Jump to content

SMART (Detroit)


A. Wong

Recommended Posts

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Novi is seriously considering opting back into SMART.

https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/novi-could-be-next-metro-detroit-city-to-join-smart-bus-system

Quote

NOVI, Mich. - The city of Novi could be the next in Metro Detroit to welcome the SMART bus system. 

Novi Mayor Bob Gatt is looking to make a joint presentation with SMART to City Council as soon as next month. 

Currently, passengers are dropped off at 12 Mile and Haggerty roads near the Farmington Hills border. 

By joining SMART, passengers would be dropped off closer to the Twelve Oaks Mall and other shopping centers in the area. Opting into SMART also would add a 1-mill property tax to fund the system. 

Copyright 2018 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Where do you think buses will go if Novi opts in? My ideas are these:

There would be two or three new Park & Ride lots (two already exist as MDOT Carpool Lots, the third is a mall):

  • The "Beck Lot" would be the one at the corner of 12 Mile and Beck.
  • The "Twelve Oaks Lot" would be somewhere on the property of Twelve Oaks Mall.
  • The "8 Mile Lot" would be the one on 8 Mile just west of Haggerty, on the property of Meijer. I know this one's technically in Northville Township, but it's right on the border so I say it should still be served.

And routes would change as follows (these are my opinions of what should happen, so actual changes may not quite be this great - I realize I'm being *very* optimistic with the 780 considering Novi isn't even part of the proposed route):

  • Buses on the 330 would continue west on Grand River to Novi Road, go north to Twelve Oaks Mall, and west to the Beck Lot. I imagine southbound buses would still use 10 Mile and Haggerty for the return trip, as those seemed to be popular stops when I mapped the route for OpenStreetMap.
  • Buses on the 740 would continue west on 12 Mile past Haggerty to Twelve Oaks Mall, and again, maybe to the Beck Lot.
  • Buses on the 780 would continue west on Maple to the Henry Ford Medical Center, then further west to Pontiac Trail. It would be non-stop between Haggerty and Decker Roads.
  • A new route 310 "Haggerty" would run from the Henry Ford Medical Center, west to Haggerty Road, then south and to the 8 Mile Lot.
    • If Livonia opts in, the route could easily go further south. Maybe all the way to Metro Airport - I do have ideas for that.
  • A new route 350 "Novi Road" would run from the 8 Mile Lot, west on 8 Mile to Novi Road, north to 14 Mile, north on Decker to Maple, and west to Pontiac Trail. 'Cause you can't forget that Walled Lake is already opt-in. They're getting a raw deal, being completely isolated from any other opt-in community and only getting Connector service right now.
  • A new route 896 "Novi Park & Ride" would run from the Beck Lot, to the Twelve Oaks Lot, then would take I-96 to the 8 Mile Lot, then back to I-96 to the Beech Daly exit, make a quick sidequest to serve the Fenton Lot that's on the 805, and then I-96 again to Downtown Detroit.
    • If Livonia opts in, this route could add stops at Madonna University and Millennium Park Shopping Center.
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

A sigh of relief in Macomb County as SMART's millage there survived yesterday's recount. When it was originally counted on August 7, it passed by less than 25 votes, while it easily passed in Oakland and Wayne Counties.

https://www.macombdaily.com/news/smart-bus-tax-vote-survives-recount-in-macomb-county/article_66b4f780-ac53-11e8-82d7-83883ebbf5ca.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwD02FTCYU0

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

The 3800s have gone live today. I have confirmed seven so far:

  • 3802 - First on 125 on 2019-01-17 at 13:50
  • 3805 - Entered service on 805 on 2019-01-17 at 05:30 (per automated checker made by alisonc42)
  • 3806 - On 494 at the time of originally posting this message (2019-01-17)
  • 3807 - First spotted on 849 on 2019-01-18 at 16:15
  • 3812 - Was on 560 before first edit (2019-01-17)
  • 3830 - First spotted on 261 (2019-01-17)
  • 3835 - First spotted on 462 but may have entered service on 461 (2019-01-17)

Also, something may have happened to 3812 tonight. A trip that driver was supposed to take was operated by a FAST coach instead (with a driver that actually did FAST earlier in the day).

I'm gonna keep the screenshots below for reference, but I don't have one of 3805 on 805 (fitting, by the way) or of 3806 or 3812.

Screenshot_20190117-144137.png

Screenshot_20190117-143847.png

Screenshot_20190117-143738.png

Screenshot_20190117-143654.png

Edited by ShadowFoxNixill
Grammar
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@160 Downriver, I'd like to turn your attention to my above post, which I'm editing as I see more buses go live (since I can't edit the wiki directly).

