By Daniel Whitehouse, VP of Paratransit and On-Demand Services
Transit equity isn’t an abstract policy goal. It’s about whether a senior in Clinton Township can get to a medical appointment, whether a parent in Dearborn can access jobs beyond their neighborhood, whether someone in Southfield with a disability can participate in community life instead of facing isolation.
When someone lacks reliable transportation, their world shrinks. Job options become limited to walking distance or what’s affordable using ride-sharing. A $40 Uber ride means $40 less for medical needs or groceries. For paratransit riders, limited service can mean complete isolation from employment, healthcare, and social connections.
Transportation deserts perpetuate economic inequality in a vicious cycle: limited transit restricts job opportunities, which means lower income, which makes overcoming transportation barriers even harder.
Closing the Gaps
SMART is actively addressing equity gaps through the SMARTer Mobility study. Our micro transit expansion from five to eleven zones will extend first-mile and last-mile connections, as well as increasing transportation options within each zone, bringing meaningful transit access to 1.9 million Metro Detroit residents, an increase from 1.2 million.
Where 40-foot buses can’t navigate or density doesn’t support fixed routes, we’re deploying smaller vehicles to reach previously underserved areas. Paratransit services provide curb-to-curb and door-to-door transportation for residents who can’t access fixed routes due to disabilities, opening up employment, healthcare, education, and social opportunities.
Many residents don’t know what services exist or how to access them. We can reach students easily, but connecting with parents and seniors is harder. Parents need to understand transit is safe and reliable. Seniors may not know services designed for their needs exist.
That’s why SMART partners extensively with community organizations, veteran workshops, schools, and career development programs. When we’re engaging with residents, we’re learning whether we’re truly meeting their needs.
Also, new scheduling software will revolutionize paratransit access through push notifications, real-time tracking, and app-based trip management. Riders comfortable with technology gain independence, while those preferring phone service get better access to our customer service team.
This technology will be shared with community partners at no cost, creating a unified passenger database that eliminates duplication and frees resources for expanded service within the region.
A Regional Responsibility
If Wayne County fully opts into regional coordination, connections between communities could multiply. Changes to one service area create ripple effects throughout the region.
Through SMARTer Mobility, we’re listening to riders, advocacy groups and staff while examining every detail of our operations. We’re asking why people aren’t using our services, what barriers exist, and what solutions are possible.
But SMART can’t achieve transit equity alone.
What we need is a collective will to make it happen, because accessible transportation is the foundation for economic opportunity and quality of life.
Our region can do more. Our region should do more. Every day someone lacks reliable transit access is a day of lost opportunity we can’t recover. And we believe every Metro Detroit resident deserves the chance to reach their full potential.
