Transportation in Ann Arbor

Arriving in Michigan for the first time in January, I was fortunate to get a ride from a friend from the Airport. However, after moving into my apartment, I faced the daunting task of moving around campus and the city of Ann Arbor. This I came to realize was one of the simplest things to achieve.

The University’s bus system, the Blue Bus enables one to connect virtually from your doorstep to all major locations on campus. Sounds exaggerated but that’s the fact of the matter. With bus stops located at convenient places all over campus, the blue bus affords one the luxury of easily moving from classrooms, halls of residence, students’ unions, research labs and the like. The good thing about them is their punctuality. I have the UMBus application on my phone and thus receive real time locations of every bus and estimated time to every bus stop.

Movement out of campus to Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti has been made easy thanks to AATA’s ‘The Ride’. Even most residential areas are covered so I hardly worry when visiting friends living in such areas. However, the key to moving out of campus is planning the journey. I accomplish that with the help of the Ride Guide which gives me the schedule of each bus, routes plied, arrival times, final destinations and the major stops along the route.select. I use maps on my phone to get a precise location of my final destination while on the bus. You need all the help you can get!

I didn’t know the AATA bus schedules were revised seasonally until I once missed the last bus of the day. This brings us to the subject of Taxis. There are a lot of private cab services that run in the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. Some park in front of the Michigan Union and near the Michigan League. You only need to furnish them with your present location and destination by a phone call. And the best part, they arrive in record time.

I initially planned on purchasing a bicycle but upon spending a week on campus, I realized the blue bus served my needs perfectly. But hey, that shouldn’t deter you from purchasing a bike. For recreational riding with that loved one, exploring the serene campus, being late for a class, a bicycle is most likely to be your best friend. The University of Michigan is a very bike-friendly institution with bike lanes, bike parking and lots of fitting shops to get that tune-up when necessary. The AATA buses are also equipped with a mechanism to attach your bike to the bus for those of you who get tired along the way.  An added advantage is the burning of calories so you can effectively kill two birds with one stone!

This website provides you with a comprehensive list of ways to move around. Be sure to take a peek at it! 

Written by Robert Lawson

Graduate Student
Aerospace Engineering