Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation
| File:SMART logo.svg Logo since August 2022 rebranding | |
| Company type | Public transit authority |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Predecessor | Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority (SEMTA) |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Headquarters | Detroit metropolitan area suburbs , United States |
Area served | Detroit metropolitan area suburbs, Michigan, United States |
Key people | Mike Duggan (former general manager, 1992) |
| Products | Bus routes, paratransit, microtransit |
| Website | www |
The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) functions as the public transit provider for the Detroit metropolitan area suburbs in Michigan, United States. Originally established in 1967 under the name Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority (SEMTA), it underwent reorganization and adopted the SMART identity in 1989. Currently, SMART administers 45 bus routes that complement services offered by the Detroit Department of Transportation, in addition to providing paratransit and microtransit options.
1967–1989: SEMTA Era
The Michigan Legislature created SEMTA through the Metropolitan Transportation Authorities Act of 1967 with the purpose of unifying and managing regional transit systems throughout Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties, encompassing Detroit.[1]
Over time, SEMTA absorbed several suburban transit agencies: Lake Shore Coach Lines in 1971, Pontiac Municipal Transit Service in 1973, Metropolitan Transit of Dearborn in 1974, Great Lakes Transit of Birmingham also in 1974, and Martin Lines of Royal Oak in 1975. Despite these acquisitions, SEMTA did not possess taxing authority under the initial legislation.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name By 1974, Detroit’s Department of Street Railways transitioned into a city-run department, which limited SEMTA’s responsibilities primarily to suburban coordination.[1] That same year, SEMTA took over a commuter rail route connecting downtown Detroit to Pontiac from Grand Trunk Western Railroad; however, this service was discontinued in 1983 due to declining passenger numbers and insufficient funding.
In 1979, SEMTA approved a comprehensive regional transit plan that included expanded bus services and proposed rail transit developments, but funding limitations prevented these projects from moving forward.[1] The final commuter rail service operated by SEMTA, known as the Michigan Executive, which ran between Detroit and Jackson under Amtrak's operation, ceased operations in 1984.
Beginning in 1983, SEMTA oversaw the construction of the Detroit People Mover, originally intended as part of a larger light rail and subway network. Due to budget overruns, federal support was withdrawn, and control was transferred in 1985 to the newly established Detroit Transportation Corporation.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
1989–2009: Transition to SMART and Opt-Out Framework
As suburban enthusiasm for mass transit expansion waned and Detroit reduced its involvement, SEMTA was restructured into SMART in 1989. This restructuring narrowed its service coverage from seven counties down to four and excluded Detroit from its jurisdiction.[1] In February 1992, Mike Duggan, then serving as Wayne County's deputy executive and vice chair of SMART's board, assumed the position of general manager.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Financial support improved significantly after property tax millages were approved by large margins in Macomb and Wayne counties during May 1995,Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name followed shortly by Oakland County’s millage approval in June.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name While Macomb County applied its millage uniformly across all communities, Wayne and Oakland counties allowed municipalities to opt into or out of SMART services. This "opt-out" system ultimately defined SMART’s operational boundaries.[2]
In October 1994, SMART introduced Job Express—a shuttle service designed to connect key transit centers with nearby employment locations within approximately one mile. The initial service areas included Royal Oak Transit Center, Fairlane Town Center, and Macomb Mall.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Although plans initially proposed up to fifteen zones, only two additional zones were developed near Lakeside Mall and Somerset Collection along with expanded routes on Groesbeck Highway.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Since the inception of the opt-out policy, Livonia became the sole community to withdraw from SMART participation in 2005; however, Walled Lake rejoined the system in 2006.[3][4]
Facing fiscal challenges that threatened service reductions, SMART implemented a fare increase of $0.50 on December 1, 2009. This adjustment also included higher fees for regional monthly passes and transfers involving DDOT services.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
2011–2017: Service reductions
In October 2011, SMART decreased its scheduled routes by 22% and terminated 123 employees, primarily as a result of falling property values following the Great Recession. This decline led to reduced property tax income and hindered negotiations with unions.
Farmington initially decided to withdraw from SMART in January 2012 but reversed this choice two weeks later. Meanwhile, nearby Farmington Hills narrowly voted to remain within the system. Lathrup Village, which had exited SMART in 1995, rejoined the network in 2014.
2018–2022: Growth, integration, and rebranding
On January 1, 2018, SMART introduced three high-frequency limited-stop FAST bus lines linking downtown Detroit with suburban areas—marking its first significant expansion since 2011.
In May 2019, SMART and DDOT merged their fare structures under the Dart system, launching regional passes and enabling mobile ticket purchases; the QLINE transit service joined Dart in October.