The information in that post is sourced by a tool that automatically checks certain bus numbers and posts in Discord when they go live - though on the day of launch it only had 3800-3809 (in addition to other buses not in the 3800 series - it was originally made to watch for 3001 and 3002) which is why my information is incomplete for '30 and '35. In theory, one could even find that driver on the trips I do have (say, the weekday 14:57 to 16:12 southbound 462) and ask what route the first trip of their run is to find out what route that bus started on.

The source for the tool can be found here, made by @alisonc.

As a result, I can verify that some information you added to the wiki is wrong, namely 3805, '07, and '12.

If we want to discredit that tool and rely on sightings only, I can still personally verify that 3812 was live on the 17th - I rode it myself that night.

Edit to add: The issues I mentioned in this post have been fixed. Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, ShadowFoxNixill said:

@160 Downriver, I'd like to turn your attention to my above post, which I'm editing as I see more buses go live (since I can't edit the wiki directly).

The information in that post is sourced by a tool that automatically checks certain bus numbers and posts in Discord when they go live - though on the day of launch it only had 3800-3809 (in addition to other buses not in the 3800 series - it was originally made to watch for 3001 and 3002) which is why my information is incomplete for '30 and '35. In theory, one could even find that driver on the trips I do have (say, the weekday 14:57 to 16:12 southbound 462) and ask what route the first trip of their run is to find out what route that bus started on.

The source for the tool can be found here, made by @alisonc.

As a result, I can verify that some information you added to the wiki is wrong, namely 3805, '07, and '12.

If we want to discredit that tool and rely on sightings only, I can still personally verify that 3812 was live on the 17th - I rode it myself that night.

Is there a link to whatever server this tool is in use on so I can see this in action for myself?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

SMART has officially announced the April 2019 service changes, which will necessitate three changes to the wiki (those are listed first):

  • Route 461: New stops added at Big Beaver / Crooks in both directions
    • These stops are already part of routes 430 and 465, which both operate only during peak hours
    • These stops are also stops 7 and 15 on the Big Beaver Shuttle Red Line
    • These stops are also the closest any FAST route comes to a Flint MTA connection, being under half a mile from the Auburn Hills route's Wilshire Drive stop
  • Route 849: A couple of changes here:
    • The first southbound trip is no longer an express past WSU, but will serve the midtown area just like all other 849s. It has been assimilated.
    • Northbound routes will now use the 8 Mile / Greenfield exit, just like the 851 does, to serve the park & ride lot at the beginning of the loop.
  • Route 567: A new trip will now operate starting around 5am at Lenox Meijer.
  • Route 510: The first peak-hour southbound trip will now continue to serve VA Hospital, and also runs 5-6 minutes later.
  • Route 851: The final southbound trip now runs about five minutes later.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Got a pic of 3806 while I was riding it for OpenStreetMap, during an eastbound 780 when it got a midroute break at Somerset.

3806-watermarked.thumb.jpg.e215fbae0272301b1825a8245b599a87.jpg

Speaking of "riding it for OpenStreetMap", I'm in the process of uploading this changeset, which contains all the (not already mapped) stops on the 780, including the ones that were missing from the 460 and 445 - thus completing the last two Woodward routes, and Project Woodward is done!

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

DDOT and SMART will be unveiling a new unified fare payment system, called Dart. Dart will be introduced on May 1 and offers the ability to take unlimited rides on both systems in four-hour and 24-hour increments. Weekly and monthly passes will also be made available, and a phone app is to be released soon.

The article also mentions that a Dart expansion to include the People Mover and Q-Line is in the works. If it was also expanded to include the Ann Arbor Area Transit Authority and Transit Windsor, many more potential opportunities could pop up.

https://detroitmi.gov/news/smart-ddot-announce-unified-payment-system-dart-new-way-pay-public-transit?fbclid=IwAR0ikKO20tyMd2daPr-DChKvq_7GtxEZ2igjseE-GuSlKgPATr5bls8NjAw

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
  • 7 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...
On 6/11/2018 at 4:54 PM, Brandon Baul said:

I don't know what will happen to the DE60LF though... Right now, it is currently out of service.

I know this is old not sure if anyone has told you but 3001 has been retired 3002 is at Wayne terminal used during peak rush hour on 200 keep up the good work on your videos btw and hey try to do some bus observations once all this blows over noones done that 

I know this isn't the paper bus thread but i think this deserves to be here seeing we all have a common interest 

BRT GILLIG SMART BUS FAST 563.png

BRT GILLIG SMART BUS state-1 (1)-1 (1).png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...