Bus to Work Campaign

With the continuing upward trend in gas prices, the case for taking the bus is stronger than ever. Yet most people continue to fight traffic and pay ever-higher prices to fill their gas tank, even if they live just one bus ride away from work. The goal of this project is to get the word out that there is an alternative.

The campaign will target the work places of companies and organizations that are located near to existing bus stops. The goal is to post or distribute customized educational materials at each location, explaining the local bus routes and how much employees could save by taking the bus.

If you’re interested in improving mass transit in Metro Detroit, sign up to post an educational flier at your workplace that describes the local routes and the personal cost savings.  Its easy - just enter your information in the above form and we'll produce a customized flier for you to post.

Contact: James at BusToWork@detroitsynergy.org 

TRANSIT ARCHIVE

MYSTERY THIRD THURSDAY HAPPY HOUR BY PEOPLE MOVER (MAY 2007)

Fuel your sense of adventure and use public transit to do it. Join Detroit Synergy as we ride the People Mover to a happening place in the heart of the city. Enter to win fabulous prizes and enjoy discounted drinks while you mingle in the "mystery spot".

Travel on your own from any station at any time until 8:30pm.  Just look around for the electronic message boards at any People Mover station for mystery destination information.

Organized Departures at 5:30, 6:00 and 6:30pm leave from the Cadillac Center Station (located at Gratiot Ave. and Library St, attached to the Compuware parking structure). 

Ride free with the organized departures (and on your return journey) with Detroit People Mover donated tokens (for the first fifty).  As an alternative for National Transportation Week, Bus, Bike or Walk to the People Mover, or park free at the Compuware Structure with Compuware donated parking validations (for the first twenty).

Community Service Component Accepting voluntary donations for new gloves and new or lightly used yard/gardening tools (rakes, brooms, shovels, etc.) for Detroit Synergy's Project Clean, that will be participating in the Motor City Makeover on May 19th (to volunteer contact Jen at clean@detroitsynergy.org).  Items accepted at the organized departures at Cadillac Station at 5:30, 6, 6:30.

What: Third Thursday Community Happy Hour & Transit Project Event
When: 5:30 - 8:30pm, Thursday, May 17th
Where: Mystery, but check People Mover station electronic message boards that night
How:  By Detroit People Mover (www.thepeoplemover.com)
Hear About It: on WDET on Demand (select the show Detroit Today and date 5/14/07)

TRANSIT CALL TO ACTION (April 2007)

It's an exciting time for public transit in the Motor City.  Commuter rail will soon be moving Detroiters to the airport and Ann Arbor, fast track studies are getting public input for Detroit's future rapid transit corridors, buses continue to improve and the People Mover is celebrating it's 20th year of operation.

As the dialog and action on these public transit options grows, public awareness grows too and with it grows the sense of possibility...  the possibility of cheap, hassle free commuting, the possibility of fast, efficient connection to places we want to go without fear of construction delays or bad roads, the possibilities of economic development and making Detroit a more attractive place to live and work.

We at Detroit Synergy want to increase that awareness and sense of possibility.  We recently did that with the Transit Coffee Talk series, bringing people together to learn of recent transit developments and to discuss their ideas for Detroit's transit future.  Consistent with being a project-based, action-driven volunteer group, we want to continue that effort with your support.  Project teams are forming to come up with fun, creative ways to get people using and talking about public transit.  The kick-off meeting to establish those projects and teams is this coming Wednesday at 6:30PM at Z's Villa, one block south-east of the Amtrak station at 42 Piquette, conveniently on the Woodward bus route (as detailed below).

There's a place for all ideas, talents and levels of involvement on these projects.  Whether you have an idea you'd love to lead, want to connect with city groups, establishments and the media to pull it all together or just want to participate on the day of the event to make it all happen, they're a fun way to make a positive impact on the city and to meet cool people too.

Please join in the fun this Wednesday.

and the following trains:
Amtrak #352 (departing Ann Arbor 5:47p, Dearborn 6:22p, arriving Detroit
New Center 6:49p.  No return train to Ann Arbor and points west--YET.)
Amtrak #355 (departing Pontiac 5:10p, Birmingham 5:23p, Royal Oak 5:30p,
arriving at Detroit New Center 5:50p.  Return via #354 departing 12:32a.)

TRANSIT COFFEE TALK SERIES (March-April 2007)

Interested in public transit? Want to learn more about public transit in the Motor City including today’s options, tomorrow’s opportunities and what it all means to you? Want to connect with others who share your interest?Interested in public transit? Want to learn more about public transit in the Motor City including today’s options, tomorrow’s opportunities and what it all means to you? Want to connect with others who share your interest?  Detroit Synergy has just the event for you.

In fact, we have three of them!

