Transportation Riders United

@detroittransit.org

90 Followers 26 Following

Everyone should be able to get where they need to go! TRU is a nonprofit that advocates for better public transit throughout the Detroit region 🚌 🚎 🚃

Text reads “VOTE YES. Wayne County Public Transportation Millage. Election Day is Tuesday, August 4th. Photo of a SMART FAST bus on Michigan Ave. Transportation Riders United and Transit for All logos below.”
Group of TRU volunteers posing for a photo in a post office
Let’s Talk Transit, Grand Rapids! Community Conversation on Local & Intercity Transit hosted on June 11 at TheRapids HQ Conference Room, 6pm. Come share your opinions about local and cross-state public transit and discuss ways to improve transportation locally and throughout MI! Hosted by Transportation Riders United, Kent County Essential Needs Task Force, Strong Towns Grand Rapids, and Disability Advocates of Kent County. RSVP at DetroitTransit.org/Transit-Tour
Let’s Talk Transit, Port Huron Community Conversation on Local & Cross-State Transit on June 3, at Port Huron Municipal Office Center Public Meeting Room, at 5:30pm. Come share your opinions about local and cross-state public transit and discuss ways to improve transportation locally and throughout MI! Hosted by Transportation Riders United, SDEV, and Port Huron Urbanists. RSVP at DetroitTransit.org/Transit-Tour
Neel Marathe with his graduation cap in front of a TheRide bus
Join TRU and MARP for an event on intercity transit: the bus-train connection. This event is on Saturday, April 18th at Dearborn Transit Center from 2 to 4pm. Photos on flyer include Indian Trail buses in the background, an Amtrak train during Winter, and the logos of TRU and MARP
URGENT: Rally to Double DDOT funding Monday evening! This year, Mayor Sheffield is proposing a $29 million total budget increase for DDOT. This won’t get us all the way to “doubling DDOT” this year, but it’s a huge step in the right direction. But we need to remind City Council that the work doesn’t stop here. We need to keep our eyes on the prize - doubling DDOT by 2030 - and ensure we keep ramping up funding for DDOT in the years to come. Join us at 4pm at the Spirit of Detroit for a rally to Double DDOT! We’ll then head to the budget hearing at 5pm to tell Council: Don’t decrease funding for DDOT, keep growing our service!
Flyer for No Kings in Wayne County., featuring No Kings logo. caption says "Support no kings & canvass for Wayne Countywide transit with TRU. Detroit, Livonia, Canton, Wyandotte. 3/28. Be There."
19% of Americans live in rural areas, 47% of fatal crashes happen there. Public transit reduces fatal risk by 90%
BREAKING NEWS: The Wayne County Transit Authority just voted to approve ballot language for the Wayne County-wide transit proposal. This means the Wayne County-wide transit proposal will officially be on the ballot in August. If approved, Wayne County will have countywide transit for the first time in decades. We need to spread the word. FAST. Most voters don’t know about the proposal. Read below to learn more. Transportation Riders United logo at bottom.
Public transit helps our aging neighbors stay independent
Photo of Jerina Cleveland, titled "What's a fun fact about you?" Body: I’m a first-time grandmother to a 14-month-old granddaughter — and she’s already teaching me a lot about patience and joy.
Photo of DDOT Grand River bus, titled "What is your favorite bus route?" Body: The Grand River bus (DDOT 3). Wherever I ended up along the line, I always knew I could get home on the Grand River bus.
Photo of TRU board, titled "What are you excited for this year?" Body: I’m excited to continue strengthening community-centered mobility solutions and amplifying the voices of riders as we push toward more equitable, reliable transportation across Detroit.
Photo of Jerina, titled "Why is transit important to you?" Body: Transit isn’t just a ride — it’s a lifeline. It’s freedom that connects people to jobs, school, healthcare, and family, and I’ve experienced both the challenges and the possibilities of mobility from multiple perspectives. When transit works well, whole communities thrive.
Photo of Jerina Cleveland, titled meet our board Body: I’m a lifelong Detroiter, living and working in the community I call home. Through both personal professional experience, I’ve seen firsthand how access to transportation shapes opportunity, and independence which is why I enjoy serving as Community Development Manager with Catch a Ride Network, where we create mobility solutions that support every person.
Connect Wayne County March Meetups! Join us to talk about how we can expand public transit across Wayne County! March 10th - Livonia Meeting at Supernatural brewing, 5 to 7pm. March 24th - Transit Tuesday Talk on Wayne Countywide at Westland City Hall, from 6 to 8pm. Will also have speakers from SMART and Wayne County. March 31st - Wyandotte Meeting, at Wyandotte Beer Co. from 6 to 8pm. Background image is Wayne countywide transit proposal.
Image with large text saying: Mayor Sheffield, Let's Double DDOT! Showing organizations that endorse. Those include AFSCME, Detroit Disability Power, COTS, Detroit Justice Center, Michigan Elder Justice Initiative, AELC, WOW, ATU, Greenways Coalition, 482 Forward, GDABVI, Great Lakes Environmental Law Center, Detroit Community Technology Project, We The People Action Fund, Michigan United, and Sierra Club of Michigan, and TRU.
Bus stop in a city with a sign that says: "Supporting those who support us; veterans ride free in many Michigan towns". TRU logo at the bottom
Photo of David, with title: "What's a fun fact about you?" Caption: "I'm a classically-trained saxophonist and have recently started learning flute. In my free time, I enjoy reading, cooking, staying active, making music, and performing with his local improv troupe."
