The
Interurban Transit Partnership operates a
public transportPublic transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
system called
The Rapid, which provides bus service to the
Grand Rapids, MichiganGrand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
metropolitan area and beyond.
The Rapid was recognized in 2004 by receipt from the
American Public Transportation AssociationThe American Public Transportation Association is a non-profit organization which serves as an advocate for the advancement of public transportation programs and initiatives in the United States. Since its founding in 1882, APTA has educated the public about the benefits of public transportation...
of an "Outstanding Public Transportation System Award".
Formed by the City of Grand Rapids in 1963 as the Grand Rapids Transit Authority, the system became a regional authority in July 1978 and was renamed the Grand Rapids Area Transit Authority, or GRATA. In January 2000, the ITP was formed, which soon adopted the moniker, The Rapid, as its
brandThe American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
ing.
Branding
In September 2006, The Rapid unveiled a new look for the buses to match the design of the Central Station platform which opened in 2004. The older red, blue and yellow striped buses will be replaced over the next few years with the new design, which features waves of white and blue.
A new website was launched shortly after the new buses were introduced. New features of the website include e-mail updates by route as well as other services, and the ability to buy passes online.
Service area
Aside from the City of Grand Rapids, the system also serves the cities of
East Grand RapidsEast Grand Rapids is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is a suburb of Grand Rapids and is located on the shore of Reeds Lake. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,694.-Geography:...
,
GrandvilleGrandville is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 16,263 at the 2000 census. Grandville is one of the oldest suburbs of Grand Rapids, and was incorporated as a city in 1933....
,
KentwoodKentwood is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 48,707 at the 2010 census, making it the second most populous suburb of Grand Rapids and the 25th most populous city in Michigan.-History:...
,
WalkerWalker is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan and a suburb of Grand Rapids. The population was 23,537 at the 2010 census. Before incorporating as a city, it was known as Walker Township...
, and
WyomingWyoming is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 72,125. That makes it the 2nd largest community or city in West Michigan, the 14th largest city in the state of Michigan, and the 18th largest community in the state as well...
. Some routes extend into neighboring townships including
Alpine TownshipAlpine Township is a civil township of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The township became a charter township in 1979, but in 1996, the township de-chartered and returned to general law status. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 13,976...
(route 9),
Byron TownshipByron Township is a civil township of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 17,553.- Communities :...
(route 1),
Gaines TownshipGaines Township is the name of some places in the U.S. state of Michigan:*Gaines Township, Genesee County, Michigan*Gaines Township, Kent County, Michigan...
(route 4), and Grand Rapids Township (route 15).
Services
ITP operates 24 fixed
busA bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
routes, and special services for
Grand Valley State UniversityGrand Valley State University is a public liberal arts university located in Allendale, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1960, and its main campus is situated on approximately west of Grand Rapids...
(with a stop at
Grand Rapids Community CollegeGrand Rapids Community College is a community college located in the city of Grand Rapids in the U.S. state of Michigan. GRCC offers an Associate's degree, a variety of certification programs, occupational training, and other learning opportunities for the surrounding community.-Campuses:In...
on one route) and
Davenport UniversityDavenport University is a private, non-profit, multi-location university located at 14 campuses throughout Michigan and online. It was founded in 1866 by Conrad Swensburg and currently offers Master's Degrees, Bachelor's Degrees, Associate's Degrees, diplomas, and post-grad certification programs...
(see below).
Rapid Central Station
- Address: 250 Grandville Ave SW
- Coordinates:42°57′28"N 85°40′21"W
- Facilities: Opened in June 2004, the transit center is the main downtown hub for the transit system. The facility is also used by Greyhound Bus Lines and Indian Trails Bus Lines for bus services to destinations outside the city. The Rapid Central Station is the first LEED-NC certified building in the United States in the market of Mass Transit. More information is available at the U.S. Green Building Council of West Michigan page on the bus line's Central Station.
Routes
Routes 1 through 16 stop at Rapid Central Station, as well as route 49 Davenport Express, route 50 GVSU Weekend Connector (Friday evening through Sunday) and South Dash. Southbound routes connect passengers to the three crosstown routes 24, 28, and 44. Route 8 provides access to
AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
with stops near the Wealthy and Market intersection.
On December 18, 2006, the Rivertown Crossings Mall bus stop was moved away from the entrance by Sears to near the entrance under the Celebration Cinema! (formerly Cinemark) building where there is a parking lot. The nearby Meijer was added to route 8 because of the bus stop was moved on November 20, 2006. The table shows Rivertown Mall and the nearby
MeijerMeijer, Inc. is a regional American hypermarket chain based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1934 as a supermarket chain, Meijer is credited with pioneering the modern supercenter concept in 1962. About half of the company's 196 stores are located in Michigan, with additional locations in...
as an endpoint for routes 8 and 44. Meijer serves as the terminal point.
