Detroit’s SMART adds 3 paratransit vehicles

The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) and the city of Romulus added two new buses and one new van to its fleet.
 
The new buses are replacements to transport senior citizens to their choice of destinations, allowing them a continued quality of life and freedom of independence.

Through the SMART Community Partnership Program (CPP), communities have access to funding and SMART resources to help operate local community transit programs. The CPP helps local municipalities provide community transit programs for their residents and supports a variety of transit needs, including operating expenses, bus purchases, maintenance, loaner vehicles and technical assistance to help communities develop, design and operate service.

“SMART plays an important role with communities like Romulus in supporting their local transit programs for their residents, helping them get to medical appointments, work and school,” said SMART GM John Hertel. “Through our community partnership Program, SMART is able to bring federal dollars back to the community to ensure seniors and people with disabilities have access to the transit services they need.”

The Romulus Senior Center currently has three SMART vehicles in operation. The new vehicles come equipped with wheelchair lifts to accommodate disabled passengers and additional seating. The two new buses have 6.8 liter gasoline engines for better mileage and feature a seat that converts and accommodates a baby car seat.

The Romulus Senior Center uses their buses five days a week to transport older adults and people with disabilities to medical appointments, luncheons, monthly excursions and other trips as needed. The new vehicles serve as replacements for a fleet that is 20 years old.  

“We are so blessed to have these new buses,” said Rose Swidan, director of the Romulus Senior Center. “Without them, we could not serve our community and we thank SMART for partnering with us.”

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