The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority will soon link Ann Arbor and Canton by a commuter bus. An AATA official said that the bus route will be ready by the end of August.

Manager for community relations of the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, Mary Stasiak said that the demo park and ride route is funded from a Department of Transportation grant which amounts to $495,000. She said that this will let the AATA assess the creation of a permanent link between Ann Arbor and Canton.

Canton Township supervisor Philip LaJoy and Stasiak said that there are thousands of residents from Wayne County who commute to Ann Arbor for work. There are also many residents of Canton, Plymouth, and Westland who work at the University of Michigan. Having the commuter bus will definitely be great for the residents.

The Canton Township Board of Trustees approved to lease 100 parking spaces to AATA located at Independence Park, situated at Denton and Proctor Roads for a monthly fee of $6,000. The contract is from July 1 to June 30, 2011. However, the bus service will remain as long as the fares and the grant are able to hold it.

A monthly payment of $125 for the fare will be charged to commuters. If you are a qualified employee of the University of Michigan, you only have to pay for half of the cost. In Ann Arbor, there will be three stops: downtown, U-M Central Campus, and University of Michigan Hospitals. In Canton, the buses will stop at Independence Park and Cherry Hill Village. Parking is going to be free.

Each bus will have 40-50 passengers for each trip. There will be two trips scheduled in the morning and two return tips in the afternoon.

The first month of operation will be free of charge for the commuters. Ann Arbor and Canton Township being linked by the commuter bus is a big convenience its residents.

Find an Ann Arbor Transportation in the Directory of Ann Arbor, MI.