The Rapid bus routes (as of August 25, 2008)
| Number |
Route |
Endpoint |
Endpoint |
| 1 |
Division |
54th St. (Byron Twp.) |
Central Station |
| 2 |
Kalamazoo |
Kentwood City Hall |
Central Station |
| 3 |
Madison |
Hope Network |
Central Station |
| 4 |
Eastern |
Clocktower Center (Kentwood) |
Central Station |
| 5 |
Wealthy/Woodland |
Woodland Mall Woodland Mall is an enclosed super-regional shopping mall located just outside the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. It comprises over 100 tenants in of retail space, with four anchor stores and a movie theater...
(Kentwood) |
Central Station |
| 6 |
Eastown/Woodland |
Woodland Mall (Kentwood) |
Central Station |
| 7 |
West Leonard |
MeijerMeijer, Inc. is a regional American hypermarket chain based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1934 as a supermarket chain, Meijer is credited with pioneering the modern supercenter concept in 1962. About half of the company's 196 stores are located in Michigan, with additional locations in...
(Standale) |
Central Station |
| 8 |
Grandville/Rivertown Crossings |
RiverTown Mall/MeijerMeijer, Inc. is a regional American hypermarket chain based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1934 as a supermarket chain, Meijer is credited with pioneering the modern supercenter concept in 1962. About half of the company's 196 stores are located in Michigan, with additional locations in...
|
Central Station |
| 9 |
Alpine |
Alpine/Henze (Alpine Twp.) |
Central Station |
| 10 |
Clyde Park |
54th St. (Byron Twp.) |
Central Station |
| 11 |
Plainfield |
Plainfield/Elmdale |
Central Station |
| 12 |
West Fulton |
Standale |
Central Station |
| 13 |
Michigan/Fuller |
Michigan Veterans Facility |
Central Station |
| 14 |
East Fulton |
Leonard/Ball |
Central Station |
| 15 |
East Leonard |
Knapp's Corner (GR Twp.) |
Central Station |
| 16 |
Wyoming/MetroHealth |
MetroHealth |
Central Station |
| 17 |
Woodland/Airport |
Woodland Mall Woodland Mall is an enclosed super-regional shopping mall located just outside the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. It comprises over 100 tenants in of retail space, with four anchor stores and a movie theater...
(Kentwood) |
Gerald R. Ford International AirportGerald R. Ford International Airport is a commercial airport located approximately southeast of Grand Rapids, Michigan in Cascade Township. Originally called Kent County Airport and later Kent County International Airport; in December 1999 the airport was renamed for former resident Gerald R....
(Cascade Twp.) |
| 18 |
Westside |
Union High School |
Central Station |
| 24 |
Burton |
Grandville Library |
Woodland Mall Woodland Mall is an enclosed super-regional shopping mall located just outside the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. It comprises over 100 tenants in of retail space, with four anchor stores and a movie theater...
(Kentwood) |
| 28 |
28th Street |
Grandville Library |
29th St./Acquest (Kentwood) |
| 37 |
GVSU North Campus Express |
Kirkhof Center |
|
| 44 |
44th Street |
RiverTown Mall |
Woodland Mall Woodland Mall is an enclosed super-regional shopping mall located just outside the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. It comprises over 100 tenants in of retail space, with four anchor stores and a movie theater...
(Kentwood) |
| 48 |
GVSU South Campus Express |
Kirkhof Center |
|
| 49 |
Davenport Express Shuttle |
Davenport Lettinga Campus |
Central Station |
| 50 |
GVSUGrand Valley State University is a public liberal arts university located in Allendale, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1960, and its main campus is situated on approximately west of Grand Rapids...
Campus Connector |
GVSU Allendale Campus |
GVSU Downtown Campus |
| 50 |
GVSUGrand Valley State University is a public liberal arts university located in Allendale, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1960, and its main campus is situated on approximately west of Grand Rapids...
Weekend Connector |
GVSU Allendale Campus |
Central Station |
| 51 |
GVSU Health Sciences |
Center for Health Sciences |
GVSU Downtown Campus |
During the school year, additional routes are used to serve students in the Grand Rapids Public School (GRPS) district. As of October 2005, there is a GRPS shuttle to after school programs at the downtown David D. Hunting Branch of the
YMCAThe Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
.
Grand Valley State University
All
Grand Valley State UniversityGrand Valley State University is a public liberal arts university located in Allendale, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1960, and its main campus is situated on approximately west of Grand Rapids...
students, faculty, and staff can ride the buses for free. All others pay regular fare, except for route 51, which is a free DASH route. As of Summer 2009:
- Route 50 Campus Connector runs Monday-Friday from Kirkhof Center at the Allendale Campus to a bus stop under US-131 at Mount Vernon and Front at the Pew Grand Rapids Campus.
