Here’s another report from Commuter Challenge Ambassador Frank Schwende:

I gave away another prize today, to a coworker and dedicated pedestrian commuter, Marnie. Marnie lives within 2 miles of the EPA laboratory and has walked, rain, shine, snow, whatever. Today she carried an umbrella and it looks like she might need it on the way home! Marnie walks in order to avoid driving her car to work, mostly because of environmental concerns. By walking she feels good about contributing to a cleaner, healthier environment.

Here’s a Prize Patrol Report from Commuter Challenge Ambassador Elizabeth Tidd:

When I headed out for work on my bike this morning all decked out in my rain gear, I thought that I would NOT be handing out any prizes. Who would want to stop in the rain?! It just so happened, though, when I stopped for the light at Stadium and Packard, another cyclist was stopped there too. Since his bike was equipped with saddle bags, I suspected he was a regular. I asked if he was a regular commuter, and he said yes, so I explained to him that I was part of the Commuter Challenge Prize Patrol and would he like a prize? He chose the Ear key chain. Congratulations to Jerry Gasper! Thank you for being a regular bicycle commuter!

If you are trying to commute by bus to or in Ann Arbor, here’s an overview of your options.  This is also posted as a page on the getDowntown Blog and will be updated from there.

Taking the Bus to Work

The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (The Ride) has buses that run throughout the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti area.  Here are some resources to help you plan your commute:

• Bus Schedules: All of the Bus Routes are online as well as listed in the printed Ride Guide, which is available at the Blake Transit Center (at 4th Ave and Liberty in Downtown Ann Arbor), on any AATA Bus, at AATA Headquarters (at 2700 S. Industrial), at the downtown Library, at the Ann Arbor Chamber of Commerce, and many more locations!
• Live Tracking of AATA buses: Find out where your bus is on your PDA or wireless-enabled phone with AATA’s Mobile Ride Guide.
• Google Transit: You can use Google Transit to help plan your bus route.  It works just like driving directions.  Go to Google.com/transit, enter in where you are coming from and where you want to go, and it will show you a suggested route.
• Help from getDowntown: If you work downtown, getDowntown can help you plan your bus route.  Email info@getdowntown.org for assistance.
• Magic Bus for UM Buses: Want to see where all the UM buses are?  Check out Magic Bus.

Bus Passes

There are a bunch of different types of bus passes available to people who want to ride the bus:

• go!pass: available to employees who work in the DDA area in downtown Ann Arbor.  Gives you unlimited rides on all AATA fixed-route buses.  This pass is subsidized by the Downtown Development Authority.
• MCard: UM Employees, faculty and staff just swipe their MCard when they board AATA fixed-routes buses to ride the bus for free.  This pass is subsidized by the UM.
• WCC Transit Pass: This is a discounted pass for students get more info by calling 973-3536.  This pass is subsidized by WCC.
• Fare Deal Card: This pass is available for income-eligible persons and others.  For more info, please call 734-973-6500.
• A complete listing of all of the AATA bus passes and fares can be found here.

Which Bus to Take?

If you work downtown, you are in luck!  Almost every AATA bus comes to downtown Ann Arbor.  A lot of buses also stop on the UM Campus for those of you who work at UM.   Here’s a brief overview of some of the routes to take if you are coming from certain parts of town:

• Coming from the West Side of Ann Arbor: You can take the 8 Pauline, 9 Jackson-Dexter, 12A Miller-Liberty, 12B Liberty-Miller, 13 Newport, 15 Scio Church-W. Stadium, 18 Miller-University, or 609 Dexter-University.
• Coming from the Northeast Side of Ann Arbor: You can take the 1 Pontiac-Dhu Varren, 1U Pontiac-University 2 Plymouth, 2X Plmouth-Downtown/Campus Shuttle, 17 Amtrak-Depot St. or 22 Connector.
• Coming from the South Side of Ann Arbor: You can take the 16 Ann Arbor-Saline Rd, 7 South Main-East, 36 Wolverine Tower Shuttle, 6 Ellsworth, 0r 5 Packard.
• Coming from the East Side of Ann Arbor, including the Ypsi area: You can take the 3 Huron River, 4 Washtenaw, 5 Packard, 6 Ellsworth, 7 South Main-East,  or 14 Geddes-E. Stadium.
• Bus Service to and in Ypsilanti: Routes 4 Washtenaw, 5 Packard, 6 Ellsworth, 10 Ypsilanti-Northeast , 11 Ypsilanti South, 20 Ypsilanti Grove-Ecorse and 33 EMU Shuttle provide service to and in Ypsilanti.

