Getting to the AirPort

**O3H** · February-20-19, 12:48 PM

Taking a BUS to the airport used be an ordeal.
FAST stands for “Frequent Affordable Safe Transit.”
The Michigan bus, Route 261, runs from downtown Detroit
to the airport in a little more than an hour.

https://wdet.org/posts/2019/02/18/87851-detroit-bus-to-airport-more-than-one-year-old/

**EGrant** · February-20-19, 03:35 PM

"SMART already had local buses that served the Michigan Avenue corridor. Cramer says he knew that adding the FAST service there would decrease ridership on some of the existing routes. So, he says, in determining success, officials decided to look at the net impact on the corridor. They had hoped to see an overall increase in ridership of at least 10 percent. What they found was an increase of nearly 40 percent."

**Scottathew** · February-20-19, 03:39 PM

I use the FAST Woodward line, Route 461 to get to work. The ridership increase in the last year has been huge! They used me in one of the commercials, so that probably has a lot to do with it

**mtburb** · February-20-19, 08:29 PM

I took the Fast Woodward line once back in August to get to the zoo. Lot of riders both ways and we stopped at virtually every en-route station.

**O3H** · February-20-19, 09:40 PM

So you can get to the airport, even without a car, taking the bus

**dtowncitylover** · February-21-19, 12:40 PM

You mean public transportation CAN work in the Detroit area?!?!?!

How will Leon Drolet sleep tonight???

**Wesley Mouch** · February-21-19, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

You mean public transportation CAN work in the Detroit area?!?!?!

Alleluia! We're just a few decades late to the party of decent cities, but great that we've arrived. When I travel for work, I usually take transit into town. Vienna, Seattle, Atlanta, Chicago all come to mind as towns that have great airport transit. Yea, we've got it too!

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

How will Leon Drolet sleep tonight???

[/quote]
There's not only one right solution to a problem. Drolet has his opinions, which many of his voters share. Uber/Lyft has done just as much or more for airport transit as our monopoly gov't systems.

Related, what cities remain in the past? Who doesn't have good airport transit? Who doesn't allow ride share to their airports?

**DeLemur** · February-23-19, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

You mean public transportation CAN work in the Detroit area?!?!?!

How will Leon Drolet sleep tonight???

Haaa! I took FAST and it was about an hour from Rosa Parks transit center. Clean, easy and super cheap. I was impressed!

**Zacha341** · February-21-19, 01:55 PM

And there's also Lyft. Used it twice to get to and from the airport. Cheaper than taxi rates!

**Bham1982** · February-21-19, 02:57 PM

Is this really a big issue in an age of Uber/Lyft?

**dtowncitylover** · February-21-19, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

Is this really a big issue in an age of Uber/Lyft?

It is when some of us can't afford $15-60 airport rides.

And before you say, "IT DOESN'T COST $60 FOR AN LYFT TO THE AIRPORT!!!" It did last week when I transferred to the 261 in the morning and looked, for shits and giggles, how much it would be from downtown to the airport. Yeah, I got a whole lot of giggles out of that price.

Like how can it be explained that some people can't afford rideshares and/or don't have the technology/resources/money to do it?

If I wanted to be in a car, I would've driven.

**hybridy** · February-21-19, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

It is when some of us can't afford $15-60 airport rides.

i have used uber several times traveling for business. work happily reimburses me the cost versus paying for my mileage and $24/day parking costs if i were to drive myself.

only downside is smelly + chatty drivers and smelly cars which i've had before #firstworldproblems

**dtowncitylover** · February-21-19, 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by hybridy

i have used uber several times traveling for business. work happily reimburses me the cost versus paying for my mileage and $24/day parking costs if i were to drive myself.

only downside is smelly + chatty drivers and smelly cars which i've had before #firstworldproblems

Cool dude. I spent $2.25.

**Zacha341** · February-21-19, 04:01 PM

Yeah the inconsistent service [[over-chatty drivers, too fast driving or smelly cars) of uber and lyft is a pain. I prefer lyft.

Wish you could request the better drivers but no, it's luck of the draw. I had someone pick me up in a car smelling of weed. Great. But a very skilled, nice driver so I tipped him. Hah.

Originally Posted by hybridy

i have used uber several times traveling for business. work happily reimburses me the cost versus paying for my mileage and $24/day parking costs if i were to drive myself.

only downside is smelly + chatty drivers and smelly cars which i've had before #firstworldproblems

**softailrider** · February-21-19, 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by hybridy

i have used uber several times traveling for business. work happily reimburses me the cost versus paying for my mileage and $24/day parking costs if i were to drive myself.

only downside is smelly + chatty drivers and smelly cars which i've had before #firstworldproblems

I park at the airport for 10.00 a day. I’ve never paid 24.00.

