TRANSIT SYSTEMS IN MICHIGAN

DETROIT SUBURBS


CURRENT TRANSIT SYSTEM (SINCE 1989)
SMART (Suburban Mobility Authority Regional Transportation)

Provides comprehensive transit coverage throughout this large area.


HISTORIC DETAIL

Transit History/Maps
Route History
Streetcar & Bus Rosters
Car Houses/Bus Garages
Links


Wyandotte/West Jefferson Corridor

Steam Dummy
1892-1901 - Wyandotte & Detroit River Railway
1892 - steam dummy replaced with electric streetcars

1901-1928 - Detroit United Railway
1918 - buses introduced by Detroit Wyandotte & Trenton Transit Co., acquired by Eastern Michigan Motorbuses in 1939
1924 - buses introduced by affiliated company Peoples Motor Coach Co.
1928 - streetcars discontinued

1931-1964 - Wyandotte Loop Bus Co.
1928-1941 - Eastern Michigan Motorbuses
1941-1958 - Great Lakes Greyhound Lines
1958-1974 - Great Lakes Transit Corp. (American Transit Corp.)
1974-1989 - Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority

Lincoln Park/Fort Street Corridor

1904-1906 - Detroit Monroe & Toledo Short Line Railway
1906-1928 - Detroit United Railway
1928-1932 - Eastern Michigan Railways
1932 - streetcars discontinued

1925-1927 - Lincoln Park Coach Line
1929-1933 - Lincoln Park Bus Co.
1933-1950 - Lincoln Park Bus Co. (Dearborn Coach Co.)
1950-1960 - Intertown Suburban Lines
1960-1962 - Intertown Suburban Lines (American Transit Corp.)
1962-1974 - Metropolitan Transit (American Transit Corp.)
1974-1989 - Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority

Dearborn/Michigan Avenue Corridor

1897-1901 - Detroit Ypsilanti & Ann Arbor Railway
1901-1907 - Detroit Ypsilanti Ann Arbor & Jackson Railway
1907-1928 - Detroit Jackson & Chicago Railway (Detroit United Railway)
1928-1929 - Eastern Michigan Railways
1929 - streetcars discontinued

1922-1925 - Renne Motor Transit Co.
1925-1932 - Detroit Motorbus Co.
1932-1950 - Dearborn Coach Co.
1950-1960 - Intertown Suburban Lines
1960-1962 - Intertown Suburban Lines (American Transit Corp.)
1962-1974 - Metropolitan Transit (American Transit Corp.)
1974-1989 - Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority

Farmington/Grand River Corridor

1898-1901 - Grand River Electric Railway
1901-1926 - Detroit United Railway
1926-1926 - Peoples Motor Coach Co. (temporary bus service/streetcar service suspended)
1926-1928 - Detroit Department of Street Railways (temporary bus service/streetcar service suspended)
1928-1931 - Detroit Department of Street Railways
1931 - streetcars discontinued

1931-1941 - Eastern Michigan Motorbuses
1941-1958 - Great Lakes Greyhound Lines
1958-1974 - Great Lakes Transit Corp. (American Transit Corp.)
1974-1989 - Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority

Birmingham/Woodward Corridor

1897-1901 - Detroit & Pontiac Railway Co.
1901-1928 - Detroit United Railway
1922 - buses introduced by Star Motor Coach Line, acquired by Detroit United Railway in 1924
1928-1931 - Eastern Michigan Railways
1931 - streetcars discontinued

1931-1941 - Eastern Michigan Motorbuses
1941-1958 - Great Lakes Greyhound Lines
1958-1974 - Great Lakes Transit Corp. (American Transit Corp.)
1974-1989 - Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority

Pontiac

1895-1899 - Pontiac & Sylvan Lake Railway Co.
1899-1901 - Detroit & Northwestern Railway Co.
1901-1928 - Detroit United Railway
1925 - buses introduced by several companies, acquired by affiliated company Peoples Motor Coach Co. in 1927
1928-1931 - Eastern Michigan Railways
1931 - streetcars discontinued

1931-1932 - Eastern Michigan Motorbuses
1932-1932 - Martin Lines
1932-1936 - Pontiac Transportation Co.
1936-1960 - Pontiac City Lines (National City Lines)
1960-1960 - The Bee Line
1960-1971 - Pontiac Transit Corp. (American Transit Corp.)
1971-1973 - Pontiac Transit Corp. (city owned)
1973-1974 - Great Lakes Transit Corp. (American Transit Corp.)
1974-1989 - Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority

Historic suburban/interurban bus lines:
Pontiac-Orion-Oxford-Lapeer Bus Co. (to Lapeer and Cairo, until 1979)

Mount Clemens/Gratiot Corridor

Horse Car
1890-1899 - Mount Clemens Street Railway Co.
1893 - horse cars replaced with electric streetcars

1899-1900 - Mount Clemens & Lakeside Traction Co.
1900-1901 - Rapid Railway Co.
1901-1928 - Detroit United Railway
1922 - buses introduced by Wolverine Transit Co., acquired by Detroit United Railway in 1924
1928-1930 - Rapid Railway Co.
1930 - streetcars discontinued

1930-1941 - Eastern Michigan Motorbuses
1941-1958 - Great Lakes Greyhound Lines
1958-1974 - Great Lakes Transit Corp. (American Transit Corp.)
1974-1989 - Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority

Grosse Pointe/East Jefferson Corridor

1896-1900 - Detroit Lake Shore & Mount Clemens Railway
1900-1901 - Rapid Railway Co.
1901-1928 - Detroit United Railway
1928 - streetcars discontinued

1924-1924 - Grosse Pointe Bus Co.
1924-1932 - Detroit Motorbus Co.
1932-1971 - Lake Shore Coach Lines
1971-1989 - Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority


ADDITIONAL HISTORIC INTERURBAN RAILWAYS
These Detroit United Railway lines, outside the present SMART area, were abandoned without continuing local bus replacements.

To Toledo (operated 1901-1932)
Ypsilanti-Saline (operated 1899-1925)
To Ann Arbor (operated 1898-1929)
Wayne-Northville (operated 1899-1927)
Farmington-Northville (operated 1899-1927)
Farmington-Orchard Lake (operated 1899-1927)
Royal Oak-Romeo (operated 1899-1931)
Romeo-Imlay City (operated 1915-1927)
Rochester-Flint (operated 1901-1931)
To Port Huron (operated 1900-1930)


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