Park and Ride

The AATA has 4 Park and Ride Lots throughout Ann Arbor.  You can park at Park and Ride Lots for free and take the bus to work.  Lots more info on Park and Ride Lots is on the getDowntown website and on the AATA website.  Here is an overview of the lots:

• Coming from the Northwest Side of Ann Arbor (including  Scio, Pinckney, Dexter, Chelsea, etc:): Miller Road Lot (at Miller and M-14), served by Routes 18 Miller-University and 609 Dexter-University.
• Coming from the Northeast side of Ann Arbor (including Plymouth, Livonia, etc.): Green Road Lot (at Baxter), served by Route 2 Plymouth and Route 22 Connector.
• Coming from the  South or Southwest side of Ann Arbor (including Milan, Saline, Pittsfield, etc.): Pioneer High School Lot (at Pioneer High School on Main St), served by Routes 7 South Main-East,  14 Geddes-E. Stadium or 16 Ann Arbor-Saline Rd.
• Coming from the South side of Ann Arbor (including Saline, Pittsfield, Milan, etc.): State Street Lot (at State Street across from Howard Cooper Honda), served by Route 36 Wolverine Tower Shuttle.
• Casual Park and Ride Lots: There are also many places throughout Ann Arbor where there are large parking lots adjacent to bus stops (Such as Veterans Park, Arborland, etc).  These are casual park and ride lots, which means you can park, but you park at your own risk.

Commuter Bus from Chelsea

A2Chelsea Express :If you live in Chelsea and work in downtown Ann Arbor or at the UM, the A2Chelsea Express may be the Commuter Bus for you.  The bus even has wireless!  Early morning trips leave the Arctic Coliseum in Chelsea at 6:10 and 7:16am and arrive in Ann Arbor (downtown and at the UM Hospital) around 6:39 and 7:45am.  Return trips in the afternoon leave Ann Arbor at around 3:47 and 5:15pm and get to Chelsea at 4:15 and 5:44pm.  To learn more about the A2Chelsea Express, click here.

Late-Night Bus Service

There are a couple of Late-Night Bus Service Options in Ann Arbor:

• The Nightride Shuttle: The Nighride Shuttle is a free service provided by the AATA that runs in the late-night hours.  The service has a stop at Liberty Street and Fourth Ave.  The Shuttle picks you up at 11:15, 12:00, 12:45 and 1:30am 7 days a week and drops you off at the Pioneer Park and Ride Lot or at your home (if you live on the West side of Ann Arbor).  Click here for more details on the NightRide Shttle.
• Night Ride: Night-Ride is a shared-ride taxi service within the Ann Arbor City limits that operates when AATA fixed-route bus service is not operating.  Night Ride runs Mon-Fri 11pm-6am, Sat 7pm-7:30am and Sun 7pm-6am.  The fare is $5 per person.  Click here for more information.
• BTB Party Bus: The BTB Party Bus runs on vegetable oil and operates late nights in downtown Ann Arbor to get you home safely.  Click here to learn more.

Bikes on the Bus

Every AATA Bus has a bike rack for your bike.  Combining biking with riding the bus can save you time and give you a chance to get some exercise.  Click here for step-by-step instructions for putting your bike on the bus.