March 2021 saw the debut of Flex, a microtransit initiative operated by Via Transportation. Initially covering three zones—including Dearborn, Taylor, Troy, and parts of Macomb County—this service expanded with two additional zones added in August 2021 and May 2022 for Auburn Hills/Pontiac and Farmington/Farmington Hills.
In February 2022, Auburn Hills voted to leave SMART; however, a judicial ruling in May prevented this departure, so Auburn Hills remained part of the system until the opt-out policy was eliminated in 2023. During this time, Macomb Township also showed interest in opting out.
2022–present: Rebranding and expansion into Oakland County
In preparation for the millage renewal vote in August 2022, SMART pursued a countywide expansion within Oakland County. The Oakland County Board of Commissioners proposed replacing the current SMART millage with a new ten-year .95 millage applicable to all residential properties countywide instead of only member municipalities. Voters approved this measure in November 2022, which abolished the opt-out option in Oakland County and allowed SMART to broaden its services throughout Metro Detroit. New routes are scheduled to launch in 2023.
SMART introduced a refreshed logo and branding campaign in August 2022. The agency also rolled out its first electric bus the following month—one of four Proterra ZX5 vehicles purchased with funding from a Federal Transit Administration grant.
In February 2023, the original Dart payment application was discontinued after its developer Passport exited the transit payment sector. Consequently, mobile Dart passes transitioned to the Token Transit platform.
Millage and opt-out policy
Since its inception in 1995, SMART has relied mainly on a property tax millage renewed by voters within member communities during midterm elections through 2022. This millage has consistently passed by large margins in Oakland and Wayne counties but passed narrowly in Macomb County—winning by only 39 votes in 2018. Starting in 2022, millage durations were extended to five years for Wayne and Macomb counties and ten years for Oakland County.
SMART stands out among U.S. transit agencies by permitting individual municipalities to "opt out," exempting them from paying the millage but also excluding them from receiving SMART services. Some communities that opted out manage smaller transit programs focusing on paratransit for elderly and disabled residents but do not provide fixed-route bus service.
Currently, seventeen Wayne County municipalities have opted out of SMART; all except Livonia did so back in 1995. Detroit is among these but maintains its own fixed-route bus system through the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) alongside SMART's FAST limited-stop routes during peak periods.
Communities within Macomb and Oakland counties cannot opt out because their millages have been countywide since 1995 and 2023 respectively. Four Oakland County municipalities initially opted out in 1995 but subsequently rejoined: Bloomfield Township and West Bloomfield (1996), Walled Lake (2006), and Lathrup Village (2014). The remaining thirty-four opted-out communities in Oakland County were incorporated into SMART’s network in 2023.
2022 Developments & Extension into Oakland County
In 2022, the SMART millage for Macomb and Wayne counties was renewed for an additional five years and shifted to the November general election ballot, where it received overwhelming voter approval.
Within Oakland County, the existing SMART millage was substituted by a decade-long countywide public transit millage. This change removed the opt-out option and allocated funding not only to SMART but also to three smaller paratransit providers. On August 10, 2022, the Oakland County Board of Commissioners passed this proposal with bipartisan support. The measure was subsequently presented on the November 2022 ballot and secured passage with 57% of the vote.
Consequently, as of January 3, 2023, SMART expanded its service coverage to encompass all of Oakland County. New transit routes commenced in September 2023 in areas such as Novi, Bloomfield Hills, and Wixom, with additional service growth anticipated throughout 2024.
Wayne County Participating Communities
- Allen Park
- Dearborn
- Dearborn Heights
- Ecorse
- Garden City
- Grosse Pointe
- Grosse Pointe Farms
- Grosse Pointe Park
- Grosse Pointe Shores
- Grosse Pointe Woods
- Hamtramck
- Harper Woods
- Highland Park
- Inkster
- Lincoln Park
- Melvindale
- Redford
- River Rouge
- Riverview
- Romulus
- Southgate
- Taylor
- Trenton
- Wayne
- Westland
- Wyandotte
Fixed-Route Bus Operations
SMART functions as the principal public transportation provider for Detroit’s suburban communities. It manages a network of 44 fixed-route bus lines serving its tri-county jurisdiction.
