Expanded Services, Helpful Technology and New Hours Coming June 26!

 

Starting Monday, June 26, 2023, the Bay Area Transportation Authority (BATA) will be implementing several service improvements. These positive changes include adding a new City Loop route, increasing frequency on existing routes, expanding on-demand transportation to BATA’s entire service area, adjusting hours of operation for better efficiency and rolling out new technologies, such as real-time tracking on all fixed routes, that will make it easier for people to use public transportation.

 

Expanded Services

 

Bayline: BATA’s Bayline route will extend service Monday - Saturday to 10 p.m., increase Saturday frequency with buses every 18 minutes, and will add Sunday service with 35-minute frequency until 9 p.m. 

 

City Loops:

  • All City Loop routes will now have consistent half-hour frequency Monday – Friday from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m.
  • All City Loop routes will have hourly frequency Monday - Friday from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.
  • City Loop Route 7: We’re excited to launch City Loop Route 7. City Loop Route 7 will make connections between Meijer on US-31 to Oak Terrace and Aspen Hills area on Garfield. It will have stops at the Grand Traverse Crossings (Walmart) and throughout the South Airport, LaFranier, and Garfield corridors. Route 7 will launch fare free for a limited time until Labor Day to encourage ridership. This route is designed to give people living in those areas direct access to shopping and employment opportunities that were previously only accessible using BATA’s Link service. 

 

Village Loops:

  • All Village Loops will start their first outbound run at 6:30 a.m. and end service at 7:30 p.m. Anyone needing transportation before 6:30 a.m. or after 7:30 p.m. can request an on-demand Link ride.
    • * Note that morning times will change for Routes 10, 13, & 14.  For example, oubound buses are at 6:30am, 8:30am, and 10:30am.  Inbound buses are at 7:30am, 9:30am, and 11:30am. 
  • Village Loop Route 10 – Suttons Bay will continue to have 2-hour frequencies Monday - Saturday until further notice, but BATA plans to begin hourly service this summer.
  • Route 12 – Interlochen service will increase to have hourly frequency Monday - Friday and 2-hour service on Saturdays.
  • All other Village Loop routes now have consistent 2-hour frequencies Monday - Friday. This is an increase in frequency for Routes 13 and 14.  
  • Village Loop route paths are being streamlined to increase frequency and efficiency. Route extensions such as Fife Lake, Northport and Turtle Creek Casino will now have access to on-demand Link service versus a fixed route stop. “Riders can now travel on their own schedules."

Village Loop Route 10 – Suttons Bay:

  • Adding Saturday seasonal service from 9:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.
  • The route will now end at Leelanau Sands Casino.
  • Replacing fixed route stops in Lake Leelanau, Omena and Northport with BATA’s new on-demand Link service.

 

Village Loop Route 12 – Interlochen:

  • Adding hourly service Monday - Friday from 6:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. and from 1:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.
  • Adding Saturday service with buses every two hours from 9:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.
  • Adding an inbound and outbound stop at Meadow Lane based on ridership demand.

 

Village Loop Route 13 – Traverse City to Kingsley:

  • Adding consistent service Monday – Friday with buses every two hours from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. The transition from AM to PM will include a 1-hour pause between 12:30-13:30. This allows us to maintain the last outbound from TC at 17:30.
  • The route will now end at Northland Foods grocery store in Kingsley.
  • Replacing the fixed route stop in Fife Lake with BATA’s new on-demand Link service.

 

Village Loop Route 14 – Acme:

  • Adding consistent service Monday – Friday with buses every two hours from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. The transition from AM to PM will include a 1-hour pause between 12:30-13:30. This allows us to maintain the last outbound from TC at 17:30.
  • The route will end at Meijer Acme and will no longer service 8th Street, but is adding stops at Front & Barlow, Front & Fair/Milliken, Father Fred, Save-A-Lot, Oak Terrace, and Costco/Brookside Luxury Apts.
  • Replacing the fixed route stop at Turtle Creek Casino with BATA’s new on-demand Link service.

