My name is Jordan, and I’ve lived in Ann Arbor for years. Public transit has been essential to my daily life. I work as a laboratory technician at the University of Michigan, and I rely on the bus to get to work. Owning a car has never been a realistic option for me. Between the costs of buying a car, maintaining it, and paying for parking, it’s just not feasible—especially in a city as expensive as Ann Arbor.
The integration of university buses with the city’s public transit system is a great resource, especially since university buses are free to everyone. But even with this access, there are challenges that make relying on transit frustrating and time-consuming.
For instance, my apartment is only a five-minute drive from work, yet my bus commute takes an hour or more each way. That’s because buses don’t run frequently enough, and I have to plan for delays or early arrivals. Missing a bus can mean waiting another 30 minutes or more. The stops themselves could be improved, too—many don’t have shelters or benches, which is tough during Michigan winters and hot summers.
Evenings and weekends are another problem. My bus doesn’t run at all on Sundays, and Saturday service is minimal. While I don’t work weekends or holidays, many people do, and they’re left scrambling for alternatives. For those of us who rely on public transit, these gaps in service make life harder than it needs to be.
If I could ask policymakers for one thing, it would be to prioritize public transit funding. More frequent buses, better stops, and extended service hours would make a huge difference for workers like me. Public transit is about saving time, cutting costs, and reducing stress.
Ann Arbor is so expensive. What used to be a quaint college town is now only really accessible to those who can afford the sky-high housing prices. The longer leaders wait to improve access to transit and housing, the more expensive and difficult it will be to fix. We have the tools and examples from other cities—now it’s time to act.
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This story is from our most recent report, Working Families Ride the Bus, which focuses on workers from across the country who rely on public transit to stay connected with their livelihoods, their families, and greater opportunities.