Effective April 26, Michigan Flyer-AirRide will resume its daily scheduled service between East Lansing, Brighton, Ann Arbor, and Detroit Metro Airport thanks to funding secured through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act.

As part of the restart, Michigan Flyer-AirRide will operate a new, simplified schedule of 12 round trips a day, seven days a week, with each run serving East Lansing, Brighton, Ann Arbor, and Detroit Metro Airport.

“We are absolutely thrilled to get our fleet of luxury motorcoaches on the road again, providing important daily connections for air travelers and intercity bus passengers, including students and staff of Michigan State University and the University of Michigan,” says Michigan Flyer VP Ody Norkin.

Beginning on Thursday, April 1, reservations may be booked online at www.MichiganFlyer.com or by phone. Prices will remain the same as before operations were suspended; however, payment must be made by credit card.

Drivers will be able to take credit card payments at the bus and send receipts to passengers by email. To help prevent person-to-person transmission of the coronavirus, drivers will no longer accept cash. For those boarding in Ann Arbor, you may purchase your tickets with cash inside the Blake Transit Center during posted business hours.

Also, note that for the time being, the capacity of each coach will be limited to 50%, so passengers are able to seat themselves at a safe distance from one another.

To minimize the chance of spreading coronavirus on its buses, Michigan Flyer and Indian Trails implemented the following steps, among others:

• As mandated by the CDC, all passengers must wear face masks for the duration of their trip.

• Providing hand sanitizer on all buses.

• Limiting the number of passengers per bus.

• Asking passengers to occupy seats as far apart as possible.

• Ventilating buses with fresh rather than recirculated air.

• Providing transparent, protective barriers between drivers and passengers.

• Cleaning and sanitizing buses daily, with special attention to high-touch areas.  

• Requiring daily symptom checks of all on-duty employees and requiring the workforce to abide by a detailed COVID-19 Response Plan.