Kalamazoo Metro Transit
Encyclopedia
Kalamazoo Metro Transit is a public transport
service that operates 23 routes in the Kalamazoo, Michigan
, metropolitan area. Most routes serve the city proper, but some extend into the neighboring communities of Portage
, Parchment
, Comstock Township
, Kalamazoo Township
, and Oshtemo Township
. Service is primarily by bus
, although a special Metro County Connect Access service is available for riders with disabilities who cannot board regular buses.
Metro Transit is primarily funded by a combination of federal, state, and local contributions; in 2003, rider fares made up 19.25% of the operating budget.
Metro Transit is governed by a Board of Directors. The seven members are appointed by the Kalamazoo City Commission to terms of three years. Members must be residents of the city of Kalamazoo.
Kalamazoo Metro Transit was formed in 1967, when residents of Kalamazoo voted to acquire the failing private transit company Kalamazoo City Lines. In 1980, with the purchase of a new bus fleet, Metro Transit operated the first fully wheelchair-accessible fleet in Michigan.
In 2003, Kalamazoo Metro Transit carried riders on more than three million trips. About one-third of the passengers had no driver's license, automobile, or other means of motorized transport.
In 2006, voters approved a millage to permit Metro Transit to retain night and Saturday service and add two routes in Portage. Declining financial support from the state, a flagging local economy, and rising fuel prices, led Metro Transit to increase fares to the current rate (as of January 2010) of $1.50 per adult.
serves as the primary transfer hub for Kalamazoo Metro Transit bus routes
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...
service that operates 23 routes in the Kalamazoo, Michigan
Kalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
, metropolitan area. Most routes serve the city proper, but some extend into the neighboring communities of Portage
Portage, Michigan
Portage is a city in Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 46,292 at the 2010 census. It is the smaller of the two main cities included in the Kalamazoo-Portage Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 326,589 as of 2010.Portage is adjacent to the...
, Parchment
Parchment, Michigan
Parchment is a city in Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,936 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the parchment company that used to manufacture there.Parchment is just north of the city of Kalamazoo.-History :...
, Comstock Township
Comstock Township, Michigan
Comstock Charter Township is a charter township of Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 13,851 at the 2000 census.- Communities :...
, Kalamazoo Township
Kalamazoo Township, Michigan
Kalamazoo Charter Township is a charter township of Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 21,675 at the 2000 census....
, and Oshtemo Township
Oshtemo Township, Michigan
Oshtemo Charter Township is a charter township of Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 17,003 at the 2000 census...
. Service is primarily by 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...
, although a special Metro County Connect Access service is available for riders with disabilities who cannot board regular buses.
Metro Transit is primarily funded by a combination of federal, state, and local contributions; in 2003, rider fares made up 19.25% of the operating budget.
Metro Transit is governed by a Board of Directors. The seven members are appointed by the Kalamazoo City Commission to terms of three years. Members must be residents of the city of Kalamazoo.
Kalamazoo Metro Transit was formed in 1967, when residents of Kalamazoo voted to acquire the failing private transit company Kalamazoo City Lines. In 1980, with the purchase of a new bus fleet, Metro Transit operated the first fully wheelchair-accessible fleet in Michigan.
In 2003, Kalamazoo Metro Transit carried riders on more than three million trips. About one-third of the passengers had no driver's license, automobile, or other means of motorized transport.
In 2006, voters approved a millage to permit Metro Transit to retain night and Saturday service and add two routes in Portage. Declining financial support from the state, a flagging local economy, and rising fuel prices, led Metro Transit to increase fares to the current rate (as of January 2010) of $1.50 per adult.
Routes
The Kalamazoo Transportation CenterKalamazoo Transportation Center
The Kalamazoo Transportation Center is an intermodal complex in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. Amtrak and Greyhound provide regular service there...