Bus Riding Hints and Tips

Here are some basic hints and tips to keep in mind when riding the bus:

• Plan your trip ahead of time: Make sure you have a good idea of your route before you go.  If you need help planning your route, contact getDowntown (if you work downtown), the AATA, or use Google Transit.
• Arrive at the bus stop early: Better to be at the stop early than to watch the bus pass you buy as you run to catch it.
• Give it a week or two: If your bus is late or something happens on the first day of your ride, don’t give up!  Try riding the bus for a week or two to really see if it’s right for you.
• Try it once a week: Make a commitment to trying to ride the bus once a week and compare it to your usual commute.
• Ask someone who rides the bus for advice: There are lots of people who ride the bus to work. Perhaps someone at your work is a Commuter Challenge Ambassador.  Either way, find someone at work who rides the bus to get a sense of the best route to take to get to your work.  If you work downtown, getDowntown can also help you out.  Just contact us!

Other Bus and Transit Services

• Complete listing of AATA Programs and Services.
• The LINK: The Link is a free downtown Ann Arbor Circulator bus that runs from late August to April in Ann Arbor. Click here for a PDF of the Schedule.
• UM Parking and Transportation Services: Information on UM buses and bus routes.
• The WAVE: AATA’s Route 9 connects with the WAVE at the AATA bus stop on Jackson Road by Wagner.  The WAVE provides service to Dexter and Chelsea.  Call 734-475-9494 for more details on this service.
• People’s Express: Flexible bus service on Jackson Rd.  Click here for more details.
• Michigan Flyer: Michigan Flyer provides service from the Four Points Sheraton to Detroit Metropolitan Airport, or to Jackson or East Lansing, Michigan.  Click here for more details on Michigan Flyer.
• MegaBus: Megabus provides bus service to Chicago.  Click here for more details.
• Amtrak Ann Arbor: The Ann Arbor Amtrak Station provides service to Chicago, Detroit, Jackson and more.  Click here for details.
• Get Me Downtown: Get Me Downtown offers periodic trips from Ann Arbor to Detroit and back.  Click here for details.

Other Transit Resources

• Information on the Washtenaw Livingston Line (WALLY) Commuter Rail from the AATA website.
• Information on the Ann Arbor-Detroit Rail Project from SEMCOG.
  
• Washtenaw Area Transportation Study (WATS): Provides information on plans for transportation projects in Washtenaw County.
  
• Transportation Riders United: Advocacy organization to improve transit in the Detroit-Metropolitan area.
• Ann Arbor Transportation Plan study overview.
• Washtenaw Partners for Transit

getDowntown is hosting a free transit-themed movie night this coming Wednesday (May 6th) at Arbor Brewing Company at 7:00pm. We’re showing Kontroll, a Hungarian comedy/thriller/romance about a fictional grimy underworld that takes place in the Budapest metro. It’s kind of like Tank Girl mixed with Ghost in the Machine, except with subtitles and also a character named “Bootsie.” And most importantly, there will also be free snacks there, both meaty and vegan, and beer available to purchase.

Please come over and watch it with us!

In addition to the online Challenge, there are a wealth of events happening during the month of May.  Each week in May getDowntown will focus on a particular theme and have events related to that theme.

Commuter Challenge Week 1 is Transit is Terrific Week

Learn more about how to use Transit in Ann Arbor with our Guide.

Transit is Terrific Week (May 1-9)

Discounts Week (all week!, downtown Ann Arbor)

go!pass Discounts: Did you know that if you have a go!pass, you can get discounts at dozens of stores?  It’s true!  Click here to view all of the go!pass discounts. Go!pass discounts are available all the time!  Take advantage of your discount during Transit is Terrific Week.

Special bus transfer discounts! During Transit is Terrific Week, these downtown businesses will be offering a special discount when you show your AATA transfer:
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory: 15% off
Smoothie King: 10% off Smoothie purchase of $3.00 or more
WSG Gallery: 10% off anything in the Gallery
Performance Network: Buy one ticket, get one free for any Saturday matinee
Naturopathic Women’s Healthcare: 10% off initial consultation

Transit Movie Night (Weds. May 6, 7pm, Arbor Brewing Company Tap Room)

Enjoy the transit-themed movie “Kontroll” at Arbor Brewing Company and free food compliments of getDowntown!

