Michigan receives grant to benefit bus commuters

Michigan recently received the Blue Water Area Transit Award, which will be used to offer bus commuters with better services for another year.

The grant, which amounts to $1.1 million, will be used to fund ongoing bus services throughout express as well as local commuter routes in Macomb County. The financing will also be allocated to extending hours, which are meant to assist commuters in traveling to and from their workplaces.

"I'd like to thank the St. Clair County Board of Commissioners, the Port Huron City Council, the Charter Township of Fort Gratiot Board of Trustees, and especially State Representative Dan Lauwers, for all their help," Jim Wilson said. "These state funds are helping hundreds of low-income people get to their jobs."

The funds are taken from the Job Access Reverse Commuter (JARC) program for Fiscal Year 2016, which is from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. The JARC originally began in 2008. Since that time, it has awarded over $8 million to BWAT. The program doesn’t need local contributions. It receives approval from the Michigan Department of Transportation. Approximately 162,600 people used JARC services. This figure has more than tripled over the last seven years.

“The growing popularity of these services tells us we’re doing something right for our community," Linda Bruckner, Blue Water Area Transportation Commission board chair and Fort Gratiot Township trustee, said. “Greater access to jobs gives more people the freedom to live and raise their families here.”