In partnership with Transportation Riders United (TRU) http://www.detroittransit.org/ , Detroit Synergy will be hosting three coffee talks. Each will introduce the concepts, merits and latest news before opening up the floor to moderated discussion. All three will allow for a general transit discussion, but each will emphasize a particular piece of the transit puzzle as follows:

Transit Talk 1: Buses and You
When:     Wednesday, February 21st - 6:30PM
Where:    Traffic Jam & Snug / 511 W. Canfield, Midtown Detroit

We already have transit in Detroit! This discussion begins with existing busing options, how to use them, what people think of them, what improvements are in the works and what would improve them further.   Find out about Bus-to-Work, the Commuter Challenge and potential DSG Scavenger Hunts and Pub Crawls by bus.  Learn to Dodge the Lodge construction too!  To take the bus to this talk, reference the detailed information below.

Transit Talk 2: Commuter Rail comes to Detroit
When:     Wednesday, March 7th - 6:30PM
Where:    Foran’s Irish Pub (former Grand Trunk Ticket Depot) / 612 Woodward, Downtown Detroit

Commuter rail is all the rage in OTHER major cities and this year it finally comes to Detroit. This discussion begins with SEMCOG’s proposed Ann Arbor/Metro Airport/Detroit commuter rail project including a little history, what’s proposed, future expansion possibilities and how you can make sure it all happens.  Find out about potential DSG Supper Club train trips too!  To take the bus or People Mover to this talk, reference the detailed information below.

Transit Talk 3: Detroit's Future with Rapid Transit
When:     Wednesday, March 28th - 6:30PM
Where:    Rowland Café (inside Guardian Building) / 500 Griswald, Downtown Detroit

Could the clang of the streetcar bell return to Detroit? Will the People Mover expand beyond its Downtown Loop?  Could premium buses zip you to your destination in a dedicated lane using traffic light priority?

How do these and other options figure into Detroit's rapid transit future.  This discussion begins with what rapid transit means, where it makes sense and what routes would people like and use.  Learn what the city is doing to make it happen and what you can do to help.  To take the bus or People Mover to this talk, reference the detailed information below.

Transit: What's Next
What:     Interested in joining a Transit event planning team or leading a Transit Project? Contact Jim at transit@detroitsynergy.org. What might be next?  Project concepts being considered are bus to work, bus pub crawl, bus to the tigers, or maybe even YOUR idea for transit!

So curb your car and c'mon down to the D for a fun and informative time at a cool city venue.  For more detailed information on this and other Transit events, contact Jim at transit@detroitsynergy.org or visit:

http://www.detroitsynergy.org/projects/transit

Transit Talk #1 is accessible via the following DDOT http://www.detroitmi.gov/ddot & SMART http://www.smartbus.org busses:

DDOT #23 Hamilton (Second Ave.)
DDOT #16 Dexter (Cass Ave.)
DDOT #53 Woodward
SMART #450/460 Woodward
SMART #615/610 Kercheval-Jefferson-Harper (Cass & Canfield)  http://www.smartbus.org/Smart/Ride%20SMART/Doc/Midtown%20Map.pdf

Canfield is 2 blocks south of Forest Ave.  The Traffic Jam is on the southeast corner of Canfield and Second, near the south end of Wayne State University's main campus.  If coming from Woodward, walk 2 blocks west and the Traffic Jam is on the left.

Transit Talk #2 is accessible by all DDOT and SMART busses that terminate downtown, and the People Mover http://www.thepeoplemover.com Financial Center Station on Larned. Foran's is on the east side of Woodward north of Congress in the former Grand Trunk Railroad ticket office.

Transit Talk #3 is accessible by all DDOT and SMART busses that terminate downtown, and the Financial Center People Mover Station on Larned.  The Rowland Cafe is on the Mezzanine of the Guardian Building, with entrances facing Congress and Griswold.

Bus to the Movies with the Transit Coalition (October, 2007)

Join Detroit Synergy, the Sierra Club and Transportation Riders United (TRU) as we take transit from Detroit to The Simpsons Movie at the Magic Bag.  Talk about a cheap date!  Roundtrip bus fare and your movie ticket are only 5 bucks!  Chip in for some pizza (ordered on the bus to take in with us, and totally optional) and you're STILL looking at 10 bucks for a night on the town.  So why not check out Detroit's public transit and have a fun time doing it?  You know you want to.  See below for additional details including how to meet up with our fun group on the 450 SMART Bus.

Meeting Place 1:  Downtown (on Woodward between Congress and Larned) - 7:20PM Sharp

Meeting Place 2:  Cultural Center (at the NE corner of Woodward and Warren) - 7:30PM Sharp

Meeting Place 3:  A SMART Bus 450 stop near you on Woodward (reference the detail & links below)

Doors open at 8pm.  We arrive at 8:09 (as shown below).  The movie goes on around 9:30 and runs for 90 minutes.  We will most likely hop on the bus at 11:38 (as shown below), reaching the DIA at 12:02 and downtown at 12:11.

For more event details, contact Jim at transit@detroitsynergy.org

For more SMART Bus information, check out www.smartbus.org