Background

In 1998, the Mobile Metro 2020 plan was adopted. The plan guided the development of transit services in the region, including the creation of The Rapid and many service improvements that have been put into place in the intervening years.

Since the last transit plan in 1998, the Rapid has:

• Added Evening and Sunday service
• Introduced DASH, GVSU and GRCC services
• Increased peak buses from 70 to 104 (49%)*
• Increased ridership from 3.5M to 9.3M (265%)**
• Increased fleet to 126 buses and 109 paratransit buses*
• Outstanding Public Transportation System in U.S. (APTA, 2004)
• Rapid Central Station – first LEED certified transit facility in U.S.
• Begin $32M upgrade of Wealthy Operations Center (12/09)
• Bus Rapid Transit and Streetcar studies

^{* 2008 National Transit Database Reports
** Estimated 2009 Annual Ridership (The Rapid)}

Where The Rapid is today

• 25 Fixed Routes
• Downtown Area Shuttle (DASH) Routes
• Go!Bus (Door-to-door mobility for seniors and the disabled)
• College Services (Special routes and fares for GVSU, GRCC, Aquinas and Calvin colleges)
• County Connection (24-hour notice, curb-to-curb service in Kent County)
• Carpooling and Vanpooling