SMART plans to create an express shuttle from downtown Detroit to DTW airport

**Airforceguy** · November-25-22, 05:52 PM

“No stops along the way, straight to the airport," Lloyd said. "That is what we are leaning towards."Planning still needs to be done for the transit line but the city hopes to have the bus up and running by either late 2023 or early 2024.
The route is being made possible through a $2 million grant under the infrastructure law.

https://www.wxyz.com/news/city-plans...to-dtw-airport

**mwilbert** · November-25-22, 10:06 PM

That would be good. I'm sure some people around here remember the old Greyhound shuttle that ran from a few downtown hotels and the bus station to the airport. It was pretty useful. I used it a number of times when I was a lot younger.

**expatriate** · November-26-22, 01:20 PM

I'm not so sure that makes sense given ridership numbers from downtown. Even cities that have rail links to their airports make intermediate stops. I have taken the FAST [[Route 261) to DTW from downtown and although the trip via Michigan is hardly fast it does seem to serve a lot of people cheaply. Not many places can one take public transit to the airport for $2 [[or 50 cents for seniors). Some cities have door to door private shuttle service which are less than a taxi fare, but the time it takes depends on how many stops it must make to pick up other fares. That being said, I would definitely pay $5-$10 for a non-stop. Depends on the route it takes I guess.

**oladub** · November-26-22, 01:28 PM

Why did Greyhound discontinue its airport service? Were any bus companies allowed to offer bids? Did Greyhound get taxpayer money for it airport service?

Shuttle busses and light rails [[dreaming) are a great way to avoid the parking, congestion and drop off problems at airports. If reservations are required, I suggest that a route beginning in the far north suburbs and another beginning somewhere in the far eastern suburbs be staggered to pick up passengers in downtown Detroit. This would increase the frequency of busses leaving downtown Detroit and be a convenience for some far flung suburbanites.

**Wesley Mouch** · November-27-22, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by oladub

Why did Greyhound discontinue its airport service? Were any bus companies allowed to offer bids? Did Greyhound get taxpayer money for it airport service?

Shuttle busses and light rails [[dreaming) are a great way to avoid the parking, congestion and drop off problems at airports. If reservations are required, I suggest that a route beginning in the far north suburbs and another beginning somewhere in the far eastern suburbs be staggered to pick up passengers in downtown Detroit. This would increase the frequency of busses leaving downtown Detroit and be a convenience for some far flung suburbanites.

I can't think of a major city that DOESN'T have some kind of dedicated train/tram/trolley/bus for the airport to downtown. Vienna has their CAT [[City Airport Transport, yes in English) that runs on the same lines as their other transit, but has no stops [[or maybe just one or two if memory fails). Regular train takes a few minutes more, and costs perhaps 3E vs. something like 20E for the express. And it does well.

If you want downtown to succeed, at least a dedicated bus is essential for business travellers. Just Airport to downtown. And if that works, you can build on it by adding other routes/stops that make sense. But you gotta make this work first. Not water it down until its just a bus. [[It should be a nice bus w/ branding at least)

**slick** · November-27-22, 06:40 PM

[QUOTE=Wesley Mouch;630084]I can't think of a major city that DOESN'T have some kind of dedicated train/tram/trolley/bus for the airport to downtown.

The people mover and q line money should have been spent on hi speed to DTW. The Michigan flyer bus goes from Lansing to Ann Arbor to DTW. Very heavily used.

**DetroitSoldier** · November-28-22, 08:42 AM

I can't believe there is not already an airport express bus to downtown. It's such a simple solution honestly.

Running an express bus from both terminals with something simple like 3 stops downtown--Grand Circus Park/Greektown/Michigan Ave. would give people reasonable access to the people mover, Q-Line, and the regional bus systems to get them to their final destination or downtown hotels/office buildings.

**ShadowSoarer** · November-28-22, 10:14 AM

Hopefully the buses are high frequency because if you fly back on Sunday and miss the smart bus by a few minutes you have to wait an hour for the next bus and another hour for the ride to Downtown.

Also hopefully the times are extended because at the moment the earliest stop to DTW is around 6:10 am or almost 7:00 am Sunday which wouldn't really work for early flights that depart at 6 or 7 am for example.

On a side note was looking at going to LAX to Downtown LA for an event and apparently the LA metro doesn't not go directly to DTLA. There is a FlyAway Bus that goes to from LAX to Union Station for like $10 and operates from 5:40 AM - 1:10 AM everyday. For Union Station to LAX it operates 3:00 AM - 11:30 PM. So hopefully it can at least be something like that.

**casscorridor** · November-28-22, 12:53 PM

Insane that this does not exist. But the frequency needs to be max 30 minutes or else riders will opt for a Taxi/app.

**Wesley Mouch** · November-29-22, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by ShadowSoarer

... snip...
On a side note was looking at going to LAX to Downtown LA for an event and apparently the LA metro doesn't not go directly to DTLA. There is a FlyAway Bus that goes to from LAX to Union Station for like $10 and operates from 5:40 AM - 1:10 AM everyday. For Union Station to LAX it operates 3:00 AM - 11:30 PM. So hopefully it can at least be something like that.

I took the 'metro' to LAX at least a decade ago. Remember it being simple. Transfer to shuttle bus for the last mile or two. I try to take PT to airports whenever I can, even though my firm will pay for taxi. Its jus a lot more fun, and you meet people.

**ShadowSoarer** · November-29-22, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

I took the 'metro' to LAX at least a decade ago. Remember it being simple. Transfer to shuttle bus for the last mile or two. I try to take PT to airports whenever I can, even though my firm will pay for taxi. Its jus a lot more fun, and you meet people.

Looking on the map for LA metro there doesn’t seem to be a direct line from LAX to DTLA. Looks like you have to take the green line east then transfer to blue line north or take silver line metro bus north. Only found out about FlyAway bus through some fairly recent Reddit post.

**kuuma** · December-01-22, 12:18 PM

this is a great opportunity to work out a rail line to the airport and create some substantial connectivity, something the RTA has discussed for ages. instead of joining almost every industrialized city in having an air-train of some kind from its population centers, we're aiming for the bare minimum again with a bus. feels like michigan is terrified to invest in actual infrastructure, as if a couple trains are somehow gonna implode the auto industry.

**EastsideAl** · December-02-22, 01:19 PM

About damn time. I can't tell you the number of clients I had back when I was organizing travel into the city for business/events who reacted with total disbelief when I told them there was no direct transit link from the airport to downtown. Especially international clients who came from places where such a link would be considered an absolutely essential component of any airport and transit system.

Now to get an actual rail line done to link Detroit, Metro, and Ann Arbor. It's an absolute no-brainer, but then this area often acts worse than brainless when it comes to transit infrastructure.

**Wesley Mouch** · December-03-22, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

About damn time. I can't tell you the number of clients I had back when I was organizing travel into the city for business/events who reacted with total disbelief when I told them there was no direct transit link from the airport to downtown. Especially international clients who came from places where such a link would be considered an absolutely essential component of any airport and transit system.

Duh..... well put and oh, so correct.

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

Now to get an actual rail line done to link Detroit, Metro, and Ann Arbor. It's an absolute no-brainer, but then this area often acts worse than brainless when it comes to transit infrastructure.

I think everyone knows this is true. The issue is politics. Is it not 100% clear that Metro Airport is a funding machine for politicians? And taxis and limo services are well-known knowing where to direct their hard-earned money to avoid actually having to compete on the basis of quality.