Spartan Newsroom (https://news.jrn.msu.edu/category/transportation/page/3/)
SCHOOL BUS: School districts across the state are in the midst of a continuing shortage of bus drivers, and some are offering higher pay and benefits to attract applicants. The Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation explains why. The Mecosta-Osceola Intermediate School District managed to fill its positions this school year. By Brandy Muz. FOR BIG RAPIDS, LAKE COUNTY AND ALL POINTS.
HOUSING & TRANSPORTATION: A Citizens Research Council says about half of the average Michigan household income goes to transportation and housing, a figure that some experts say could be reduced with better public transit services. There’s a tradeoff between affordable housing and affordable transportation. How do local government plan for car dependency and how are neighborhoods affected by quality transportation options.We hear about a Bay Area Transportation Authority effort and talk to experts from Wayne State, the Michigan Municipal League and Michigan State Housing Development Authority. With references to Metro Detroit suburbs, Includes references to Traverse City, Lansing, Ann Arbor and East Lansing By Liz Nass. FOR DETROIT, LANSING CITY PULSE, CORP! PLANET DETROIT, TRAVERSE CITY, LEELANAU AND ALL POINTS.
FIGHTING INVASIVES: The Midwest Invasive Species Information Network needs help finding and identifying invasive land and aquatic species. The organization leads several citizen science initiatives, two of which – Eyes on the Forest and MI Paddle Stewards – are expanding their programs, looking for volunteers to cover more ground and water. Includes references to Mason, Oceana, Ottawa, Allegan, Benzie, Oakland and Muskegon counties. By Elinor Epperson. FOR LUDINGTON, OCEANA, OTTAWA, DETROIT, PLANET DETROIT, HOLLAND, MICHIGAN FARM NEWS AND ALL POINTS.
SHARED ABUNDANCE: A new book by a food activist shares 20 years of experience in promoting local food systems through the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities in Traverse City. By Jacklyn Sellentine. FOR TRAVERSE CITY, LEELANAU, MICHIGAN FARM NEWS, XXX AND ALL POINTS.
DRIVER SHORTAGE: The pandemic, low wages and stringent drug and alcohol testing are driving an ongoing shortage of bus drivers, who are usually older workers. We talk to the head of the Michigan Public Transit Authority and Kalamazoo Metro Transit about efforts to raise pay and ease drug and alcohol testing. Other systems with shortages include DDOT in Detroit, SMART in Southeast Michigan, Grand Rapids and Lansing. By Brandy Muz. FOR CORP!, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, LANSING CITY PULSE, WKTV AND ALL POINTS.
RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE: Michigan is getting more money from Washington to improve passenger and freight train safety, efficiency and reliability. One infrastructure project that will benefit is replacement of the Manistee River Train Bridge in Wexford County along the rail line that connects southern Michigan with Traverse City. By Kenzie Terpstra. FOR CADILLAC, TRAVERSE CITY, CORP! GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS AND ALL POINTS.
East Lansing City Council denied Hagan Realty’s rezoning plan for properties on the 700 block of Grove Street in September 2023. The proposal would have changed the neighborhood structure since it would increase the density of the housing options. Hagan reality was “disappointed by the result,” but they aren’t giving up new projects for that area.
Moving off-campus can make running errands like grocery shopping and buying cleaning supplies more difficult, especially when you don’t have a means of transportation like Michigan State University student Ben Lefere. He is like many students who live in an apartment without a guaranteed parking spot.
SPEEDING FATAL CRASHES: Michigan has the country’s ninth-lowest rate of speeding-related fatal crashes, a new analysis shows. Neighboring Indiana ranks even better, while Ohio and Wisconsin are worse. Non-interstates are more deadly than the superhighways. The Office of Highway Safety Planning and State Police offer comments. Imcludes reference to Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties. By Kenzie Terpstra. FOR DETROIT, IRON MOUNTAIN, COLDWATER, HILLSDALE, THREE RIVERS, STURGIS, MONROE, ADRIAN, BLISSFIELD AND ALL POINTS.
RAILROAD DEATHS: Western Michigan University researchers see a need for more information about train-pedestrian and train-motor vehicle fatalities to combat a rising number of deaths nationally. They advocate mandatory audio and video cameras and giving crash investigators access to the recordings. They analyzed 14 West Michigan fatalities, nine involving pedestrians and five involving vehicles. We talk to MDOT and Michigan Operation Lifesaver. By Kayte Marshall. FOR LUDINGTON, HOLLAND, GREENVILLE, OCEANA COUNTY, STURGIS, THREE RIVERS, TRAVERSE CITY, HARBOR SPRINGS, WKTV, LAKE COUNTY AND ALL POINTS.