- Route 51 (Dash to the Hill) / CHS Express runs weekdays between a stop at Lake Michigan Dr. and Seward NW and the Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences at Michigan NE and LaFayette NE. Because it's part of the City of Grand Rapids DASH system, anybody can ride this bus for free, not just GVSU students, faculty and staff.
- Route 37 Off-Campus Apartment Shuttle runs weekdays through the Allendale
Allendale Charter Township is a charter township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 20,708...
campus to apartments on Lake Michigan Drive and 48th Ave. This route was broken up to form the new Routes 37 & 48. It previously went on Luce (Pierce St. until Fall 2006).
- Route 48 South Campus Express runs Monday through Thursday and Friday afternoon from Kirkhof Center to the South Apartments near 48th Ave. and Pierce St and back. It was new for Fall 2007.
- Route 50 Weekend Connector runs Friday evenings and weekends and is a combination of the above routes. It stops at Central Station on Saturday and Sunday, at which time riders can transfer to other routes. From 2004 to 2006, the bus traveled to RiverTown Crossings
RiverTown Crossings is a two story shopping mall in Grandville, Michigan . Opened in 1999, the mall was developed by General Growth Properties of Chicago, Illinois. It opened in 1999 with five anchors: Sears, Hudson's , Kohl's, Younkers and JCPenney. Barnes & Noble was also featured as a junior...
via JenisonJenison is an unincorporated community in Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a census-designated place for statistical purposes, but has no legal status as an incorporated municipality. The community is governed by Georgetown Charter Township. The population of the CDP was 17,211...
on Saturday and Sunday. The Weekend Connector does not run during the Spring/Summer semester.
Davenport University
Route 49, the
Davenport Express, served
Davenport UniversityDavenport University is a private, non-profit, multi-location university located at 14 campuses throughout Michigan and online. It was founded in 1866 by Conrad Swensburg and currently offers Master's Degrees, Bachelor's Degrees, Associate's Degrees, diplomas, and post-grad certification programs...
from Fall, 2005 to the beginning of the scholastic year 2010-11. When the bus service was in operation, it stopped at Central Station, the Davenport Fulton St. Campus, Centerpointe and Woodland Malls, and the Davenport Lettinga Campus, Monday through Friday. However, upon closure of the Davenport University Fulton campus, Davenport University has since opted for a charter bus service, which the school outsources. This service is called the Davenport Shuttle and has a schedule based on student needs.
Additional Services
Other services provided by the ITP include:
- Car and Vanpooling Assistance — For carpool
Carpooling , is the sharing of car journeys so that more than one person travels in a car....
s, the service matches people who make arrangements based on similar work schedules and travel patterns. For vanpoolVanpools are an element of the transit system that allow groups of people to share the ride similar to a carpool, but on a larger scale with concurrent savings in fuel and vehicle operating costs...
s, employees can use The Rapid minivans to get to work.
- County Connection — Provides transportation in all of Kent County, Michigan
-Air Service:*Commercial air service to Grand Rapids is provided by Gerald R. Ford International Airport . Previously named Kent County International Airport, it holds Grand Rapids' mark in modern history with the United States' first regularly scheduled airline service, beginning July 31, 1926,...
.
- Dash (Downtown Area Shuttle) Lot Service Under contract to the city of Grand Rapids, ITP maintains and operates the buses for the city along three routes: South, West, and To the Hill. The city operates the parking lots Dash serves. The Dash To the Hill route serves Grand Rapids Community College
Grand Rapids Community College is a community college located in the city of Grand Rapids in the U.S. state of Michigan. GRCC offers an Associate's degree, a variety of certification programs, occupational training, and other learning opportunities for the surrounding community.-Campuses:In...
and Grand Valley State University as route 51.
- GO!Bus — Provides transportation for those with disabilities.
- Grand Rapids Air Porter — A new service as of January 2006. This shuttle runs between the Gerald R. Ford International Airport and several hotels in downtown Grand Rapids.
- PASS — Curb-to-curb service. Provides transportation into specific neighborhoods where there is low concentration of bus routes.
Future Services
The Rapid has announced a new vision pending board approval in July 2010 for new services to be in place by the year 2030. Proposed Services include a downtown streetcar system, Bus Rapid Transit along Lake Michigan Drive and Division Avenue, expanded routes to Byron Center and eastern Ottawa County's Georgetown Township and the city of Hudsonville. A regional express bus service is also under consideration that would provide shuttle service from outlying areas into downtown Grand Rapids.
External links