Program Overview

The Advancing Rural Mobility Program is expanding statewide and welcoming new transit agencies. Participating agencies receive hands-on support to publish GTFS-Flex  (General Transit Feed Specification-Flex) data that connects with the MiTripPlanner tool, making services more accessible to riders. The program received a federal Stage 1 Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) grant to launch the initial pilot phase and continues to expand statewide with new transit agency partners.

Why It Matters

Integration with the MiTripPlanner tool helps riders discover and plan trips more easily, improving access to transit options across Michigan. Participating agencies also benefit from technical support, consistent data across platforms, and increased visibility. The program helps expand mobility in rural communities, provides reliable transit information, and establishes a replicable model for future transit innovations. Learn more about key partner benefits at MiRuralMobility.org.

Who Should Join

We invite MDOT-funded transit agencies receiving formula funding or local bus operating assistance to join the program. To participate or learn more, please reach out to MDOT Project Manager Sherry Vandevender at VandevenderS@Michigan.gov.

What's New MiTripPlanner Tool Updates

The team is actively supporting transit agencies in establishing a sustainable, shared process for uploading, validating, previewing, and promoting GTFS‑Flex feeds across Michigan. This work also includes improving transparency and data accuracy within the MiTripPlanner tool through clearer validation results, version histories, and service metadata, helping agency partners better monitor feed status. Together, these improvements are positioning the MiTripPlanner tool for more seamless integration, greater statewide adoption, and higher‑quality transit data.

Help Shape Michigan's Transit Data Future

To support this work, MDOT is asking transit agencies that are currently in the Advancing Rural Mobility Program to complete a short survey focused on how transit service data is collected, shared, and integrated today. The survey helps the program team better understand existing data aggregation practices, public data availability, and integration challenges across agencies. Your input will help identify practical opportunities to improve data quality, streamline processes, and strengthen how transit services are represented statewide..

Welcome New Agency Partners

Join us in welcoming the newest agencies to the Advancing Rual Mobility Program. Recent additions to the program include Allegan County Transportation, Branch Area Transit Authority, Cass County Transportation Authority, Huron Transit Corporation, Otsego County Bus System, Sanilac Transportation Corporation, St. Joseph County Transportation Authority, and Van Buren Public Transit.

We are excited to begin working with these agencies and continue to make services more accessible for riders! 

Partner Agency Spotlight: Interurban Transit Authority

Interurban Transit Authority, a demand-response public bus system, offers curb to curb service throughout Saugatuck Township including the cities of Saugatuck and Douglas, Laketown Township, and limited downtown Fennville locations. By providing affordable transportation for seniors, people with disabilities, children and adults,

the bus service connects riders to appointments, schools, stores and other locations in the area giving them a strong sense of independence and opportunity. Each Interurban bus is pet friendly and equipped with a wheelchair lift and bike racks, allowing Interurban to meet the needs of all riders. 

The Interurban agency offers rides from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekends, with extended hours offered during the summer months and on certain holidays. Food delivery and prescription pickup are also available within Interurban’s service area, with a small fare applied to all services. 

For a complete list of Interurban’s services, fares, and hours, visit SaugatuckInteruban.org. 

Upcoming Technology Events/Tech Talks
March Tech Talk: National Transit Data Interoperability Road Map– Mar. 24, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. 



The Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) is working with the Federal Transit Administration to develop a National Transit Data Interoperability Roadmap to guide industrywide advancement of transit data interoperability in areas that address the greatest need and impact to improve agency operations and transit for riders. The Roadmap will identify areas where improvement to exchanging transit data could improve transit and actions that need to be taken at a national level to improve interoperability in those industry-identified areas. In this session, Michigan transit agencies can provide ITS America with feedback on initial actions heard from the industry so far on the project and help identify possible highest-impact actions to improve transit data interoperability across Michigan.

If you would like to receive an invitation to the Tech Talks, contact Janet Geissler at GeisslerJ1@Michigan.gov. 

Stay Connected

Please get in touch with MDOT Project Manager Sherry Vandevender at VandevenderS@Michigan.gov with any questions or comments.