21.V Transportation

21.V.1 Airport Transportation
The Michigan Union Ticket Office (MUTO), located on the Ground Floor of the Union, has current information on the status of shuttle service to and from Detroit Metro Airport. Call 763-TKTS. Local cab services also provide transportation to and from the airport.

21.V.2 Bicycles
Bicycles are a popular means of transportation around campus and there are many bike stands to accommodate parking.

To comply with city and University ordinances, bicycles must be registered with the City of Ann Arbor through the city clerk’s office, which can be accomplished in the ways described below . Registering your bike is important - if your bike is stolen and then recovered, the city will have the necessary information.

To assist U-M students, faculty and staff with the registration process, officers from the Department of Public Safety (DPS) register bicycles at no charge (DPS pays the fee) at a few campus events at the beginning of each fall term . To learn of times and locations, watch for announcements, check the DPS website <www.umich.edu/~safety/> or call DPS at 763-1131.

Bicycle registrations are also available from the Office of the City Clerk in City Hall, located at 100 N. Fifth Avenue
<www.ci.ann-arbor.mi.us/Clerks/index.html> or 994-2725. In addition, bicycle registration can be handled through local bike shops.

For more information, including bike maps and renting bike lockers, which are especially available on the UM Medical Campus, see “Bicycling in Ann Arbor,” on the website of the UM’s Department of Parking and Transportation Services: <www.parking.umich.edu/transit/alternate_transportation.html>.

21.V.3 Buses
Both the University of Michigan and the Ann Arbor Transit Authority (AATA—The Ride) provide bus services to assist U-M faculty, staff, and students, as described below:

University of Michigan Transit Services <www.transportation.umich.edu/transit/bus_routes/index.html> University of Michigan Buses are free to all faculty, staff and students on campus. Bus routes include Commuter, Northwood (Weekly and Weekend), the U-M Medical Campus intercampus, and other routes. No identification is needed to ride on the buses. For more information routes and schedules, follow this link. 

Mride - Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA) Bus Service <www.theride.org>
All active University of Michigan-Ann Arbor faculty, staff, temporaries and students can ride any Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA) fixed-route bus service at any time of day, any day of the week without paying a fare by presenting their valid MCard Id (white or yellow) to the bus driver.  This benefit is a result of an agreement between the U-M and AATA.

For current route maps and schedules, visit the AATA website at or call (734) 996-0400.

Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA Route 36)
Bus service between the Wolverine Tower and Central Campus. To ride for free, faculty, staff and students must present a UM Mcard to the driver. The U-M has contracted with AATA to provide this service.

The Link (Ann Arbor Transportation Authority) <www.theride.org/RideGuide/Link.pdf>
Bus service that circulates in downtown Ann Arbor between Oxford Housing, Central Campus, Liberty and Main Street. Rides are free during the academic year. For detailed route information, visit the AATA website. <www.theride.org>

Bus Service from Chelsea and Dexter <www.parking.umich.edu/transit/wave.pdf>
Allows University faculty, staff, students or temporaries to ride the bus from Chelsea or Dexter to and from Ann Arbor. Also known as the WAVE Community Connector. To receive the discounted fare, riders must present a valid University MCard to the bus driver. This service is provided under a Parking & Transportation Services and Chelsea Area Transportation System (CATS) agreement.

21.V.4 Parking
As in most university communities, parking on campus is at a premium. A color-coded parking system is used in all University lots and structures. Four tiers of parking permits <www.parking.umich.edu/parking_options/faculty_staff.html> are available at a progressively lower cost, reflecting the proximity of the parking locations to which the holder of a specific type of pass is eligible to core campus areas.

To purchase a parking permit, newly hired faculty or those returning from a leave of absence must verify their eligibility by presenting a completed Parking Request Form that the appropriate administrator has signed. University retirees may purchase a special parking permit that authorizes parking in certain lots and structures. Proof of retirement status must be presented.

For more information, including parking maps and access to the Parking Request Form (see Forms), visit the Parking & Transportation Services website <www.parking.umich.edu> at or call 764-8291.

