My City May 2023

MYCOMMUNITY

to Veterans is also growing, with free service being provided to veterans and their spouses for trips to the grocery store, pharmacy, doctor visits, etc.” Rides to Groceries service launched, providing rides to local grocers and markets throughout Genesee County. 2017 New Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Fixed Route vehicles arrived utilizing funds from the second largest grant in the U.S. – $16 million to replace an aging fleet of 30-35-year old buses. “They saw the good we were doing,” Benning states. 2018 The MTA workforce had grown to 600 employees. 2019 MTA is named 2019 Urban Community Transportation System of the Year. “We were chosen from 3,500 systems in the country,” Benning reports. 2020 Construction began on an ad dition to the Grand Blanc bus storage facility, which was completed in 2021. 2021 MTA’s 50th Anniversary Celebration was delayed due to the pandemic. Anticipated annual use of die sel fuel was down to 30,000 gallons (originally 2.3 million gallons). “This was very significant!” exclaims the GM.

“We really helped clean up the com munity by going to alternative fuels.” The MTA, Present Day The MTA fleet is now over 300 vehicles. When it started, there were fewer than 50 employees and just 12 routes running in the City of Flint only. The Flint MTA plans to continue expanding its use of alternative fuel, especially hydrogen, says Benning. They have also joined a major group to become part of a hub for national production and are also starting to bring in more electric vehicles (cars). MTA is developing new mi cro-transit and on-demand services to provide transportation when you need it. They are also developing and expediting micro-transit initiatives across the county. MTA’s Stephanie Confer (“Stepha nie K with the MTA”) provides an in formative podcast with a new episode each week. You can listen to “On the Road with MTA” on Fridays on your podcast platform of choice.

2012 Construction began in Grand Blanc on a storage and main tenance facility for a hydrogen and compressed natural gas bus. “It was significant to bring the first hydro gen fuel cell to the community,” the General Manager reports. “Flint MTA became the biggest user of alternative fuel in the Midwest, utilizing propane, hydrogen and compressed natural gas.”

2014 A hydrogen bus was pur chased from the Center for Trans portation and the Environment. The hydrogen bus is unique as it creates electricity to power the electric mo tor. It is very sustainable, reusable, well-tested and proven that it works. 2015 Construction began on a new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) storage building at the Grand Blanc Alternative Fuel Facility. 2016 Rides to Wellness/ Same Day Service was

introduced. “This became a national model,” Benning reports. “We have be come the country’s No. 1

medical transportation provider. When people need it, we provide on-demand pick-up service within 30 minutes. Demand has grown significantly. Rides

10

MYCITYMAG.COM