News - Events - MAX

(Holland, Mich.) Sept. 30, 2008 – Holland area residents who have places to go in the evening but no transportation will now have the option of riding the bus. The Macatawa Area Express (MAX) Transportation Authority begins offering its “Night Owl” reserved ride service from 7 p.m. to midnight Mondays through Saturdays.

The service offers call-ahead reserved rides only after the regular fixed bus routes end at 7 p.m. Passengers must call in to reserve their ride by 4 p.m. the day prior to travel. Reservations are being handled on a first-come, first served basis. One way fares are $3 for adults and half-fare cardholders, and $1 for seniors, children and ADA cardholders.

“Area residents have consistently requested evening bus service, but our transit millage is insufficient to fund the cost of operating our fixed route buses at night,” explains Sherri Betz, MAX’s marketing specialist. “Offering Reserve-A-MAX in the evening will at least give residents the option of riding the bus home from work, or attending evening social or school functions.”

Betz admits that it is possible that demand for night service will exceed capacity, but that this is a good start and will help transit officials gauge the demand for service.

The new evening service is made possible by a $55,000 New Freedom Grant from the Federal Transportation Administration to fund one driver and one bus until midnight. MAX must match the grant with a $55,000 local contribution.

MAX’s policy of allowing able-bodied adults to use the demand response service is an anomaly. The transit systems in Grand Rapids, Muskegon, and Kalamazoo do not offer reserved ride service for adults unless they have a disability.

The Macatawa Area Express (MAX) Transportation Authority will offer free fixed route rides on Saturday, March 14, to kick off 2nd Annual Energy Week.

The MAX Transportation Authority Board approved the free fixed route rides at its monthly board meeting on January 26. MAX operates its fixed routes from 8 a.m.- 7 p.m. on Saturdays.

Energy Week runs March 14-21, and is sponsored by Holland West, a non-profit organization that educates the public about sustainable energy. Several lectures, presentations, movie showings and crafts for kids are scheduled throughout the week:

*10 am Saturday, March 14 - Calling all Kids Green Crafts sponsored by the Holland Area Arts Council, 150 E. 8th St.
*12 pm Noon Saturday, March 14 - St. Patty\'s Day Parade is Green Squared. Downtown Holland.
*1 pm Saturday, March 14 - Save Some Green. Tips for conservation in your home. Knickerbocker Theater, 86 E. 8th St.
*7 pm Monday, March 16 - Holland Responds to Climate Change: Achievements & Needs. Hosted by League of Women Voters, Holland City Hall, 270 S. River Ave.
*7 pm Tuesday, March 17 - The Role of Coal. Hosted by Holland Christian High School, 950 Ottawa Ave.
*7 pm Tuesday, March 17 - Caring for the Creation that Cares for Us. Presented by Dr.Thomas Boogaart, Hope Church, 77 W. 11th St.
*7 pm Wednesday, March 18 - \"Reinventing the World\" Movie and Discussion. Sponsored by 3E\'s Initiative at Holland Herrick Public Library, 300 S. River Ave.
*7 pm Thursday, March 19 - \"Hot, Flat & Crowded\" Book Discussion and CityFlats LEED Certification presentation. City Flats Hotel, 61 E. 7th St.

Contact Holland West or visit their website at www.westmichiganenergy.org for more information.

MAX now offers 8 fixed routes with our newest route providing hourly service to and from the City of Zeeland. Route 8 includes 23 stops at many popular Zeeland destinations. To view Route 8, click on the Routes & Schedules link on the left hand side of our home page.

Beginning April 6, 2009, able-bodied residents, including school aged children, who are within 1/2 mile of a MAX bus stop will no longer be eligible to use Reserve-A-MAX and will be required to use the fixed bus routes. Previously, passengers greater than ¼ (one-quarter) mile of a bus stop were able to use demand response service. Able-bodied persons (non-ADA) who currently use demand response service may not longer qualify for reserved rides if they are within 1/2 mile of a bus stop. Passengers affected by this new policy may call MAX customer service at 355-1010 for assistance in planning their trips using the fixed routes.

The MAX Board approved the new requirement at its January 26, 2009 meeting. The change in policy is designed to gradually reduce the reliance on demand response service, which is a premium service designed primarily for ADA eligible passengers and seniors. By reducing the number of reserved rides, MAX officials hope to free up more drivers and buses that could be used on some fixed routes to offer more frequent service, such as 30 minute headways instead of hourly.

(Holland, Mich.) Sept. 30, 2008 – Holland area residents who have places to go in the evening but no transportation will now have the option of riding the bus. The Macatawa Area Express (MAX) Transportation Authority begins offering its “Night Owl” reserved ride service from 7 p.m. to midnight Mondays through Saturdays.

The service offers call-ahead reserved rides only after the regular fixed bus routes end at 7 p.m. Passengers must call in to reserve their ride by 4 p.m. the day prior to travel. Reservations are being handled on a first-come, first served basis. One way fares are $3 for adults and half-fare cardholders, and $1 for seniors, children and ADA cardholders.

“Area residents have consistently requested evening bus service, but our transit millage is insufficient to fund the cost of operating our fixed route buses at night,” explains Sherri Betz, MAX’s marketing specialist. “Offering Reserve-A-MAX in the evening will at least give residents the option of riding the bus home from work, or attending evening social or school functions.”

Betz admits that it is possible that demand for night service will exceed capacity, but that this is a good start and will help transit officials gauge the demand for service.

The new evening service is made possible by a $55,000 New Freedom Grant from the Federal Transportation Administration to fund one driver and one bus until midnight. MAX must match the grant with a $55,000 local contribution.

MAX’s policy of allowing able-bodied adults to use the demand response service is an anomaly. The transit systems in Grand Rapids, Muskegon, and Kalamazoo do not offer reserved ride service for adults unless they have a disability.

The Macatawa Area Express (MAX), the public transit system for the greater Holland/Zeeland area, will offer free rides on its eight fixed bus routes on Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22.

This will be the seventh year that the MAX Transportation Authority has approved free rides on Earth Day to encourage more residents to ride the bus to help reduce vehicle emissions that create ground level ozone. MAX also gives free fixed route bus rides on all designated Clean Air Action Days when particulate matter levels are high.

Seniors and ADA eligible passengers already ride the fixed routes for free everyday. The normal one-way fare for adult passengers is $1 and half price for children ages 5-17.
MAX also will be distributing Earth Day bumper stickers (“My other car is a MAX bus”) and “Save the Planet-Ride the Bus” promotional buttons on all of its fixed route buses.

MAX buses run hourly from 6 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays. Outgoing buses leave the Padnos Transportation Center in downtown Holland at the top of each hour, and return to the center at :50.

MAX ridership has increased dramatically in the past two years with the expansion of the fixed bus routes. Ridership is expected to exceed 336,000 rides in 2009, a projected increase of nine percent over calendar year 2008.