**hybridy** · February-22-19, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by softailrider

I park at the airport for 10.00 a day. I’ve never paid 24.00.

mcnamara deck. when i travel for business i don't park in remote lots and take a bus...im an entitled millennial

**Gistok** · February-22-19, 01:04 AM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

Is this really a big issue in an age of Uber/Lyft?

You do realize that in order to use Uber or Lyft, you need A) a SmartPhone and B) a credit card. You need both... or no ride via Uber/Lyft.

According to Pew Research only 64% of Americans have a SmartPhone.

**Bham1982** · February-22-19, 01:51 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

You do realize that in order to use Uber or Lyft, you need A) a SmartPhone and B) a credit card. You need both... or no ride via Uber/Lyft.

According to Pew Research only 64% of Americans have a SmartPhone.

But most Americans don't even fly. The issue is airport access.

I would bet that regular fliers have near 100% cellphone access at this point. And if you can afford a flight, you can probably afford $15 to get to the airport.

And I'm not against PT to the airport. I just don't think it's a priority, or will ever be highly patronized.

**Towne Cluber** · February-22-19, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

And if you can afford a flight, you can probably afford $15 to get to the airport.

Unless one lives relatively close to DTW, the average Metro Detroiter is paying a lot more than $15 to get to Metro Airport.

**Wesley Mouch** · February-23-19, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

...According to Pew Research only 64% of Americans have a SmartPhone.

I bet if you looked at households w/ at least 1 smartphone, it would be higher.

I bet if you excluded those 0-18 and 65 & up, it would be higher.

Regardless, its a meaningless stat. If don't have a smartphone, but get a job that requires travel... you will get one and problem is solved at pretty modest recurring expense.

Yes, there is an excluded population. Might be cheaper to subsidize smartphones than subsidize PT. But while this issue is important -- its not that important either way.

**dtowncitylover** · February-21-19, 03:48 PM

I didn't say we arrived. I said it can work. And looking at the numbers, it does. The still used cliche by Leon Drolet and his ilk of "no one takes the bus" or "there's nobody on the bus" simply isn't true.

I have no problem with Uber/Lyft as a business, but to say we don't need public transit because we have U/L also isn't true. We need them all. Part of a major city's image is based on how well one can get about the city. Tourists and visitors shouldn't have to shell out $15+ bucks every time they want to explore anywhere beyond downtown or getting back to the airport. Which is another reason why I'm happy for SMART and DDOT's upcoming streamlining of fares and passes.

I look forward to Metro Airport admins also reading this article and hopefully promoting the service more at the airport.

**Zacha341** · February-21-19, 04:04 PM

Agreed, the more options the better for transpo -- yes! Then everyone can happily choose per their desire, income, need etc.

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

...I have no problem with Uber/Lyft as a business, but to say we don't need public transit because we have U/L also isn't true. We need them all. Part of a major city's image is based on how well one can get about the city.

**RaumVogel** · February-21-19, 04:14 PM

I'm originally from Taylor.Try to use their web site and see how non existent service is in that suburb. https://www.smartbus.org/Services/Se...mmunity/Taylor

**Atticus** · February-21-19, 04:42 PM

If this region ever wants public “rail” transit again, downtown to the airport is the route where it has to start. Not Royal Oak to New Center, or AA to New Center... but DTW to downtown.

And that is because rich and middle income people would use actually it. Not saying it is socially just, but if only lower income groups and transit-lovers would use it... the politicos will never really get on board.

**Bham1982** · February-21-19, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by Atticus

If this region ever wants public “rail” transit again, downtown to the airport is the route where it has to start. Not Royal Oak to New Center, or AA to New Center... but DTW to downtown.

And that is because rich and middle income people would use actually it. Not saying it is socially just, but if only lower income groups and transit-lovers would use it... the politicos will never really get on board.

None of this makes sense. Downtown-to-airport rail lines aren't typically heavily used, even in centralized, transit-oriented metros.

Detroit Metro is a hub airport, meaning most passengers never leave the terminal. It isn't generating that much traffic. Downtown is a relatively small piece of the regional puzzle, and isn't gonna have much airport demand.

And rich and middle income wouldn't use it. They would drive or Uber/Lyft like [[almost) everyone else. They don't even use airport lines in, say, Paris, why would they use them in Detroit?

And while I think regional rail is stupid, if you're gonna do it, you would obviously do it up Woodward first. Michigan Ave. isn't nearly as important and would generate less traffic.