Daily Prize Drawings (all week!)

Every weekday during this week we will be giving out prizes to Commuter Challenge participants who log a bus commute. Click here for details.

Special Offer to Business Outside of Downtown

The AATA is offering bus passes for free rides to employees participating in the Commuter Challenge. For more information, email aatainfo@theride.org.

Here’s a Prize Patrol Story from Leah over at Miller Canfield:

I gave the magnet to a lady who I see often on my bus ride from downtown.  This morning I saw her.  She says that she takes the bus to Blake and then transfers to a bus to Plymouth and Green where she catches the shuttle to get to work and then the same home.  Even though it takes her a little over an hour to get to work and home, she says she prefers to take the bus for her commute.  She says that she knows that more people from her work would take the bus if their was a route that went out by Domino’s Farms where her office is located.

This Commuter Challenge Prize Patrol Report comes from Frank Schwende over at the US EPA.

Prize Story Number 1.
I felt a bit stupid yesterday, riding to work in a cold windy rain.  I got soaked and covered with grit even though I’ve got fenders (not full coverage).  At the EPA Lab bike racks (not the office building, but the older lab building) there was one other bicycle.  “One of us should be rewarded for their committment,” I thought, so I placed a prize on this rider’s bike.  It’s a covered parking area so the prize (UofM ball point pen) didn’t get wet.  Whoever you are, committed bicycle comuter, congradulations!  Geez, I hope you’re not a Sparty fan!

Prize Story Number 2.
Riding in to work along Packard’s fine bike lane near South Blvd I spotted a bus commuter preparing to board the #5 heading into town.  It’s a route with very high ridership and most of the stops have more than one passenger waiting.  I didn’t want to cause a riot by giving a prize to just one or two riders at a crowded stop, so I was thrilled to find a single passenger at this stop.  I pulled onto the sidewalk, got out my gift bag, and managed to hand this nice lady a prize just as the bus opened it’s door.  She was pleasantly surprized and smiled as she took the gift (some squarish sort of gizmo) as she boarded the bus.

FYI:

Town hall meeting on May 11, 7pm, Washtenaw Community College,  to focus on transportation projects

In May, Pam Byrnes will host a town hall meeting with U.S. Reps. John Dingell (D-Michigan) and Mark Schauer (D-Michigan) to provide an update on local, state and federal transportation projects aimed at improving roads in Washtenaw County. The town hall will take place on Monday, May 11, at 7 p.m. at the Washtenaw Community College Morris Lawrence Building, located at 4800 E. Huron River Drive in Ann Arbor.

This Commuter Challenge Ambassador Post is from Ashley B. over at at re:group in downtown Ann Arbor:

It’s only 3 more days until the start of the commuter challenge! I can’t wait to get started. I only committed to 5 days, but I think there’s a good chance it will be more. My inspiration first started when I went out for a run into downtown and found myself at work before I knew it. I realized biking would be even easier and went home and researched bike racks. Then, I came across the commuter challenge on Twitter, and knew it was just the push I needed! I thought back to my environmental classes at U of M, and  the studies that showed how important it was to get out and be immersed in nature. I don’t do that enough! I get my best ideas when I’m out walking and quietly thinking. It will be a great time to get fresh air, exercise and a moment for introspection in a busy world!

getDowntown has equipped Commuter Challenge Ambassadors with prizes to hand out to people who have shown a commitment to sustainable commuting.  Here’s a Prize Patrol report from Commuter Challenge Ambassador Logan S. from Arbor Brewing Company:

Hello Nancy,  I just received my package of prizes and already started giving them out to bikers who ride by the Arbor Brewing Company.  People are delighted when you explain that the prizes are an effort to spread the word on sustainability.  By the end of the Month these buttons should be a hot commodity for those around the Ypsilanti-Ann Arbor area.  Thank You for letting me in on the fun!

You too can join in the fun by participating in the Commuter Challenge.