Politics & Government

SMART Finalizes Cuts That Include Farmington, Hills Route

The regional transportation authority cites fuel prices, revenue cuts and a contract dispute with employees in the decision.

SMART (Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation) officials yesterday finalized cuts to bus service that will affect Farmington and Farmington Hills. 

SMART has eliminated weekday and Saturday service on Orchard Lake Route 385, which runs from Orchard Lake Road and 12 Mile to on Eight Mile Rd., including service to campus between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. The line does not run on Sunday.

Stops also included Farmington and Eight Mile, Grand River and Farmington, Orchard Lake and Grand River and 10 Mile and Orchard Lake. A second line (851) provides service on Orchard Lake from West Bloomfield to OCC, then east on I-696. Other routes serving the community on 12 Mile Rd. (740), 11 Mile Rd. (400) and Grand River/M-5 from Haggerty east, including a short stretch of 10 Mile Rd. (305/330/805), will not be affected.

Find out what's happening in Farmington-Farmington Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Changes go into effect on Dec. 12. Revised schedules will be posted on the SMART website within 10 days, new printed schedules will be available Dec. 7. A complete list of routes affected has been posted on the SMART website.

Farmington and Farmington Hills have remained "opt in" communities with SMART. The system allows cities in the service area – Oakland, Wayne and Macomb counties – to choose whether or not they participate.

Find out what's happening in Farmington-Farmington Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The SMART Board of Directors made the changes after holding three public hearings earlier this month.

The decision was made to address a $6.5 million shortfall in this year's budget, SMART spokeswoman Beth Gibbons said. Over the past three years, she said, the bus system has lost $12 million.

The deficits are due to increased fuel prices, a decrease in millage revenue due to faltering property values, cuts in state and federal funding, and an inability to settle a contract dispute with employees, Gibbons said.

“We’re in a budget deficit and needed to find a way to address it,” she said.

The routes that were cut were those deemed to be the lowest in productivity, had the fewest number of riders and existed in places where alternative transportation options existed, Gibbons said.

This is the first time SMART has ever cut services since it began operating under the SMART name in 1989, Gibbons said.

Anyone who needs help with the transition is asked to contact SMART's customer service department.


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