Local Transit Agencies Receive Smart Commute Funding to Help Employers and Workers Save Money

Four local public transportation agencies, Benzie Bus, the Bay Area Transportation Authority, Manistee County Transportation and Cadillac-Wexford Transit Authority, worked with the Michigan Department of Transportation to expand funding for commuter transportation and regionally received $443,000 to immediately improve commuter transportation options. 

“We believe that helping people get to work is a primary responsibility for public transportation,” stated Bill Kennis, Benzie Bus director. 

BATA has previously received commuter funding known as JARC, Job Access Reverse Commute, but Benzie, Manistee and CWTA are first time recipients.  In total, almost half of the $1.1 million new JARC funding for the state of Michigan was awarded to these four counties to create better regional connectivity for people in northwest lower Michigan.

Benzie County exports labor, about 3,500 workers outbound and 1,200 inbound.  The commuting cost is estimated at about $8,700 - $10,000 per employee for insurance, maintenance, car payments, parking and fuel.  Higher housing costs in Grand Traverse County have made adjacent county living more attractive, but the combined costs of transportation and housing are higher compared to other parts of the state according to Networks Northwest data.

“Cross-county transportation is a tremendous expense of time and money that rural commuters pay,” according to Tad Erickson, Networks NW planner.

Nationally about 45% of a household income goes toward housing and transportation and locally it may be closer to 65% for some commuters. Networks NW recently published a commuter guide that establishes a case for employers to subsidize employee transit costs up to $255/month with the help of tax credits. Employees can also use pre-tax earnings to help off-set transportation costs such as purchasing bus tickets. 

“Can you imagine the savings that could be spent elsewhere if commuters rode more public transportation and overall everyone’s quality of life improves? This means fewer cars on the road resulting in less traffic, pollution and parking challenges,” stated Kennis.

Benzie’s TC Express offers comfortable cloth seats, free WiFi and takes about an hour to travel from Frankfort to downtown Traverse City. Currently the TC Express runs four times a day. With BATA and JARC funding the potential to increase routes may double or triple offering commuters’ better options.

BATA and Benzie Bus are using a portion of a Rotary Charities grant to develop and conduct a transportation survey for people working primarily at large Traverse City west side businesses including Munson, Hagerty Insurance, the Grand Traverse Pavilions and Meijer. In Benzie County, a survey will be conducted with Crystal Mountain employees to learn if CWTA, Manistee and Benzie Bus may service those employees better. The results will guide the expansion of new routes and hours of operations. 

“We have been given an opportunity to help people save money and time and this survey will help us make informed decisions to grow ridership,” said Kelly Dunham, BATA executive director.