Yet another benefit of transit. A recent study found that people who use a Commuter Train to get to work lost more weight over time than drivers. Check out the study here: http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=mass-transit-encourages-exercise-an-10-07-09
Interesting article from the Ny Mag that I just came across.
In light of budget cuts for rail transit, what if buses are really the way to go?
I admit I haven’t read the entire article yet, but it presents some interesting thoughts on the evolution of the bus system and how it relates to New York.
AnnArbor.Com posted two articles on the two Commuter Rail projects pending to Ann Arbor. And as usual, it’s all about the money. In my opinion, I would say both projects are still viable, but funding is definitely an issue.
LivingstonDaily.com recently posted an article on the Howell to Ann Arbor Commuter Rail Project (WALLY).
Here’s a summary of the updates:
Mike is the type of person you might not typically think of as a sustainable commuter. He’s the President and COO of a growing company. He’s a dad. And he has a free parking spot in the back of his building.
But don’t let those details fool you. From my interview with Mike it’s clear that commuting sustainably fits perfectly into his life and has some unexpected benefits. Mike Felkey works at Intersect Digital, a small web development firm with some big clients. Intersect has worked with such companies as Subaru and Saatchi & Saatchi. The company’s headquarters is in downtown Ann Arbor (on First Street) and they also have a location in New York (who doesn’t, really). Depending on the amount of work available, Intersect employs anywhere from 17 to 60 employees. Currently, business is on the upswing.
The first clue into Mike’s interest in sustainable commuting comes when we talk about the company’s culture. Intersect is very supportive of telecommuting for its employees. Since many of the company’s employees live in places like Southfield and Novi and since many of them are working mothers, this benefit really helps cut down on a stressful commute. As far as Mike’s concerned, as long as employees get the work done, it doesn’t matter where they do it. We then chatted a bit about Daniel Pink’s new book, Drive, which describes how the businesses of the future are finding ways to motivate their employees through giving them freedom rather than imposing tons of rules. And according to Mike, this philosophy really pays off.
So what about the employees who do commute to work? Since Intersect offers the go!pass to employees, some of them happily take the bus. Other employees walk or ride their bikes. As far as Mike goes, he likes to walk, bike or take the bus to work. His commute isn’t super short either. If he chooses to walk, it can take him about 40 minutes.
So what’s Mike’s motivation for walking, biking or busing to work? He’s got a free space out back, and could probably get to work by car in less than 40 minutes. A big benefit Mike sees in leaving his car at home is that walking, biking and busing are all great for his health. He gets to build some exercise into his day, which might otherwise be a challenge to find the time for. Now that there are Zipcars downtown (a couple just a block from him office), Mike can bike, walk or bus to work even when he needs to go to a meeting out of town.
As we start to chat a little about Mike’s kids (his son goes to Tappan and his daughter goes to Burn’s Park Elementary), I find out another great benefit of Mike’s commute. Both of his kids have grown up watching Mike walk to work and now they want to walk to school. With all of the current news about childhood obesity, the example that Mike is setting for his kids is really inspiring.
When I asked Mike what he might like to see improved about transportation in our community, he lists fixing the lights so they are more in sync, improving the parking downtown, and adding more bike lanes to make cycling safer. We also talked a little but about the possibility of light rail, which is a topic he’s really interested in. Mike even said he’d contemplate giving up his car if there were light rail, especially since there are Zipcars available.
Mike’s biking, walking and busing ways are not unique among leaders in downtown Ann Arbor. Rich Sheridan, CEO of Menlo Innovations, frequently bikes to work. Grace Singleton, Managing Partner at Zingerman’s Deli, is also a bike commuter. Bonnie Valentine of the Whole Brain Group often takes the bus to work. Curtis Sullivan and Liz DellaRocco, owners of Vault of Midnight walk and carpool to work.
Any downtown commuter can join this great list of leaders. All you have to do is hop on a bus, grab your bike, or strap on your walking shoes. If you work downtown and would like some help figuring out which commuting option is best for you, getDowntown can help! Simply give us a call, check out our website or send us an email for personal commuting assistance.
A New York Times Blog recently posted that public transit ridership declined by 3.8% during the first nine months of 2009. Not surprising given the lower gas prices and unemployment stats for 2009.  The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority experienced similar declines during that time.  Also of note is that transit ridership in San Francisco actually increased during this time.
One thing the blog post doesn’t consider is the change in automobile use during this time. Were people also driving less because they didn’t have the money to go shopping etc? Or maybe people were driving more because gas is cheap. I am sure this stat is out there somewhere.
It would also be interesting to consider who stopped taking the bus. Did people who always take the bus simply take the bus less? Or did people who could choose between driving or busing choose to drive? It’s not as if all transit riders are the same. It would be very interesting to delve into this data as well.
For a somewhat basic breakdown of this concept, in the APTA report, it appears that ridership on Commuter Rail and Buses declined about 5% while ridership on Heavy Rail and Light Rail declined to a lesser degree (about 3% and 1% respectively) . Trolley ridership actually increased by .6%  It would be interesting to see why the declines are different. Any thoughts?
So I guess the take home lesson in all of this (which we’ve known here at the getDowntown Program for a while now) is that cost matters when it comes to transportation choices. Most people will be more likely to change their commuting behavior when it starts to hit their pocketbook. People are also more likely to change their commuting behavior when they live closer to where they work (within 4 miles or so).
As we enter a New Year and continue to have debates surrounding healthcare and global warming, how does transportation (and commuting in particular) fit into this picture? What would our world look like if more people in Ann Arbor (and the US) used sustainable transportation? What problems would this solve (or create)?
Like many of you, I am very interested in seeing the Ann Arbor to Detroit Commuter Rail project come to fruition. There are tens of thousands of people who commute from Wayne County to Washtenaw County every day. These folks have no other alternative but to drive. Commuter rail from Ann Arbor to Detroit would be a great way to offer stressed-out commuters another option and also has potential for great economic benefits for the region.
As I said, I’m not the only one who wants this to happen. Check out this blog post from Crain’s about an Ann Arborite who would love to commute to his job in Detroit via train.
Finally, if you’d like an update on the progress for the A2-Detroit Commuter Rail, click here. It’s a PDF report from SEMCOG.
As the Michigan Legislature looks to balance it’s budget for the coming year, transportation cuts are on the table. It looks like $1.2 billion dollars in cuts were based by the Michigan Conference Commitee. These cuts will impact Amtrak, any activities related to the U.S.–Canada bridge crossing, and more.
Not sure if this has any implications for this area. If I learn anything, I’ll send it out.
In case you haven’t heard, there are two different Ann Arbor Commuter Rail proposals in the works. Both the WALLY (Washtenaw Livingston Line) and the Ann Arbor-Detroit Line are slated to begin in the fall of 2010.
The AATA is helping to coordinate the WALLY project and has been leading meetings of interested folks for a while. The last meeting was held on June 22nd.
While it looks like the rail cars and other details are going smoothly, there is still the issue of funding for the WALLY. MDOT did not receive Stimulus funds for the project, and is now trying for something called TIGER funds (info on TIGER funds in the comment section).
If you want to read more about WALLY and view the presentation from June 22nd click here.
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.
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:
There are a bunch of different types of bus passes available to people who want to ride the bus:
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:
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:
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.
There are a couple of Late-Night Bus Service Options in Ann Arbor:
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.
Here are some basic hints and tips to keep in mind when riding the bus:
Other Bus and Transit Services
