Young professionals give feedback on transit plan at A2Y Converge forum

Young professionals give feedback on transit plan at A2Y Converge forum

Public transportation can transform our community, our environment, and our economy, according to TheRide CEO Michael Ford.

“It’s more than just getting you from one point to another; It’s an important part of the community,” Ford said.

Because it is important to discuss proposed changes in public transportation, A2Y Converge hosted a Local Transit Forum with TheRide on July 12th to discuss possible improvements to local transit, including a change from serving only the Ann Arbor area to serving all of Washtenaw County.

At the forum, representatives for The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (TheRide) received community feedback from the Chamber’s young professionals. This is in addition to input from thousands of community members and more than 70 public meetings that have helped TheRide’s board create a new 30-year vision.

The forum revolved around TheRide’s Five-Year Transit Program, which includes the following as a way to begin the changes involved with the new 30-year vision:

  • Increase service frequency to every 15 minutes on major corridors
  • Extend hours of operation on weekdays and weekends
  • Make routes more direct
  • Make travel times faster (more real time information and signals to get buses through traffic faster)
  • Connect to local nearby cities, townships, and villages to reduce Ann Arbor’s congestion and need for extra parking.

Ford explained in more detail at the forum that the 30-year vision, or the Smart Growth Transit Master Plan, would expand services to connect Washtenaw communities rather than just covering the Ann Arbor area. Eight transit districts have been created throughout the county as a new structure for this plan, which can be viewed along with their governance system at MovingYouForward.org.

               Five-year plan map
After questions from attendees, funding for the expansion was not discussed in detail at the fourm, as Ford said the framework of the plan has not been fully approved yet. After possible approval at the August 1 Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners meeting, funding options could be sought based on recommendations from TheRide’s Financial Task Force. The county commissioner is the last of four parties who have been involved in the decision. The Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti city councils as well as the AATA have given their approval.

 

Justin Fenwick, Business Transportation Coordinator at TheRide, spoke at the forum about the more immediate changes in service happening as a part of this plan.

Converge members who attended were excited to learn about the new programs TheRide has that go beyond basic city transportation. This includes NightRide for after hours transportation, ExpressRide for a faster commute between Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, AirRide for shuttles to the Detroit Metro Airport, and VanRide for a car pooling system.Attendees were especially interested in NightRide and VanRide for local work-related benefits.

NightRide, more specifically, is a late-night, shared-ride taxi service with Blue Cab. TheRide initiated it in response to the community’s need for safe, low-cost transportation late at night by complimenting TheRide’s bus service and providing round-the-clock, public transportation within the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area, even on holidays. Attendees at the forum said they think flexibility and extended hours are important improvements.

VanRide allows a minimum of five people to ride to and from work each day in a seven passenger van provided by TheRide. A monthly fee includes the vehicle, insurance and maintenance. The designated driver rides for free and has personal use of the van for up to 200 miles per month. VanRide is available to anyone commuting to or within Washtenaw County. More information is available at MyVanRide.org.

Attendees also expressed some of their concerns with service, such as using public transportation in relation to commuting to work. This included conflicts with timing of the buses differing from what time someone would need to arrive at work. The location of parking lots provided by TheRide for people to park and take the bus was also a concern as the locations aren’t convenient for everyone. As one attendee said, he was unsure of how safe he would feel leaving his car in some of the parking locations.

 

Fenwick said they are working on expanding services such as convenient parking and faster communication for real time information about the location of buses. Fenwick said he has not owned a car for more than five years, providing perspective on the ways people can depend on local transit, even if it is just for a ride to work.

 

He asked that employees talk to their places of business about whether the businesses have considered the benefits of public transportation for employees, especially with the new services offered in the area by TheRide.

TheRide is still seeking feedback on the plan from local young professionals. Even if you weren’t able to make the forum, you can still contact Justin Fenwick at jfenwick@theride.org with any suggestions or questions. More information on the proposed plan is available at movingyouforward.org.

A2Y Converge is always looking for opportunities for young professionals to have their say on what’s happening in the Ann Arbor / Ypsilanti area. We will be hosting Downtown Development Fourm with the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority Wednesday, August 29 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm in the Celtic Room at Conor O’Neill’s. Join us to hear more about the Connecting Williams Street project and let the DDA know what you think.

 

Member Spotlight: Fresh Start Clubhouse

Member Spotlight: Fresh Start Clubhouse

Fresh Start Clubhouse is more than a program or a social service. Fresh Start is a community, intentionally designed as an environment for adult residents of Washtenaw County with severe and persistent mental illness to develop self-efficacy and resiliency in their struggle to recover their lives and participate in society. Fresh Start is based on the Fountain House model of psychosocial rehabilitation where members provide mutual support and encouragement to celebrate accomplishments and regain self-confidence. Members of Fresh Start move beyond their illness by focusing on strengths, talents, and abilities rather than symptoms. The organization and operation of Fresh Start is shared by members and staff on a side-by-side basis; all work of the Clubhouse is meaningful and necessary. The work-ordered-day is the core of the Clubhouse program, in which members voluntarily participate in work which is divided into two units of responsibility-the Culinary Unit, and the Cooperative Unit.