FAST
The Frequent Affordable Safe Transit (FAST) service represents SMART’s premier limited-stop bus offering that connects suburban areas directly with downtown Detroit. Operating five FAST routes along key Metro Detroit corridors—Gratiot Avenue, Michigan Avenue, and Woodward Avenue—these buses run every 30 minutes on weekdays with stops spaced approximately one mile apart.
| Route Name | # | Termini | Length | Headway (minutes) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAST Michigan | 261 | Spirit Plaza – Detroit Metro Airport | 22.1 miles (35.6 km) | 30 (Mon-Fri), 60 (Sat/Sun) | |
| FAST Woodward | 461 | Troy Civic Center – Spirit Plaza | 24.0 miles (38.6 km) | 60 daily | |
| 462 | Great Lakes Crossing Outlets/Auburn Mile – Spirit Plaza | 32.5 miles (52.3 km) | 60 (Weekdays), 120 (Sun) | ||
| FAST Gratiot | 563 | Gratiot + 23 Mile – Spirit Plaza | 27.0 miles (43.5 km) | 30 (Weekdays), 60 (Sun) | |
| 562 | Wayne State University – Harrison Township | 24.1 miles (38.8 km) | 2 trips daily (rush hour only) |
Local Bus Routes
SMART operates 33 local bus lines that link Detroit’s suburbs with FAST routes and downtown destinations. These are categorized into "main corridor," "crosstown," or "community" routes and generally operate on an hourly schedule with some offering increased frequency.
| # | Route Name | Termini | Length | Headway (minutes) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| '125' | 'Fort Street/Eureka Road' | 'W Jefferson Avenue + Coolidge Highway (River Rouge)' – 'Detroit Metro Airport' | '22.1[convert: needs unit name]' | '30 (Mon-Fri), 60 (Sat/Sun)' | |
| '140' | 'Southshore' | 'Dearborn Transit Center' – 'Southgate Meijer' | '16.8[convert: needs unit name]' | '60 (Mon-Fri)' | 'Interlined with 250' |
| '160' | 'Downriver' | 'West Road + Grange Road (Trenton)' | '26.4[convert: needs unit name]' | '60 (Mon-Sat)' | |
| '200-210' | 'Michigan Avenue Local' | 'Fairlane Town Center' – 'Wayne' / 'Westland Meijer' | '11.4 - 16.8 mi' | '90-120' | 'Concurrent east of Wayne Road; some late-night trips truncated' |
| '250' | 'Ford Road' | 'Dearborn Transit Center' – 'Ford Road Corridor' | '14.4[convert: needs unit name]' | '60 (Mon-Fri)' | 'Interlined with 140' |
| '275-375' | 'Telegraph Crosstown Routes' | 'Southfield to Pontiac/Amazon Pontiac' | '24-27 mi' | '40-60 (Mon-Fri)' | 'Overlap on segments; no Sunday service on some routes' |
| '405-495' | 'Northwestern & Local Routes' | 'Various suburban termini including Jason Hargrove Transit Center and Oakland Mall' | '8.7 - 21.4 mi' | '30-70 minutes weekdays and weekends' | |
| '510-615' | 'Van Dyke & Jefferson Routes' | 'Bel Air Shopping Center to Lakeside Mall/Shelby Township Walmart/Macomb Mall' | '11 - 19.2 mi' | '20-60 minutes weekdays and weekends' | 'Some interlining and alternate termini trips' |
| '710-790' | 'Crosstown & Pontiac Routes' | 'Southfield to Rochester Hills and White Lake Township' | '17 - 41.9 mi' | '45-60 minutes weekdays and weekends' |
Commuter Express Services
Seven express commuter routes operate during weekday peak hours between Downtown Detroit and suburban locations via Spirit Plaza and Rosa Parks Transit Center. Routes numbered in the 200s and 600s use local streets twice daily; meanwhile, the 800-series express routes travel on freeways three times each day with an additional fare surcharge of fifty cents.
| # | Route Name | Suburban Terminus | Length | Daily Trips | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 'Ford Road Express' |'Westland Police Department' |'20.1[convert: needs unit name]' |2 |Marked as "Express" | |||||
| 'Schoenherr' |'Lakeside Mall' |'23.4[convert: needs unit name]' |2 | | |||||
| 'Charlevoix' |'Macomb Mall' |'20.4[convert: needs unit name]' |2 | | |||||
| 'Jefferson Express' |'Metro Parkway (Harrison Township)' |'23.4[convert: needs unit name]' |2 | | |||||
| 'Grand River Park & Ride' |'12 Mile + Novi Road (Novi)' |'35.9[convert: needs unit name]' |3 |Shares part of route with 305 | |||||
| 'Downriver Park & Ride' |'West Road + Grange Road (Trenton)' |'22.8[convert: needs unit name]' |3 |Shares segments with route 160 | |||||
| 'West Bloomfield-Farmington Hills Park & Ride' |'Orchard Lake Rd + Lone Pine Rd (West Bloomfield)' |'33.6[convert: needs unit name]' |3 |Serves Midtown Detroit and Southfield via freeway exit points |
Fare Structure
SMART and DDOT operate under a combined fare system known as Dart, with most fare media accepted interchangeably by both agencies. A four-hour pass, which corresponds to a single trip, is priced at US$2 for the majority of riders. Reduced fares of 50¢ apply to individuals aged 6–18, seniors aged 65 and above, and persons with disabilities. Pass options include daily, weekly, and monthly formats, available either as physical tickets or digital passes accessible through the Token Transit application.
