About Max Transit

Macatawa Area Express (MAX) has been serving the greater Holland-Zeeland area of West Michigan with fixed route bus service since 2000. Our mission is to create a sustainable transportation system to be used by all residents of the Macatawa Area with linkages to other transit systems. MAX is governed by an independent Transportation Authority board comprised of representatives from the City of Holland and Holland Charter Township.

Oversight of the transit system was transferred from the City of Holland to the Authority on July 1, 2007. The Authority contracts with the city for essential support and administrative services.

MAX is funded by federal and state grants, a transit millage for the City of Holland and Holland Charter Township, and passenger fares. The City of Zeeland also contracts with MAX transit for demand response service for its residents.

The MAX administrative office is located at the Padnos Transportation Center located at 171 Lincoln Ave. Its bus garage is located at 433 E. 24th Street in Holland.

Each year, MAX Transit safely transports more than 300,000 passengers to their destinations in the local area and ridership continues to grow.

2009 Max Factoids

Typical rider is 40-year old Caucasian female
47% of passengers are homeowners
41% are persons with disabilities
8% of passengers are seniors
15% of passengers are students going to school

Ridership Figures

2009 ridership: 316,578 rides, a 7.8% increase over 2008
Projected ridership for 2010: 327,000
26% use MAX for shopping/groceries
18% ride MAX to medical appointments
69% ride the fixed route; 31% use demand response
54% of current bus riders use MAX daily

Benefits to the Community

"People ride public transit to either make money or spend money."-Clark Harder, Executive Director, Michigan Public Transportation Association.
$1 invested in MAX generates $6 in economic returns
$1 million invested in MAX generates $3 million in NEW sales
MAX reduces traffic, congestion and fuel usage promoting cleaner air and energy conservation
MAX is viewed by area realtors as an amenity, promoting higher quality of life and property values

Transportation Authority Board

The Authority provides a regional perspective to transit planning, as well as a stable funding mechanism obtained through a 0.4 transit millage approved by the City of Holland and Holland Charter Township.

The authority board is comprised of representatives from both local governments as well as an ad hoc representative from the City of Zeeland.

MAX Transportation Authority Board Members

Polly Diehl - Chairperson/Marketing Committee Chairperson, City of Holland
Robert VandeVusse - Secretary/Treasurer - City of Holland
Russ TeSlaa - Operations Commitee Chair-Holland Township
Joe Baumann - Member - Holland Township
Mike DeVries- Member City of Holland
Steve Bulthuis, Macatawa Area Coordinating Council
David Fackler - Member - Holland Township
Al Dannenberg, City of Zeeland, Ex-officio member

Authority Board Meeting Schedule

The Transportation Authority Board meets at 3:30 pm on the fourth Monday of the month at the Padnos Transportation Center, located at 171 Lincoln Ave.

2010 Meeting Schedule

Monday, January 25, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010

Meeting Minutes

Local Advisory Council (LAC)

MAX seeks input and suggestions from a Local Advisory Council. Students, residents, and persons with disabilities, most of whom use MAX on a regular basis, comprise this group.

The council reviews operational issues from the perspective of the transit user, offering solutions and suggestions for improvement that benefit transit customers.

For more information, contact Charles Veldhoff at (616) 928-2494.

Local Advisory Council Members

Tony Harmer, Council Chair - Resident / City of Holland
Ron Martin, Vice Council Chair - Resident / City of Holland
Leigh Bartels - Resident / City of Holland
Eric Heiberg - Resident / Holland Township
Elaine Simcoke - Resident / City of Holland
Lisa Scherer - Resident / City of Holland
Gert Vos - Resident / City of Zeeland

Local Advisory Council Meeting Schedule

The Local Advisory Council meets on the scheduled dates shown below at 4:00 pm at the Padnos Transportation Center, located at 171 Lincoln Ave, Holland.

2010 Meeting Schedule

January - NO MEETING
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
April - NO MEETING
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
July - NO MEETING
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Meeting Minutes

About Max Transit - MAX

About Max Transit

2009 Max Factoids

Transportation Authority Board

Authority Board Meeting Schedule

Meeting Minutes

Local Advisory Council (LAC)

Local Advisory Council Meeting Schedule

Meeting Minutes