SMART offering free rides on Election Day for all transportation services

(WXYZ) — SMART will offer free rides to the public on election day – Tuesday, Nov. 8, with a variety of routes to help people get to the polls.

According to SMART, the free rides will include ADA service, Connector, Fixed Route and the rideshare service SMART Flex.

The free rides will also extend to anyone who is using SMART service from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 8.

“Access to transportation should not be a barrier to how you live your life, whether it is a ride to the movies, medical appointments or work,” said Dwight Ferrell, SMART general manager. “Similarly, we offered free rides during the COVID-19 pandemic as a public service, and we will continue our efforts to provide safe and reliable transportation when communities need it most. We’re excited to join other transit systems across the country in an effort to ensure transit access on election day.”

Detailed service offerings include:

ADA Paratransit Service, is an advanced reservation, curb-to-curb service that is provided for people who are unable to use SMART’s Fixed Route bus service because of a disability. (ADA certification is required).

Connector Service is an advance reservation, curb-to-curb, service operated by SMART. When using Connector, you may travel anywhere within a 10-mile radius of a designated service area.

SMART Fixed Route buses pick up and drop off at designated bus stops and times. SMART offers different types of service including, major corridor routes, crosstown routes, limited-stop routes and express routes. Schedules for each route are available in either a printed format or online [smartbus.org].

SMART Flex is an easy way to get around in Dearborn, Troy/Clawson, Auburn Hills/Pontiac, Hall Road, and Farmington/Farmington Hills areas. Riders can request a ride and have the flex-ibility to get where they need and want to go within these zones [smartbus.org]. Download the App “SMART Flex” in the App Store or Google Play store.