SMART Offers Free Rides On New FAST Bus Service

DETROIT (WWJ) - To celebrate its first major service change in over 20 years, SMART is offering FREE rides on its new FAST bus service.

For the first two weeks of January, 1-15, residents can try one or all of the new FAST routes: FAST Gratiot, FAST Woodward or FAST Michigan.

"This is a great opportunity for residents to give the new FAST service a try whether they are travelling to the airport, going to downtown, or to work," John Hertel, General Manager at SMART, said in a statement.

With operating hours during the days, nights, and weekends, FAST is a whole new and improved transit option for the region. Each new FAST route provides an improved level of service to key destinations on each corridor:

• FAST Michigan, for the first time, offers a direct connection from downtown Detroit to both terminals at Metro Airport and the Dearborn Transit Center.
• FAST Woodward serves the corridor from Pontiac and Troy, connecting to four hospitals, the Zoo and midtown and downtown Detroit.
• FAST Gratiot connects people from 23 Mile to Mt. Clemens, Macomb Mall, Midtown, Eastern Market and downtown.

While limited-stop service is not new to SMART, higher frequency combined with limited-stops located at about every mile, FAST service translates to a quicker commute. Riders are only able to board and deboard at the official FAST stations designated with a new FAST sign. Local routes can be used to transfer riders to a FAST station or in-between bus stops. Using this new service is easy and the fare is the same as SMART's regular service, only $2.00 one-way. Transfers are only 25 cents.

To help navigate the new FAST service, SMART Customer Service representatives will be on-hand to answer questions with special New Year's Day hours on Monday, Jan. 1, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call Customer Service at (866) 962-5515. Additional information about SMART and FAST routes and schedules can be found at smartbus.org.