Starting in May, metro Detroit students can ride SMART buses for free.
The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) announced the program for K-12, community college and university students to use the transit provider’s buses at no cost, year-round, by showing their student ID.
Detroit officials earlier this month officially kicked off an initiative allowing public, private and charter school students to ride city buses free of charge.
“For too many students across metro Detroit, the absence of a car in the household has meant missed classes and limited access to internships. At the same time, we recognize that transit fares can add up quickly for a family’s monthly budget,” said Tiffany Gunter, CEO and general manager of SMART, in a news release.
Regional leaders across the city of Detroit and Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties collaborated to develop the SMART program, designed to make sure students get to class and jobs and also cut down costs for households.
“For more than 50,000 credit and non-credit students at Wayne County Community College District, access to reliable transportation can be the difference between staying on track and falling behind. A student who cannot afford the bus may never make it to class, and that is a problem we have the power to solve,” said Curtis Ivery, the chancellor of Wayne County Community College District and a SMART board member, in the news release.
About 9 million people use SMART each year and the buses are on time 86% of the time, according to the transit agency’s website.
How to use the SMART free bus program
The program is for students enrolled in an accredited educational institution, including K-12 schools, community colleges and four-year universities. Students can ride SMART buses for free by showing a valid student ID and is available all year in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.
Reach reporter Nushrat Rahman at nrahman@freepress.com.