Photo of DAX bus, with title: "What's your favorite transit route?" Caption: "My favorite public transit in Metro Detroit is the Detroit Air Xpress (DAX) bus! It's affordable, reliable, and the drivers are always friendly. I use it every time I travel to and from the airport."
Photo of TRU's board, with title: "What're you excited for this year?" Caption: I'm looking forward to working with the TRU board, staff, volunteers, partners, and riders to strengthen public transit across our region.
Photo of David, with the title: "Why is transit important to you?" Caption says: "The ability to move freely within one's community should be a right. In our region, people are overwhelmingly expected to own a car to meet basic needs. Robust public transit provides dignity, opportunity, and cleaner air for everyone!"
Photo of David Miechiels, with the title: Meet Our Board. Caption contains: David Miechiels is a Detroiter who has spent over four years improving public space along the Detroit Riverfront with the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. Before this, David was a public educator in Metro Detroit, where he taught music and advocated for greater equity in the education system.
Faint background of a map of Michigan, with a caption over it: 'Public Transit: Economic Engine & Workforce Lifeline.' Photo of two finely dressed younger people, a white man and a black woman, standing aboard a streetcar.
Map showcasing the proposed transit expansion in Wayne county, including 12 new and extend routes and FLEX service throughout western Wayne and Downriver
Operator raising the wheelchair lift on WAVE in Western Washtenaw.
Video explaining Governor Whitmer's budget proposal, and how it impacts transit. Video includes audio
Mayor Sheffield's community conversation on infrastructure and mobility. This will be Wednesday, February 18th from 5:30pm to 8:30pm at St. Andrew's Memorial Church on Wayne State's campus. Share your thoughts with the new mayor on transportation in Detroit!
Join us for a "We Love Transit Social", hosted by Strong Towns Detroit and TRU. The event is Febuary 15th from 1 to 3pm, at The Social Brews (located at 211 W Fort St, 48226 in Downtown Detroit). Flyer has various hearts, buses, people rolling, and cyclists in red, purple, and pink.
Semester in Detroit's Minding the gaps: Detroiters speak on transit justice speaker series flyer. This flyer includes information about the events, including time and place. All of this information can be found at the link in this post.
Photo of Rosa Parks from the Montgomery Bus Boycott, with the following caption: Today is transit equity day! Transit equity day is Rosa Park's birthday, honoring her work to fight for equal transit access for everyone, regardless of race. Honor Rosa Parks' legacy by continuing the fight towards equitable transit for all. Transportation Riders United logo in the bottom right.
Streetcar in downtown Plymouht, Michigan
Image of a young black adult woman walking with a younger child in front of a DDOT bus. Text overlaying the image says "Mayor Sheffield wants to hear from you! Take the mayor's survey today", with her transition logo
This Saturday, join us at the fountain in Kellogg Park to canvass for transit! When? Saturday, Jan. 31 from 12pm to 3pm Where? Kellogg Park, Downtown Plymouth Help spread the word about the Wayne County-wide transit proposal at one of the winter's coolest events (literally). No canvassing experience required!
Upcoming TRU volunteer events. Thursday, Jan 15th: Volunteer Meeting. 6:30 - 8 PM, virtual. Join TRU's monthly volunteer team meeting to hear updates on various events and campaigns for the year. Wednesday, Jan 21st: Statewide Transit Committee Meeting. 6 - 7:30 pm, Virtual. Join TRU's bimonthly statewide transit committee to talk about and organize to address statewide transit issues. Thursday, Jan 22nd: Wayne County Transit Task Force. 6 - 7 PM, virtual. Do you live in Wayne County and want to get involved in the push for countywide transit? Join us! Tuesday, Jan 27th: State of Transit. 5 pm, Marygrove Conservancy Help us setup, check-in guests, and tear down at our state of transit! Your help is needed and appreciated! Saturday, Jan 31st: Canvass for transit. 12 PM, Downtown Plymouth Ice Festival. Help spread the word about the Wayne County-wide transit proposal. No canvassing experience required!
Support Transit? Support TRU! Help us keep up this work at DetroitTransit.org/Donate
In 2022, Michigan’s rural transit agencies provided 4,715,000 rides - the third most out of any state. MI provided the most dial-a-ride trips out of any state, at 3,467,000. Photo of a dial-a-ride service in Western Michigan
While only 19% of Americans live in rural areas, 47% of fatal car crashes occur in rural areas. Taking public transit can reduce your personal risk to car-related fatalities by 90%. Numerous people on a rural small transit bus talking to a man in a suit and tie.
All of Michigan's 83 counties have public transit - with 74 of these counties having a rural transit provider covering most of the county. Map shows Michigan's counties with countywide services, small community services (mainly in rural village limits or small city limits), specialized services (for seniors or people with disabilities), and urban services.
Transit is Essential for Rural Michiganders What to Know By Transportation Riders United Background photo is an older man in a wheelchair being pushed by a middle-aged man, in from of a NOTA van in Northern Oakland County.
State of Transit 2026, on January 27th 2026. At the Marygrove Conservancy, 8425 W McNichols Rd, Detroit, MI 48221. Get your ticket today at TinyURL.com/2s48mzh2, or DetroitTransit.org Talk with advocates, policy makers, agency leaders, and elected officials at the biggest night in transit of the year.