Bus Fleet Overview
The SMART fleet consists of 262 buses servicing fixed routes, predominantly utilizing 40-foot Gillig BRT models powered by biodiesel. The fleet also includes articulated New Flyer Xcelsior buses and battery-electric Proterra ZX5 vehicles. Maintenance operations are conducted at three separate facilities within the service region.
| Fleet # | Year | Manufacturer | Model | Length | Seating Capacity | Powertrain | Engine | Transmission | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3003–3005 | 2011 | Gillig | BRT | 40' | 38 | Hybrid | Cummins ISL9 | Allison H 40 EP hybrid system | |
| 3006–3008 | 2013 | ||||||||
| 3009–3018 | 2014 | ||||||||
| 3019–3020 | 2014 | Diesel | Allison B400R | ||||||
| 3601–3659 | 2016 | ||||||||
| 3701–3780 | 2017 | Cummins L9 | |||||||
| 3801–3840 | 2018 | ||||||||
| 3901–3938 | 2019 | ||||||||
| 4001–4023 | 2020 | New Flyer | XD60 | 60.8' | 60 | Allison B500R | |||
| 4024–4027 | 2021 | Proterra | ZX5 | 40' | 40 | Battery electric | Proterra ProDrive |
Fleet numbering typically reflects the vehicle's model year; the initial two digits represent the last two digits of the year plus 20 (for example, units 3746 and 37007 both correspond to 2017 models).
Connector Service
Connector is a reservation-based dial-a-ride program operating throughout the SMART service area, requiring bookings at least one day ahead. It caters to residents located more than one-third of a mile from fixed-route lines; however, seniors aged 65 and older and disabled passengers are exempt from this distance rule.
The service utilizes propane-fueled minibuses manufactured by Champion Bus Incorporated, specifically the Challenger model.
Community Transit
Community Transit delivers paratransit transportation exclusively for seniors and individuals with disabilities. Unlike Connector, which is directly operated by SMART, this service is administered by local governments within member municipalities as well as certain nonprofit organizations.
Its fleet comprises minibuses from Champion Bus Incorporated and ElDorado (bus manufacturer), along with Ford E-Series and Ford Transit vans. All vehicles feature a white base color accented with red and orange striping.
Microtransit Option =
Flex represents an on-demand microtransit solution provided through a contract with Via Transportation. Riders arrange trips via phone or the Flex mobile app, with designated minivan vehicles dispatching to pick up passengers and convey them to their destinations. Initiated in March 2021, Flex operates across five zones encompassing twenty communities.
The Flex fleet, owned by Avis Budget Group, primarily consists of Chrysler Pacifica and Toyota Sienna minivans seating between three and five passengers, including some wheelchair-accessible units. Drivers operate as independent contractors referred to as "driver partners."
Fare prices vary from $2 to $8 depending on trip length and are paid through the app using credit or debit cards; Dart passes are also accepted as payment.
Event-specific transportation services
During the annual Woodward Dream Cruise held each August along Woodward Avenue in Oakland County, SMART provides shuttle bus services. To celebrate the occasion, certain buses are adorned with flame designs inspired by vintage automobile paint jobs.
Organizational structure
The main office of SMART is situated in the Buhl Building located in downtown Detroit. Oversight is provided by a seven-person Board of Directors, consisting of two representatives each from Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties, along with one member from Monroe County. These individuals are appointed by their respective county executives.
Members of the Board of Directors
Wayne County
- Assad Turfe, Deputy County Executive
- Curtis Ivery, Chancellor, Wayne County Community College District
Oakland County
- Diana McBroom, Director of Risk Management
- Eli Cooper, Transit Manager (vice chair)
Macomb County
- John Paul Rea, Deputy County Executive (chair)
- Sheila Cote, Director, Office of Senior Services
Monroe County
- Royce Maniko, former Chief Finance Officer
Workforce and labor relations
The majority of SMART's employees belong to labor unions. Fixed-route bus operators are members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1564; Connector route drivers belong to Teamsters Local 247; maintenance technicians are part of UAW Local 771; and dispatchers as well as supervisors are affiliated with AFSCME Local 1786.
Drivers contracted through Via Transportation for the SMART Flex service operate as independent contractors and are not unionized.
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