The Delta County Mobility Transformation Initiative will expand the Delta Area Transit Authority (DATA) into a countywide public transportation network serving all of Delta County. It will end transit gaps by extending service to all 14 townships, Escanaba, Gladstone and Garden while adding expanded evening and Saturday service. The expansion will give more residents reliable access to employment, healthcare, education, shopping and regional destinations. DATA also will modernize its fleet and operations with low-emission vehicles, advanced scheduling and dispatch technology, artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled safety systems and new mobile tools for riders. Supported by regional partnerships and a proposed countywide transit millage, the initiative will create a sustainable, modern rural transit network and strengthen connections to regional and statewide transportation systems.
“The IPAF award comes at an incredibly important time as DATA prepares to expand public transportation throughout Delta County,” said John Stapleton, executive director, and Amy Fudala, mobility manager for the Central Upper Peninsula of DATA. “This opportunity was made possible by the community’s support of the countywide transit millage, which provided the local commitment needed to move our expansion forward. Transportation is access to healthcare, employment, education, groceries and community. Together, the millage and this IPAF investment will help us turn years of community feedback and planning into meaningful improvements and build a stronger, more connected transportation system for the residents of Delta County.”
Newaygo County will use its IPAF award to establish the county’s first countywide open-door public transit system, expanding mobility options for all residents while building on the specialized services currently provided by the Newaygo County Commission on Aging (NCCOA) for seniors and people with disabilities. Building on a successful pilot that increased annual trips from 14,364 in 2022 to 25,896 in 2025, the new agency will provide reliable access to healthcare, employment, education and essential services for residents across the county. It also will strengthen regional connections to nearby urban transit systems, helping expand workforce opportunities and laying the foundation for a more integrated, sustainable transportation network.
“There has long been a need for transportation in Newaygo County, and this grant will help meet that need by supporting the establishment of a county-wide public transportation system,” said Bryan Kolk, board chair, Newaygo County Board of Commissioners. “The availability of reliable transportation will have a significant positive impact on the residents who use the system and on our community. We are grateful for the State of Michigan’s investment and are proud to continue working to expand transportation opportunities throughout our county.”
Funding will be used to establish a unified Berrien County public transportation authority, bringing the county’s four fragmented urban and rural transit systems into a coordinated regional network. The project will introduce service to currently unserved areas, streamline duplicative administrative functions, and establish shared technology for coordinated dispatch, scheduling and future mobile booking. By creating a more integrated system, Berrien County’s IPAF funding will help improve efficiency and expand access to jobs, healthcare, education and other essential services. The effort has received broad local support, including endorsements from seven municipalities and 21 regional organizations.
"Berrien County has officially formed a new countywide transit authority to bring our separate bus systems together, and these IPAF awards gives us the resources we need to make that happen,” said Dan Fette, director of Berrien County’s Community Development Department. “Crucially, this funding is the key to finally bringing rides to 34,000 county residents who have never had public transit, connecting them directly to work, doctor visits and daily life. We are grateful for our strong partnership with MDOT and their shared commitment to expanding vital transportation opportunities for our residents”
The Roscommon County Transportation Authority (RCTA) will use IPAF funding to establish the Oscoda County Community Transit Service Initiative, the county’s first coordinated public transit service, restoring previously ended services and expanding mobility options into areas previously unserved. The initiative will combine deviated fixed routes, demand-response service and coordinated transfers with neighboring transit systems, giving residents greater access to employment, healthcare, education and other essential services both within Oscoda County and across county lines. By leveraging the RCTA’s existing infrastructure and expertise, the project will create a scalable, right-sized model for rural transit while creating seamless regional connections and addressing longstanding transportation gaps.
“Public transportation is more than a way to get from place to place, it connects people, strengthens communities, supports economic growth, promotes reduction of environmental pollutants through ride-sharing and, with the IPAF award, will link our region to greater opportunities," said Steven Dubois, RCTA executive director. “This opportunity opens mobility options for a community that would otherwise have limited to no access to transportation. RCTA’s goal has always been to grow public transportation and break down the obstacles that stand in the way of connecting people and keeping transportation as simple as possible. It is our hope that this pilot will successfully connect communities and continue to grow, creating opportunities and economic growth for even more communities. We are grateful to be a part of this program and to work with MDOT to strengthen Michigan's transportation network.”
The Washtenaw/Huron/Jackson Bus Rapid Transit project will establish a high-capacity transit connection between Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor along one of The Ride’s highest-ridership corridors, linking major population centers, higher education institutions and approximately 100,000 jobs. The project will provide faster, more reliable service through dedicated transit infrastructure, including stations, transit lanes and queue-jump lanes, while connecting riders to regional services such as D2A2, Michigan Flyer, Indian Trails and Amtrak. IPAF funding will support preliminary engineering and completion of the project’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) clearance, positioning the project to enter the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grants (CIG) pipeline following completion of NEPA requirements. The project has broad local and regional support and advances multiple MDOT initiatives along the corridor, including planning and environmental work for M-17 and US-23, as well as the Washtenaw Avenue resurfacing project.
