The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA), which brands itself as "The Ride," is the public transit

Public transport

Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...

 system serving the Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...

 and Ypsilanti, Michigan

Ypsilanti, Michigan

Ypsilanti is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 22,362. The city is bounded to the north by the Charter Township of Superior and on the west, south, and east by the Charter Township of Ypsilanti...

, area.

The authority operates fixed-route bus

Bus

A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...

 lines within its service area, as well as a paratransit

Paratransit

Paratransit is an alternative mode of flexible passenger transportation that does not follow fixed routes or schedules. Typically mini-buses are used to provide paratransit service, but also share taxis and jitneys are important providers....

 system. It also operates transit centers in downtown Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, as well as a number of park and ride

Park and ride

Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...

 lots in Ann Arbor. Other services provided by the authority include a campus shuttle at Eastern Michigan University

Eastern Michigan University

Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...

 and UM-sponsored commuter buses from Chelsea and Canton. The AATA is also the designated authority for the planned Ann Arbor-Howell commuter rail

WALLY (commuter rail)

WALLY is a proposed commuter rail service which would link the Michigan cities of Ann Arbor and Howell.- Proposal :...

 line.

The AATA was the first transit authority in the United States to operate low-floor buses when, in early 1993, they took delivery of ten New Flyer D40LF buses. In terms of operation, only two Canadian authorities and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state port district, established in 1921 through an interstate compact, that runs most of the regional transportation infrastructure, including the bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the Port of New York and New Jersey...

 operated such buses prior to the AATA.

Fares

AATA uses a fixed-fare system. Full fare is $1.50, payable by cash, tokens, or a (free) card provided by the University of Michigan

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...

to its community members. Half fare is $0.75, payable by cash, tokens, or a pass. The fare for the A2Express Canton and Chelsea is $5.00, payable by only cash. Transfers are issued from the bus farebox, are free, and are valid for 90 minutes from the time of issue. Transfers cannot be used for a trip on the A2Express routes or for a return trip on the same route.

Routes

• A2Express Canton
• A2Express Chelsea
• 1 Pontiac – Dhu Varren
• 1U Pontiac–University
• 2 Plymouth
• 2X Plymouth–Downtown/Campus Shuttle
• 3 Huron River
• 4 Washtenaw
• 5 Packard
• 6 Ellsworth
• 7 South Main – East
• 8 Pauline
• 9 Jackson–Dexter
• 10 Ypsilanti Northeast
• 11 Ypsilanti South
• 12 Miller–Liberty
• 13 Newport
• 14 Geddes – East Stadium
• 15 Scio Church – West Stadium
• 16 Ann Arbor-Saline Road
• 17 Amtrak Station – Depot Street
• 18 Miller–University
• 20 Ypsilanti Grove – Ecorse
• 22 Ann Arbor Connector
• 33 EMU Shuttle
• 36 Wolverine Tower Shuttle
• 609 Dexter–University (formerly route 9U)