SMART Travel Program Offers Rides at Stars and Stripes Festival

(Mount Clemens, MI) - The 2009 Stars & Stripes Festival is teaming up for the first time with Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) to introduce the 2009 Stars and Stripes Festival SMART Travel Program.

The third annual Stars and Stripes Festival held Friday, June 26 through Sunday, June 28, 2009 has named SMART the exclusive transportation sponsor of the 2009 festival. The collaborative effort was created to make transportation safer, easier and more earth-friendly for festival patrons.

SMART buses will run every ten minutes along the Gratiot Route 560. Patrons can also use the Meijer Park and Ride at 23 Mile Road and Gratiot. Bus fare is $1.50 one way.

This new sponsorship also puts the green initiative on the agenda. Instead of driving alone in separate vehicles, riding public transit reduces the amount of CO2 emissions that cause irreversible damage to the environment- a benefit that can be shared by all. One full SMART bus can eliminate 60 cars from the road.

Each year over 13 million people benefit from the SMART bus services offered in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb county. Additionally, SMART buses are wheelchair accessible and are fitted with bike racks, allowing easy access for our bike customers.

SMART is southeast Michigan’s only regional transit system, serving Macomb, Oakland and Wayne Counties. Recognized nationally as an innovator in community based service for its unique partnerships with 75 communities, SMART is posting record ridership with nearly 13 million passengers using the service annually. For more information, go to www.smartbus.org or call Customer Information at 866-962-5515.