Transit Systems in the MATS Area
3 complementary systems for public transit
The providers of transit services within Midland County include the County Connection of Midland, Midland Dial-A-Ride Transportation, and Bay Metro Transportation Authority. DART and CCM operate exclusively in the City of Midland and Midland County, respectively.
The two Midland based providers are demand-response services, whereas BMTA is primarily a fixed route provider. BMTA does offer ADA-compliant para-transit and a senior dial a ride service, for those who are not able to access the fixed route service. BMTA operates primarily in Bay County but runs one fixed route through the City of Auburn into the City of Midland.
County Connection of Midland was founded in 1996 and is both federally and locally funded. County Connection provides demand response, curb-to-curb service within Midland County and transfer services with the surround counties of Clare, Isabella, Gladwin, Bay, and Saginaw.
Dial-A-Ride Transit (DART) is a public transportation service which operates similarly to County Connection. DART provides curb-to- curb transportation within the City of Midland’s boundaries. This program has catered to the transportation needs of Midland residents since it was first established in 1974.
Bay Metro Transportation Authority (BMTA) was also started in 1974 to provide public transportation to Bay City’s urbanized area. In FY 1992, the agency changed to an Act 196 transportation authority, which facilitated expanded transit services to all of Bay County and links to surrounding counties.
In addition to CCM, DART, and BMTA, there are also a number of smaller transportation operators in the MATS area. They provide services to defined groups of people and have only a few vehicles each. These providers include retirement homes, senior citizen centers, public schools, churches, and local cab companies. Examples of these operating within the study area include MBS Taxi, Midland Public Schools, The Disability Network, and Midland Senior Services.