Read about it here.

Over the last six weeks there’s been a flurry of new businesses opening downtown. We’ve received go!pass orders from new businesses Perpetua Boutique, This & That and Pink Pump all within days of their store’s opening (and sometimes days before they opened.) Businesses that ordered go!passes for the first time this month have been Four Directions, the Clark gas station and Salon XL. We love to hear that the go!pass is a valuable tool for business owners, and we also love to help solve their commuting dilemmas. Don’t hesitate to call us at 214-0100 to order go!passes or click here to ask for commuting advice for your business!

New this fall: the go!pass will have a new look and function differently. When boarding the bus, go!pass users must swipe their pass – just like the other pass-holders that ride The Ride.

The passes will look  different too: namely that the employer’s name will no longer be printed on the front of the pass.  It will be important for employers to keep track of the pass numbers – more important than it has been before. When an employee leaves and forgets to turn in their go!pass, the employer can contact getDowntown and we can deactivate unauthorized cards.

If you ever need to order more passes they will be available immediately – just call 214-0100 or stop by our office and we can sell you passes instantly. (Until mid-October, though, we will need to still order our 2009-2010 passes for our customers, meaning there will still be a small wait.)

The renewal season is upon us – go!pass renewals must be received by September 24, 2010 to ensure your passes will be delivered before the old passes expire!

5 go!Pass Benefits:

Unlimited Bus Rides: With a go!pass, you get free rides on any AATA bus.  This includes buses from the Ypsilanti area as well as buses from any of AATA’s Park and Ride Lots.

Free Parking: With a go!pass, you can park at any of AATA’s Park and Ride Lots (located at Miller and M14, Pioneer High School, Plymouth Rd., State St., and Green Rd.) and take a bus to work for free.

50% off A2Chelsea and A2Canton Express Buses: If you live in the Chelsea or Canton area, the go!pass just got better.  With a go!pass, you get a 50% discount on passes for the A2Chelsea or A2Canton express service.  That’s just $62.50 a month for the Canton Express or $50 for the Chelsea Express.  Contact the getDowntown Program for details.

Discount on Night Ride: If you work in the evening, the go!pass offers a discount on AATA’s Night Ride Shared taxi service.  With a go!pass, employees can use Night Ride for just $1 a ride, compared to the normal fare of $5 a ride.

Tons of Discounts to Downtown Stores: Even if employees don’t use the bus, they can use their go!pass for tons of discounts to downtown stores.  More than 40 businesses, including restaurants, coffee shops, clothing stores, and more offer a go!pass discount of at least 10%.  Visit http://getdowntown.org/bus/gopass/gopass_discounts.html

Check out the photos from Bike to Work Day 2010!

Here are the folks who won a prize for logging a carpool or vanpool commute during Let’s Share Week:

getDowntown Chico bags/free Barre Intensity Class from Vie Fitness and Spa – Underground Printing – Jason M.
$25 Kerrytown Shops Gift Certificate – HealthMedia, Inc    - Aundrea M.
getDowntown Chico bags – University of Michigan – Nephrology – Martha K.
getDowntown Chico bags – Washtenaw County – Economic Development & Energy – Anya D.
getDowntown Chico bags – University of Michigan – Psychology Student Academic Affairs – Jennifer T.
Sava’s – $10 gift card – ICPSR – Adam W.
Eastern Accents – $5 gift card – Angelini & Associates Architects – Theresa A.
Eastern Accents – $5 gift card    Thomson Reuters – Healthcare and Science – Nancy F.
Collected Works – $25 gift card    Michigan Tech Research Institute – Greg L.
Middle Earth – $25 gift card – City of Ann Arbor – Jamal W.

Here are the folks who won a gas card for logging a carpool or vanpool commute during Let’s Share Week:

Ginsberg Center – Rachel F.
Google – Angela S.
JJR – Melissa G.
REI Ann Arbor – Dave H.
REI Ann Arbor – Meg N.
REI Ann Arbor – Jessica G.
State Theater – Reed W.
State Theater – Christine T.
Washtenaw Friend of the Court – Eliza C.
Washtenaw Friend of the Court – Sarah R.

Here’s a list of people who won a prize for logging a walking commute during the Commuter Challenge:

getDowntown Chico bags won by:

University of Michigan – Psychology Student Academic Affairs- Gitta K.
JJR – Emily M.
University Of Michigan – ADVANCE Program – Susan B.
Lord, Aeck & Sargent Architecture – Ross W.
DTE Energy Services Inc    - Natalie B.
Comet Coffee – Anna F.
Google – Rob T.
HealthMedia, Inc. – Molly M.
University Of Michigan – ADVANCE Program – Shawn B.
City of Ann Arbor – Mimi Q.

Here’s a list of people who won a prize for logging a walking commute during the Commuter Challenge:

Mighty Good Coffee – $5 gift card – Braun Court – Michael J.
Mighty Good Coffee – $5 gift card – Michigan Theater Foundation – Eric F.
Mighty Good Coffee – $5 gift card – U of M – MLibrary – Chrysta    M.
Mighty Good Coffee – $5 gift card – U of M -Newnan Academic Advising – Erin T.
Mighty Good Coffee – $5 gift card – Google – Jon M.
Mighty Good Coffee – $5 gift card – Journal of Clinical Investigation – Rachel N.
getDowntown Chico bags – Lord, Aeck & Sargent Architecture – Sadashiv M.
getDowntown Chico bags – Beagle Brain – Ben F.
getDowntown Chico bags – Ann Arbor YMCA – Diane C.
getDowntown Chico bags – Ann Arbor Film Festival – Becca K.

Here’s a list of people who won a prize for logging a walking commute during the Commuter Challenge:
Comet Coffee – $5 gift certs Washtenaw County-Finance Department Xiaohong W.
Comet Coffee – $5 gift certs University of Michigan – MLibrary Sara S.
Comet Coffee – $5 gift certs University of Michigan-Chemical Engineering Tom W.
Comet Coffee – $5 gift certs University of Michigan-Chemical Engineering Meghan C.
Comet Coffee – $5 gift certs Zingerman’s Delicatessen Margot M.
Comet Coffee – $5 gift certs Michigan Theater Foundation Bailey R.
Comet Coffee – $5 gift certs University Of Michigan – ADVANCE Program Abby S.
Comet Coffee – $5 gift certs Zingerman’s Delicatessen Wendell M.
Comet Coffee – $5 gift certs ApplEcon LLC Russell B.
Comet Coffee – $5 gift certs Ann Arbor Observer John H.

The Steel Wheels are an Americana band from Virginia (though one of their members calls Ann Arbor home) and have started doing a yearly tour by bicycle. They wanted to find a way to reduce the environmental impact of traditional
touring.

This year, the band plans to do a 10 day, 400 mile tour of Michigan, completely by bicycle. It’s an unsupported tour– they will be carrying all of their instruments and gear on their bicycles and in bike trailers. Their journey kicks off in Ann Arbor on May 5th with a show at the Circus (210 S. First St., Ann Arbor, MI, 48104).

On Saturday, May 15, the final day of the tour, Tree Fort Bikes and The Steel Wheels Duo are organizing a blowout festival at The Savoy, a new concert venue in Ypsilanti, for a fun-filled day of riding, music, bicycling camaraderie and advocacy that ends with a concert by The Steel Wheels Duo as well as Wayward Roots and Abigail Stauffer. The event will start with several organized rides that will start from various locations in the local area, including a short and a long road ride and a mountain bike ride on an area trail. Proving that its simply more fun to get there by pedal power, those who cycle to The Savoy can enjoy free staffed bike parking and a half-price ticket to the three-act show.