serves as the primary transfer hub for Kalamazoo Metro Transit bus routes
| No. | Name | Service points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Westnedge | Downtown Kalamazoo Transportation Center The Kalamazoo Transportation Center is an intermodal complex in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. Amtrak and Greyhound provide regular service there... , Meijer Meijer Meijer, Inc. is a regional American hypermarket chain based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1934 as a supermarket chain, Meijer is credited with pioneering the modern supercenter concept in 1962. About half of the company's 196 stores are located in Michigan, with additional locations in... on Westnedge, Crossroads Mall |
| 2 | Portage | Downtown Kalamazoo Transportation Center The Kalamazoo Transportation Center is an intermodal complex in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. Amtrak and Greyhound provide regular service there... , Bronson Methodist Hospital Bronson Methodist Hospital Bronson Methodist Hospital is a Magnet hospital located in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA, and is the flagship of the Bronson Healthcare Group, a non-profit healthcare system serving all of southwest Michigan and northern Indiana... , Milwood Elementary, Milwood, Washington Elementary, Maple Ridge Apartments |
| 3 | West Michigan | Western Michigan University's main campus, The Arboretum, The Point, Village Apartments, Westland Meadows, Maple Hill Mall Maple Hill Mall Maple Hill Mall was an enclosed shopping mall serving the city of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Maple Hill Mall became a dead mall after several years of decline and the loss of several major tenants... , West Main Mall |
| 4 | Oakland | Downtown Kalamazoo Transportation Center The Kalamazoo Transportation Center is an intermodal complex in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. Amtrak and Greyhound provide regular service there... , Michikal Street, Oakland Drive, Oakwood, Parkview Avenue |
| 5 | East Main | Downtown Kalamazoo Transportation Center The Kalamazoo Transportation Center is an intermodal complex in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. Amtrak and Greyhound provide regular service there... , East Main Street, Eastwood Eastwood, Michigan Eastwood is an unincorporated community in Kalamazoo Charter Township, Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a census-designated place for statistical purposes and does not have any legal status as an incorporated municipality... Plaza |
| 6 | Parchment | Downtown Kalamazoo Transportation Center The Kalamazoo Transportation Center is an intermodal complex in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. Amtrak and Greyhound provide regular service there... , City of Parchment Parchment, Michigan Parchment is a city in Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,936 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the parchment company that used to manufacture there.Parchment is just north of the city of Kalamazoo.-History :... , Goodwill Industries, Parchment High School |
| 7 | Alamo | Downtown Kalamazoo Transportation Center The Kalamazoo Transportation Center is an intermodal complex in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. Amtrak and Greyhound provide regular service there... , Metro Transit offices, Alamo Avenue, Hillside Middle School |
| 8 | Egleston | Downtown Kalamazoo Transportation Center The Kalamazoo Transportation Center is an intermodal complex in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. Amtrak and Greyhound provide regular service there... , Wings Stadium Wings Stadium Wings Stadium is a 5,113-seat multi-purpose arena, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The arena opened in 1974 and is home to the Kalamazoo Wings, an ice hockey team in the ECHL.... , Milwood, Milwood Junior High, Covinton Road |
| 9 | Gull | Downtown Kalamazoo Transportation Center The Kalamazoo Transportation Center is an intermodal complex in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. Amtrak and Greyhound provide regular service there... , Borgess Medical Center, Nazareth Center Complex Nazareth College (Michigan) Nazareth College was a Catholic college in Kalamazoo, Michigan that operated from 1924 until 1992.-Origins:Nazareth Academy opened in 1897 and based on the charter that was issued, it provided for the future extension of the school to the collegiate level. On May 7, 1913, Monsignor O’Brien... , East Towne Mall, Meijer Meijer Meijer, Inc. is a regional American hypermarket chain based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1934 as a supermarket chain, Meijer is credited with pioneering the modern supercenter concept in 1962. About half of the company's 196 stores are located in Michigan, with additional locations in... and Walmart on Gull Road |
| 10 | Comstock | Downtown Kalamazoo Transportation Center The Kalamazoo Transportation Center is an intermodal complex in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. Amtrak and Greyhound provide regular service there... , Mayor's Riverfront Park, Kalamazoo County Fairgrounds, Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Department, Kalamazoo County Jail, Comstock, Meijer Meijer Meijer, Inc. is a regional American hypermarket chain based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1934 as a supermarket chain, Meijer is credited with pioneering the modern supercenter concept in 1962. About half of the company's 196 stores are located in Michigan, with additional locations in... on Gull Road. |
| 11 | Stadium/KVCC | Downtown Kalamazoo Transportation Center The Kalamazoo Transportation Center is an intermodal complex in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. Amtrak and Greyhound provide regular service there... , Western Michigan University Western Michigan University Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045.... , Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo Valley Community College Kalamazoo Valley Community College -History:The community college district was established by voters in 1966, enrolled its first students in the fall of 1968, and currently enrolls more than 13,500 students. With the selection of Marilyn J... - Oshtemo Township Oshtemo Township, Michigan Oshtemo Charter Township is a charter township of Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 17,003 at the 2000 census... Campus |
