Michigan is creating a new state position to coordinate transit and rail operations as part of a broader effort to strengthen public transportation and improve connections across the state.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the new position alongside nearly $65 million in awards for public transit projects across several counties. The governor did not name an official title, specific responsibilities or a date for hire in her announcement. The position, which will be housed within the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), is part of a broader effort to improve coordination across state government on transit and multimodal transportation.
The funding comes through the Infrastructure Projects Authority Fund (IPAF), established through Michigan’s fiscal 2026 budget to provide long-term funding for existing transit services and new or expanded transit options. The awards represent the fund’s first round of investments.
The largest awards include:
- Detroit People Mover: Detroit Transportation Corp. will receive $10 million to replace the system’s nine aging rail cars with 12 refurbished vehicles at a lower cost than purchasing a new fleet. The vehicles, previously used by the Toronto Transit Commission, will be evaluated, reconditioned, integrated and certified. The People Mover serves about 1.25 million riders annually.
- Genesee County: Mass Transportation Authority will receive $9.98 million for its Transit Without Borders project, which will create a four-county regional transit network by connecting multiple transportation authorities and expanding access to jobs, health care and essential services.
- Washtenaw County: Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority will receive $6.6 million for a bus rapid transit project connecting Washtenaw, Huron and Jackson counties. The project will serve a corridor with high ridership between major population centers and is intended to expand residents’ access to education and workforce opportunities.
- Berrien County: The county will receive nearly $6.4 million to unite four fragmented transit systems into a unified public transportation authority that serves both urban and rural areas. The new authority will bring new access for unserved areas, cut redundancies and improve efficiency.
Other awards will support new transit services, microtransit, transit facility planning, regional bus connections and rail improvements. Newaygo County, for example, will receive $4.3 million to establish the county’s first countywide public transit system. In Ionia County, funding will support additional vehicles, new routes and expanded nonemergency medical transportation. In Roscommon County, the local transportation authority will use nearly $3.4 million to establish coordinated transit service in neighboring Oscoda County.
Some awards will fund studies and implementation plans rather than immediate service or construction. The Benzie Transportation Authority, for example, will receive $94,750 for a study evaluating a redesign of rural public transportation in Benzie County. The study will examine technology-enabled microtransit, flexible service options and stronger connections to neighboring counties.
The awards represent the first round of funding through the IPAF, which will continue to support new and expanded transit projects across Michigan. The mix of service expansions, regional connections and project planning provides opportunities for transit agencies and local governments to develop transportation options tailored to their communities.
Photo courtesy of the State of Michigan
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