With its first major service change in over 20 years to the region, SMART is offering FREE RIDES exclusively on the FAST routes for the first two weeks of January. From Jan. 1 to Jan. 15, residents can try one or all of the new FAST routes: FAST Gratiot, FAST Woodward or FAST Michigan to the places they want to go.
“We are pleased to offer to the residents of the region a great new bus service that will help connect people from the suburbs to the city easily and conveniently,” stated John C. Hertel, General Manager at SMART. “This is a great opportunity for residents to give the new FAST service a try whether they are travelling to the airport, going to downtown, or to work.”
While limited-stop service is not new to SMART or transit, higher frequency combined with limited-stops located at about every mile, FAST service translates to a quicker commute. Riders are only able to board and deboard at the official FAST stations designated with a new FAST sign. Local routes can be used to transfer riders to a FAST station or in-between bus stops. Using this new service is easy and the fare is the same as SMART’s regular service, only $2.00 one-way. Transfers are only 25 cents.
Each new FAST route provides an improved level of service to key destinations on each corridor. FAST Michigan, for the first time, offers a direct connection from downtown Detroit to both terminals at Metro Airport and the Dearborn Transit Center. FAST Woodward serves the corridor from Pontiac and Troy, connecting to four hospitals, the Zoo and midtown and downtown Detroit. FAST Gratiot connects people from 23 Mile to Mt. Clemens, Macomb Mall, Midtown, Eastern Market and downtown. With operating hours during the days, nights, and weekends, FAST is a whole new and improved transit option for the region.
To help navigate the new FAST service, SMART Customer Service representatives will be on-hand to answer questions with special New Year’s Day hours on Monday, January 1st, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call Customer Service at (866) 962-5515. Customer Service will resume its regular weekday hours on Tuesday, January 2nd, from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays. Additional information about SMART and FAST routes and schedules can be found at www.smartbus.org.
Serving residents since 1967, SMART is southeast Michigan’s only regional public transportation provider, offering convenient, reliable and safe transportation for Macomb, Oakland and Wayne Counties. SMART’s Fixed Route and small bus services connect people to employment and educational institutions, medical appointments and shopping centers. For routes and fare information, visit smartbus.org.
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