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STARS tells Saginaw council about fare-free student rides and $300,000 bus-shelter project
Summary
STARS executive director Amy Bidwell briefed council on the transit authority’s roughly $11.5 million operating budget, a fare-free rollout for Delta and SVSU students and faculty, and a $300,000 bus-shelter project partly funded by $100,000 in ARPA money; Council asked about shelter counts and driver hiring.
Amy Bidwell, executive director of STARS, presented the agency’s annual update, highlighting partnerships, ridership trends and capital improvements.
Bidwell said STARS operates with an approximately $11.5 million operating budget and roughly 105 employees; fare-box recovery was about 13.23% in 2025 before the agency implemented a fare increase. She highlighted a partnership with Delta College and Saginaw Valley State University that made fixed-route service fare-free for those students and faculty and produced an immediate ridership increase at SVSU.
Bidwell described a bus-shelter project with a $100,000 ARPA contribution from the city plus MDOT shared-streets funds and other grants, bringing the total project impact to $300,000; she said a vendor was selected and roughly 10 shelters were anticipated once final costs are known. The agency is also pursuing a new master plan, had recently certified automatic passenger counts and offered paratransit and specialized services such as Rides to Wellness.
Council members asked how many shelters would be installed (Bidwell estimated about 10 during the design phase) and whether the agency provides CDL training for driver positions (Bidwell said STARS offers training for jobs that require CDLs and is actively hiring for several positions). Council members praised STARS’ financial-literacy partnership with Dow Credit Union and encouraged outreach as route consolidations are considered.
Why it matters: Transit improvements affect residents’ access to work, education and medical care; the shelter project and master plan will shape where and how riders access service.
Next steps: STARS will refine shelter locations, continue public input and return to council with final locations; council members requested periodic updates on hiring and route changes.