Recently, Fresh Start Clubhouse was awarded accreditation through their governing body, the International Center for Clubhouse Development (ICCD), a symbol of quality, and a clear demonstration of a Clubhouse’s commitment to excellence. Out of 44 Clubhouses in Michigan, Fresh Start is proud to be one of only five with accreditation status. Fresh Start and its auspice agency, Touchstone Services, Inc. have also been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), demonstrating a commitment to being one of the best psychosocial rehabilitation programs available.

Fresh Start Clubhouse’s motivation to join the A2Y Chamber was fueled by their mutual interest in facilitating education and advocacy for the Washtenaw County community as a whole. In an effort to continue to advocate for their member’s recovery, Fresh Start has an employment program that is one of the most successful vocational rehabilitation programs in today’s community mental health systems. Because of the unique nature of the many integrated services provided at Fresh Start, they are always able to meet members where they are in their life’s journey. Employment continues to be an often expressed priority for people living with serious mental illness, although the unemployment rate among this group is generally over 80%. Fresh Start is actively looking for community employers to partner with to reduce this rate, and it is their belief that the Chamber can help to this end. Fresh Start is also seeking community leaders to join their Advisory Board to help them continue providing top tier services to their members.

The staff and members at Fresh Start Clubhouse would love the opportunity to introduce themselves to the Ann Arbor / Ypsilanti community and present their overall program, as well as employment program. In the meantime, if you are a like-minded community employer or community leader interested in providing meaningful employment opportunities or expertise to their Advisory Board, please don’t hesitate to contact Rose Schulist, Director, or Aaron Cook, Vocational Coordinator at (734) 929-9992. They can also be reached at roses@freshstartclubhouse.org or acook@freshstartclubhouse.org, respectively.

Q & A with Tom Harrison about his trip to the White House

Q & A with Tom Harrison about his trip to the White House

Our Board of Directors Chair and Michigan Ladder CEO Tom Harrison was honored to be invited to the Michigan Business Leader’s Briefing at the White House in June, along with representatives from the public sector, including local colleges and universities, and other Michigan business owners and CEOs. Here’s his take on the meeting.

Which officials attended?

Members of the White House Economic Council (WHEC).  Most of the names are not in the mainstream media and probably not known to most, but Mark Doms, the Chief Economist Department of Commerce and Ari Matusiak, the Executive Director of the White House Business Council are two that I knew.

 

What were some of the key points in the economic briefing?

The people from the private sector consistently voiced a concern over the uncertainty in the economy.  Our perspective was to simply figure out the rules, regulations and taxes, make them fair and equitable, and have them apply to everyone without exception.  The spending and unfunded obligations need to be brought under control because we all know that at some point it will have to be paid for. People from the public sector got excited about re-training the work force.
 What were some of the policies discussed?

From the private sector: the ever-changing rules, regulations and taxes that make it difficult to plan your business.  From the public sector: re-training programs. From the White House: they touted a re-training bill (that none of us had heard of), programs to hire veterans, and electronic health records.

 

Did you get the sense that the Department of Commerce and the White House understand the issues facing businesses in Michigan?

I think they have a general understanding of the situation in Michigan and have a similar understanding of the problems around the country.  Do I think they will really do what is needed? No. All of our economic problems are political and I don’t think there is the political will to do what is required.

 

Do you think this meeting was effective in helping to communicate the needs of Michigan businesses?

Absolutely.  Anytime you have the opportunity to visit with our policy makers, I think you should do it.  If they call me 100 times, I will go 100 times. I’m less optimistic that anything meaningful will come out of these meetings, but you do have to try.

 

What issues do you feel are unique to businesses in Michigan?

I don’t think that we really have any unique issues. If our policy makers could provide a fair, equitable and stable economic environment, everything else will take care of itself.

 

What did you see on the White House tour?
We visited the East Wing and part of the private residence.  Our tour was scheduled for June 1st  and on day prior they had unveiled the official portraits of George and Laura Bush.  We got to see them on display in the East Room of the White House.

 

How did your family enjoy the trip?

Everyone had a great time.  I particular enjoyed visiting the Gettysburg battlefield and torturing my children with a painfully detailed description of the battle, particularly Pickett’s charge.  We all went on the White House tour together and while I was in my meeting, they visited all of the sites in DC. Favorites among the kids were the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and the International Spy Museum.