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Commission approves SMART Dial‑A‑Ride contract; fare adjustments and three new buses part of FY2016 deal
Summary
The commission approved a FY2016 purchase-of-service agreement with SMART for Mount Clemens Dial‑A‑Ride; SMART will subsidize the service up to $41,002.84, provide three replacement buses, and Exhibit A shows fare increases for full, half and youth fares while senior fares remain unchanged.
The Mount Clemens City Commission approved a fiscal‑year 2016 purchase‑of‑service operating agreement with the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) to continue the city’s Dial‑A‑Ride service.
Under the contract, SMART will continue to subsidize the program with municipal and community credits up to $41,002.84 and will deliver three replacement buses to refresh the local fleet. The contract materials attached as Exhibit A show fare adjustments: full fare will rise to $3 one way, half fare to $1.50, and youth fare to $2. The senior citizen fare is not increasing, although the separate “senior shopper” trip fare will be standardized at $1 (up from $0.75) to align with the senior fare structure.
Staff clarified that the fare changes apply to the Dial‑A‑Ride service area and that the old fares remain in force until the new contract is signed and executed; the contract is typically applied retroactively to July 1 to avoid service interruptions. Commissioners asked about whether senior and disabled transfers remain free; staff confirmed transfers for seniors and disabled riders are provided without charge per the contract terms.
Other operational points discussed included driver training (the city provides in‑house training that complies with SMART’s standards), advertising and signage restrictions on SMART buses (SMART generally prohibits paid advertising but may allow publicity for city events), and enforcement of no‑show policies for riders; staff said the dispatch system notifies drivers to collect no‑show fees and suspensions of service for repeated offenders have been used.
What’s next: The contract was approved and staff will execute it as authorized; staff also plans to follow up on advertising policy details with SMART and to implement the clarified no‑show enforcement procedures.
Quotes from the meeting include staff clarification that "SMART will continue to subsidize a project up to $41,002.84 dollars in municipal and community credits for operating costs," and a commissioner noting that "the old fares are in place until we sign the new contract."
