Harbor Transit


Harbor Transit is the primary bus agency providing intra- and inter-city public transportation service for the Ferrysburg–Grand Haven–Spring Lake tri-cities region in northwestern Ottawa County, Michigan, which is considered part of the Grand Rapids metropolitan area. The primary year-round service is demand-responsive point-to-point transportation; in addition, Harbor Transit operates two seasonal deviated routes during the summer.

History

Public transportation in Grand Haven began with the Grand Haven Street Railway Co., which operated steam dummy trains starting in 1895. The line ran from a terminal at Franklin and Second to the beach at Highland Park. These were replaced by electric streetcars in 1902 after the Grand Rapids, Grand Haven and Muskegon Railway purchased the Street Railway; the GRGH&M also operated electric interurban service to Grand Rapids via a spur off the main line to Muskegon at Grand Haven Junction. Regular ferry service operated over Lake Michigan from Grand Haven to Muskegon, Milwaukee, and Chicago, including the railcar ferry originally built by the Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Railway in the 1870s. Streetcars were discontinued in 1928, although buses had replaced the rail service by 1927, and the interurban right-of-way was purchased to build highways. The Grand Haven Transit Lines, a private bus company, assumed public transportation service in 1952.
Harbor Transit began operations as Dial-A Ride Transit in 1975; operations and maintenance are handled at its headquarters in Grand Haven. Its service area is.

Services

Harbor Transit operates two seasonal deviated routes serving the Grand Haven City Beach in addition to its primary dial-a-ride service. The Lakeshore Trolley travels through historic Grand Haven, while the Beach Express provides park-and-ride service from three large parking lots.
Route no.Terminusvia
TerminusSeasonNotes / Refs.
Lakeshore Trolley Holiday InnBeacon, Jackson, Harbor, & Lake
Holiday InnMemorial Day – Labor Day
Lakeshore Trolley Holiday InnExchange, Fruitport, Spring Lake, & No. Shore
Holiday InnMemorial Day – Labor Day
Beach ExpressGrand Haven City BeachUS-31 & M-104
Grand Haven City BeachMemorial Day – Labor Day

Fares

For point-to-point travel, adult fares for service scheduled the same day are US$2.50, discounted to half price for qualified individuals. If the service is scheduled the day before, fares are $1.50, discounted to $0.75 for qualified individuals. However, fare collection has been suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan. For the two deviated routes, fares are $2.50, but were not collected during the pandemic.

Transfers

Riders may transfer to Muskegon Area Transit System at Mercy Clinic in Norton Shores, Michigan.

Fleet

The Harbor Transit fleet primarily uses cutaway van buses that seat between 18 and 24 passengers.