 

Link:

  • (New) BATA will now be offering revamped on-demand Link service to its entire service area of Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties.
  • (New) Rides can be requested in real-time or up to a day in advance using the BATA Link app (powered by Via) or by calling BATA Scheduling at 231.941.2324.
  • (New) Smart phone users can download the new BATA Link app to request rides. The BATA Link app can be downloaded from the Apple or Google Play app stores.
  • (New) Riders no longer need to call a week in advance to request rides. Rides can be requested a day in advance or in real-time as needed.
  • (New) Requested trips can now be scheduled in real time for immediate transportation or riders can request an arrival time for their destination depending on their travel preference.
  • (New) All Link rides will cost $6 full-fare or $3 for those that qualify for reduced fare.
  • (New) BATA’s entire service area of Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties will have on-demand service from 6 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. Monday – Friday with limited availability after 7 p.m. in the village areas outside of Traverse City. Weekend Link hours of operation are from 7 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. for all of Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties with extended service in Traverse City until 10:30 p.m. Note: Rides can be requested based on availability up until 10:30 p.m.
  • (New) If a requested ride time slot is full, an alternative available time slot plus or minus 30 minutes will be offered as an option.
  • (New) The BATA Link app will allow riders to pay for rides directly in the app and recommend fixed route transportation options if available as alternatives to possibly get riders to their destinations quicker or at a lower fare.

 

Helpful Technology

  • Batabustracker.com: Have you ever been standing at a bus stop and wondered – “Where’s my bus?” BATA now has the answer. Riders can track BATA’s fixed route buses using the www.batabustracker.com website from their cell phone or desktop computer. The website allows riders to track buses via an interactive map by route or buses can be tracked by arrival times by individual stop location. Riders no longer need to wonder how long until the next bus arrives, they’ll be able to see it in real-time.
  • Transit App and Google Maps: The Transit app and Google maps are now updated with BATA’s real-time fixed route bus tracking information, so riders can see buses traveling along the route and get real-time bus stop arrival times and trip planning information.
  • Automated Vehicle Announcements: Riders will always know where they are along the route with Automated Vehicle Announcements. As a vehicle approaches a stop an announcement will be heard from speakers inside the bus informing riders which stop is upcoming along with other helpful transit tips.
  • BATA Link app (powered by Via): Riders can download the new BATA Link app and schedule on-demand Link rides from their cell phones anywhere in BATA’s service area and see which fixed route stop is nearby and when the bus will be arriving. They also have the option to pay for Link rides directly in the app when booking rides.

 

New Hours of Operation:

  • (New) Bayline operating hours extended Monday - Saturday, more Saturday frequency and new Sunday service.
  • (New) City Loops will now have 30-minute frequency Monday – Friday.
  • (New) Village Loops will have hourly frequency on Routes 10 – Suttons Bay and 12 - Interlochen, consistent 2-hour frequency on all other routes, and start their first runs at 6:30 a.m. Routes 10 and 12 will also have consistent Saturday service.
  • (New) BATA’s entire service area of Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties will have on-demand service from 6 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. Monday – Friday with limited availability after 7 p.m. in the village areas outside of Traverse City. Weekend Link hours of operation are from 7 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. for all of Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties with extended service in Traverse City until 10:30 p.m. Note: Rides can be requested based on availability up until 10:30 p.m.
  • (New) The Hall Street Transfer Station will be open an hour later until 7 p.m. Monday – Friday and will now be open on Saturdays as well.

 

Monday – Friday

  • Bayline: 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.
    • 18 minute frequency from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.
    • 35 minute frequency from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.
  • City Loops: 6 a.m. – 9 p.m.
    • 30 minute frequency from 6 a.m. – 7 p.m.
    • Hourly frequency from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
  • Village Loops: 6:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
    • Hourly frequency from 6:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. and from 1:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. on Village Loop Routes 10 and 12
    • 2-hour frequency for all other routes and day parts
  • Link: 6 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. Monday – Friday with limited availability after 7 p.m. in the village areas outside of Traverse City
  • Hall Street Transfer Station: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

 

Saturday

  • Bayline: 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.
    • 18 minute frequency from 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
    • 35 minute frequency from 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.
  • City Loops: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
    • Hourly frequency
  • Village Loop Routes 10 and 12: 9:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
  • Link: 7 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. for all of Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties with extended service in Traverse City until 10:30 p.m.
  • Hall Street Transfer Station: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

 

Sunday:

  • Bayline: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.
    • 35-minute frequency
  • Link: 7 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. for all of Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties with extended service in Traverse City until 10:30 p.m.