AATA Park ‘N’ Ride Program <www.theride.org/ParkAndRide.asp>
This program allows people to park for free all day (Monday through Friday) at one of the Park & Ride lots and ride the Ride downtown from five parking locations. Park ‘N Ride lots are the State Street Commuter Lot/UM Tennis Center Lot, Pioneer High School Lot, Miller Road Lot, Maple Village Shopping Center Lot, and Green Road Lot. Bus schedules are available from the AATA website and from the U-M Parking & Transportation Services office.

21.V.5 Transportation at Night and Other Special Transit Services
Both the University of Michigan and the City of Ann Arbor offer evening transportation services and other special transit services <www.parking.umich.edu/transit/special_transit.html> to assist faculty, students, and staff in remaining safe and secure. Some of the transit services described below are provided to meet special needs or to fill in the gaps between regular service hours.

S.A.F.E.WALK/Night Van
A campus accompaniment service that functions as an alternative to walking alone on campus at night. Coordinated by staff at the Department of Public Safety (DPS), S.A.F.E.WALK/Night Van is free of charge and available to all members of the University community.

During the fall and winter semesters, the service is provided daily from 10:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. Just call (734) 763-WALK (or (734) 763-9255) to request a van to transport you to your Destination.  An employee from U-M Transportation Services will come to your campus location and drive you to your requested location (within a one-mile driving radius of Central and North campuses). During non-service hours, DPS will identify alternative service providers.

State Street Ride
Free after-hours taxi service from any UM building to the South State Street Commuter (Park and Ride) lot after buses have concluded daily service. To request a ride, phone Yellow Cab directly at 663-3355. The service is available Monday through Friday from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

Night Ride/Holiday Ride(AATA) <www.theride.org/nightride.asp>
Night Ride is a late-night, shared-ride taxi service that provides round-the-clock, public transportation within Ann Arbor. Also available on all major Holidays. All Night Ride trips must be scheduled by phone reservation at 734.528.5432.

Ride Home <www.parking.umich.edu/transit/special_transit.html>
Free shared-ride taxi service for students, faculty and staff to their residence hall, parked vehicle or local residence. Available after University transit buses and shuttles have concluded daily service.

Paratransit <www.umich.edu/~sswd/>
Scheduled door-to-door service for disabled students, faculty and staff. To register for the rides, all applicants must contact Services for Students with Disabilities.

Emergency Ride Home
Provides free cab rides in emergency situations for faculty, staff, students and temporaries who use alternative parking (van poolers, bus commuters, bicyclists, walkers, etc.) or off-site parking locations. Use of the program is limited to six times per permit year. To request a ride, call the Department of Public Safety at (734) 763-1131. (Underwritten by Parking & Transportation Services.)

21.V.6 Other Transportation Options
The U-M Parking & Transportation Services website provides information about the options noted below:

Car Pools
Faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to car pool with others. While Parking and Transportation Services does not require car pools to identify themselves, the office asks that faculty and staff register their car pools to allow the Parking Services office to communicate with pool members.

Those seeking to form a car pool might consider the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority RideShare, a free, publicly funded commuter service that informs people about less expensive and environmentally friendly commuting alternatives <www.theride.org/rideshare>.

VanPool Program <www.parking.umich.edu/fleet/vanpool_cost.pdf>
The University supports ridesharing through this employer sponsored vanpooling program by paying the monthly fee for participating faculty and staff and providing each vanpool with a designated parking space on campus. The vanpool rider’s only expense is sharing the fuel costs associated with running the van.

Faculty, staff, and students who are ineligible for the UM VanPool program or who live in areas not served by established van pools might consider the services of MichiVan <www.vpsiinc.com/Home/index.asp?OID=27>, a private provider of commuter vanpool transportation services, with which AATA is a partner.

Daily Parking
‘Daily’ Blue parking is available for faculty and staff who do not possess an annual parking option but occasionally need to bring their vehicles to campus.

Emergency Ride Home Program
The Emergency Ride Home program, which Parking & Transportation Services underwrites, provides free cab rides in emergency situations for faculty, staff, students and temporaries who use alternative parking (van poolers, bus commuters, bicyclists, walkers, etc.) or off-site parking locations. Use of the program is limited to six times per permit year. To request a ride, call the Department of Public Safety at (734) 763-1131.

See Section 21.V.5 Transportation at Night and Other Special Transit Services for information about additional evening bus service.