Google office, our cheeks do seem to be turning a nice leafy shade of green — probably from walking and biking to work as part of Ann Arbor’s Commuter Challenge, swapping paper for reusable dishes in our cafeteria, and educating ourselves on composting and recycling.”

Yeah!  As you can see, Google A2 directly relates being green to walking and biking to work.  And they did a great job with the Commuter Challenge.  Some Googlers even posted on the getDowntown blog during May.  You can read their posts here and here.

Google’s decision to locate in downtown Ann Arbor gives them access to great commuting benefits from the go!pass to a great bike and pedestrian-friendly location.  I hope Google will be here for years to come.