Genesee Connect will expand public transportation access across Genesee County through technology-enabled, on-demand microtransit. Operated by the Mass Transportation Authority (MTA), the service will use smaller vehicles and a mobile app to provide rides within designated areas, connecting residents in communities with limited or no transit to MTA’s fixed-route network, jobs, healthcare, education, shopping and other destinations. The service will strengthen first- and last-mile connections to regional transit, Amtrak, Indian Trails and Bishop International Airport while providing a flexible, cost-effective model that can expand as demand grows and improve the overall reach and effectiveness of MTA’s high-capacity transit network.
The Transit Without Borders project will create a four-county regional transit network connecting the Mass Transportation Authority (MTA), Saginaw Transit Authority Regional Services (STARS), Greater Lapeer Transportation Authority (GLTA) and Shiawassee Area Transportation Agency (SATA) to expand access to jobs, healthcare and essential services. The project will coordinate fixed-route and demand-response services, establish a regional fare and deploy a shared technology platform to make cross-county travel easier and more reliable. A new Veterans to Wellness service will provide coordinated demand-response transportation for veterans and their spouses or widows to medical facilities, Veterans Affairs (VA) services, employers and other destinations across the region. By improving connections between communities, supporting workforce mobility and strengthening access for veterans and other residents with specialized transportation needs, Transit Without Borders will advance regional economic development and create a more integrated and sustainable public transportation network.
The Benzie Bus study will evaluate a transformational redesign of rural public transportation in Benzie County, examining technology-enabled microtransit, enhanced demand-response, flexible service and scheduled connections to improve reliability, efficiency and access to jobs, healthcare, education and essential services. The study also will assess stronger connections to neighboring counties and transit systems across the northwest Lower Peninsula, with a focus on major employment, healthcare, education and commercial destinations. By testing new approaches to scheduling, routing and dispatching, the project aims to expand the reach and capacity of Benzie Bus without relying solely on additional vehicles and operating costs. The resulting service-design and implementation framework also could serve as a model for other rural transit agencies across Michigan facing similar mobility and resource challenges.
The Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA) will launch Campus Connect, an app-based, shared on-demand microtransit service designed to provide reliable and safe transportation across Michigan State University’s campus when fixed-route service is reduced or unavailable. Operating weekday evenings and overnight, as well as 24 hours on weekends, the service will allow students, faculty, staff and visitors to request rides through the CATA Rydz app or by phone, with a target maximum wait time of 20 minutes. Campus Connect will match and group riders traveling in similar directions, improving efficiency while providing a flexible connection between campus destinations and the Capital Area Multimodal Gateway.
The I-Go expansion will add three accessible vehicles and two new weekday routes to Ionia County’s successful countywide microtransit service, which currently provides more than 1,000 passenger trips each month. The expanded service will increase capacity, geographic coverage and reliability for residents traveling to jobs, healthcare, education, shopping and other essential destinations, while adding out-of-county non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) for residents who need access to medical care beyond Ionia County. Designed to serve rural and low-density communities, I-Go provides flexible, on-demand transportation and will help address transportation barriers for seniors, people with disabilities, low-income households, students and workers without reliable transportation.
The Detroit People Mover Rail Car Project will replace the system’s nine aging rail cars with 12 refurbished vehicles originally used by the Toronto Transit Commission, providing a cost-effective way to extend the People Mover’s reliable operation. The project will complete the evaluation, reconditioning, systems integration and certification of the refurbished vehicles, building on work already completed by the Detroit Transportation Corp. The investment will restore fleet reliability and service frequency for the People Mover, which serves approximately 1.25 million riders annually and provides critical connections to the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT), Suburban Mobility Authority for Region Transportation (SMART), the QLINE and other regional transportation services, as well as downtown jobs, neighborhoods, stadiums and convention facilities. By extending the life of the system at a fraction of the cost of purchasing a new fleet, the project will preserve an essential, free downtown heavily used transit service.
Saginaw Transit Authority Regional Services's (STARS) $571,478 IPAF award will support a regional transit connection linking Midland, Delta College, Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU) and MBS International Airport.
The planned service is expected to operate four times a day (Monday through Thursday), with the route beginning at Delta College’s downtown Midland location, traveling to the college’s main campus, SVSU and the airport, returning to Midland. It is intended to provide an additional transportation option for students, workers, travelers and families. The project also supports planning for an SVSU transit gateway that would provide a shared transfer point for regional transit systems.
Community partners, including the Midland Area Community Foundation, United Way of Midland County, the Great Lakes Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau, private donors, Delta College and SVSU, have pledged contributions expected to meet local match requirements for the first three years. Route development was coordinated with Midland County Connection and Midland Dial-A-Ride, with STARS assuming operational responsibility based on its fleet, drivers and regional service experience.
The Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan's (RTA) $2 million IPAF award will go toward a planning and engineering study of potential transit improvements in downtown Detroit.
The study will examine dedicated transit lanes, wayfinding tools to help riders navigate and other operational features within Detroit’s interior highway loop and key downtown corridors served by the Detroit Department of Transportation, SMART, the QLINE and the Detroit People Mover. The study will evaluate opportunities to consolidate stops, address congestion and coordinate service across transit providers.
The planning effort relates to the RTA’s Regional Transit Master Plan and dedicated QLINE lane planning. Findings will inform decisions about potential future infrastructure and operational improvements, including access to employment, education, healthcare and other destinations. The award also will support planning and engineering that could support a future application for funding recommended projects.
Macatawa Area Express's (MAX) $260,000 IPAF award will be applied toward an architectural and engineering study of a proposed relocation of its downtown Holland transit hub to Westshore Mall.
The study will evaluate the proposed site and develop construction documents, site surveys, design plans, permitting support and accessibility evaluations. The relocation is intended to address bus delays associated with rail blockages and downtown congestion and to examine connections for riders traveling throughout Holland, Zeeland and nearby townships.
The proposed site near US-31 and I-196 could accommodate additional bus bays, indoor waiting areas, passenger amenities and planning for future electric bus charging. The study may also inform consideration of service expansion along the US-31 corridor and connections to employment, healthcare, education, retail and social services.
MAX is currently coordinating with Westshore Mall leadership and regional partners. Study findings will guide evaluation of the site’s feasibility and potential next steps. The study will also enable MAX to apply for future construction funds.
The Rapid's $6 million IPAF award will go toward supporting additional transit service during major events in downtown Grand Rapids. The associated new services will be funded in a future round of grants. The project addresses travel demand associated with the Acrisure Amphitheater, the planned Amway Soccer Stadium, Van Andel Arena, DeVos Place and DeVos Performance Hall.
Planned service enhancements build on The Rapid’s bus rapid transit, fixed-route and DASH circulator services and include additional park-and-ride connections. The project calls for up to six additional buses on high-demand evenings, with the goal of increasing passenger capacity, improving service frequency and connecting regional parking facilities with downtown destinations.
The expanded service is intended to offer additional travel options for residents, visitors and employees working evening and weekend shifts. The Rapid plans to coordinate implementation with the City of Grand Rapids, Mobile GR, venue operators and regional partners.
Planned evaluation measures include automated passenger counts, ridership trends, service reliability and congestion-related indicators. These measures would inform service adjustments. Long-term funding plans include fare revenue, local transit funding and partnerships with downtown institutions and event venues.
The Harbor Transit Multimodal Transportation System's $621,047 IPAF award will support proposed service enhancements in northwest Ottawa County. Planned changes include extending weekday and Saturday service from 6 to 10 p.m. and extending Sunday service from its current 12:30 p.m. end time to 6 p.m. The project is intended to provide additional transportation options for residents who have difficulty traveling in the evening, including people with low incomes, students, older adults, people with disabilities and veterans.
The proposal also includes a service connection to Grand Valley State University’s Allendale campus. This connection is intended to link local communities with the campus and transit routes serving Grand Rapids, providing additional options for travel to employment, education and healthcare destinations.
The Transportation Authority of Calhoun County's (TACC) $2.4 million IPAF award will be applied to early planning and design of a proposed Next Generation Multimodal Transportation Center in Battle Creek.
The project responds to reported space limitations in TACC’s administrative, maintenance and vehicle storage facilities. The proposed center would bring together public transit, passenger rail, intercity bus, pedestrian pathways and bicycle connections. The concept is intended to support travel within Battle Creek and connections to Marshall, Albion, Springfield and other Calhoun County communities.
Planning will consider transportation access for older adults, veterans, people with disabilities and households with limited travel options, including those in areas identified as experiencing persistent poverty and historical disadvantage.
TACC plans to use National Transit Database metrics and information from computer-aided dispatch and vehicle location systems to assess future facility needs and guide project development. The award also supports early planning and design to inform future funding applications for project funding.
Thunder Bay Transportation Authority's (TBTA) $678,366 IPAF award will support proposed on-demand transit service in Montmorency County. The project would base vehicles and drivers locally to address travel distances associated with dispatching vehicles from Alpena. It is intended to shorten response times and reduce miles traveled without passengers. Planned coverage includes travel within Montmorency County, connections between Atlanta and Hillman, and a county-line transfer option for travel into Alpena to reach medical, shopping and employment destinations.
Implementation is planned in phases, beginning with existing vehicles and later adding two new vehicles intended to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility requirements. Service adjustments would be informed by ridership and performance data.
Planned evaluation measures include ridership, miles traveled without passengers, operating costs and coordination of healthcare trips. Potential funding sources beyond the IPAF award include federal formula funds, healthcare transportation contracts, fare revenue and county partnerships.