| 12 | Bronson | Downtown Kalamazoo Transportation Center The Kalamazoo Transportation Center is an intermodal complex in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. Amtrak and Greyhound provide regular service there... , YWCA, South Middle School, St. Monica's School, Hackett High School Hackett Catholic Central High School Hackett Catholic Central High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo.-History:... , Meijer Meijer Meijer, Inc. is a regional American hypermarket chain based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1934 as a supermarket chain, Meijer is credited with pioneering the modern supercenter concept in 1962. About half of the company's 196 stores are located in Michigan, with additional locations in... on Westnedge, Milham Park, Loy Norrix High School Loy Norrix High School Loy Norrix High School is a high school located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serving students from grades nine through twelve. It is one of two high schools in the Kalamazoo Public Schools district. The student body totals at approximately 1,400. The school is named for a former superintendent of... , Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport |
| 13 | South Burdick | Downtown Kalamazoo Transportation Center The Kalamazoo Transportation Center is an intermodal complex in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. Amtrak and Greyhound provide regular service there... Bronson Methodist Hospital Bronson Methodist Hospital Bronson Methodist Hospital is a Magnet hospital located in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA, and is the flagship of the Bronson Healthcare Group, a non-profit healthcare system serving all of southwest Michigan and northern Indiana... , Family Independence Agency, MRC on Bank Street, Goodwill Industries Goodwill Industries Goodwill Industries International is a not-for-profit organization that provides job training, employment placement services and other community-based programs for people who have a disability, lack education or job experience, or face employment challenges... , Milham Park, Loy Norrix High School Loy Norrix High School Loy Norrix High School is a high school located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serving students from grades nine through twelve. It is one of two high schools in the Kalamazoo Public Schools district. The student body totals at approximately 1,400. The school is named for a former superintendent of... , Meijer Meijer Meijer, Inc. is a regional American hypermarket chain based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1934 as a supermarket chain, Meijer is credited with pioneering the modern supercenter concept in 1962. About half of the company's 196 stores are located in Michigan, with additional locations in... on Westnedge, |
| 14 | West Main | Downtown Kalamazoo Transportation Center The Kalamazoo Transportation Center is an intermodal complex in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. Amtrak and Greyhound provide regular service there... , Kalamazoo Central High School Kalamazoo Central High School Kalamazoo Central High School is a public high school in Kalamazoo, Michigan serving students from ninth through twelfth grades. It was the first public high school in Michigan. It began operating in 1858 and graduated its first class of five men and three women in 1859. It moved to its current... , Maple Hill Mall Maple Hill Mall Maple Hill Mall was an enclosed shopping mall serving the city of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Maple Hill Mall became a dead mall after several years of decline and the loss of several major tenants... , Meijer Meijer Meijer, Inc. is a regional American hypermarket chain based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1934 as a supermarket chain, Meijer is credited with pioneering the modern supercenter concept in 1962. About half of the company's 196 stores are located in Michigan, with additional locations in... on West Main |
| 15 | Paterson | Downtown Kalamazoo Transportation Center The Kalamazoo Transportation Center is an intermodal complex in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. Amtrak and Greyhound provide regular service there... , Metro Transit offices, Douglas Community Center, Interfaith Homes, Lincoln School, North Christian School, Northside Prep School |
| 16 | Lovell | Downtown Kalamazoo Transportation Center The Kalamazoo Transportation Center is an intermodal complex in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. Amtrak and Greyhound provide regular service there... , Kalamazoo City Hall, Oak and Lovell, Western Michigan University's main campus |
| 21 | Solon-Kendall | Western Michigan University Western Michigan University Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045.... service to Solon Street and West Main Street |
| 22 | Lafayette | Western Michigan University Western Michigan University Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045.... service to apartments |
| 26 | Centre West | Portage City Hall, Borgess at Woodbridge Hills, Anna's Vineyard, Milham Meadows, Oakwood, Crossroads Mall |
| 27 | Centre East | Portage Portage, Michigan Portage is a city in Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 46,292 at the 2010 census. It is the smaller of the two main cities included in the Kalamazoo-Portage Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 326,589 as of 2010.Portage is adjacent to the... City Hall, Centre Avenue, Sprinkle Road, Portage Industrial Park |
| 28 | Shaver | The Crossings, Shaver Road, Portage Central High School Portage Central High School -History:The building of the original high school building was completed in 1922. This building soon became obsolete, and is now the Portage Public Schools administration building. A new school was constructed during the 1940s and began use in 1949 that is still in use today as of 2010... , Portage Portage, Michigan Portage is a city in Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 46,292 at the 2010 census. It is the smaller of the two main cities included in the Kalamazoo-Portage Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 326,589 as of 2010.Portage is adjacent to the... City Hall. |