DATA receives state grant money to bolster services

DELTA COUNTY, Mich. (WLUC) - The Delta Area Transit Authority will receive a $6 million grant funded through Michigan’s Infrastructure Projects Authority Fund, which is administered by the Michigan Department of Transportation.

The funding was announced by Gretchen Whitmer as part of a statewide $65 million transit investment program.

Community Action Agency Senior Services Director Kristie Stenlund was unaware of the announcement but considers it a positive for the community.

“We have a lot of seniors in the community, in Delta County, who do use the DATA bus. For our services they attend, they come to the senior center. They’re able to congregate and have a meal. Or they’re also able to take their meal out and take it home, which data provides that transportation for them,” she said.

The award will dramatically expand public transportation across Delta County. The funding is in addition to the nearly $6 million recently approved by voters in a countywide transit millage.

The combined funding will allow DATA to extend service to all 14 Delta County townships, add expanded evening and Saturday routes, and upgrade its fleet and technology.

Bay College VP Student Affairs and Enrolment Management Travis Blume shares that the added funds will provide a positive impact to students at Bay College in Escanaba.

“The DATA bus provides valuable transportation services to our community, and our students are part of that community. So, adding those extra resources for our students really help them get to Bay College and also help them get around the community to do other things they need to do as well,” he said.

For Stenlund, DATA does more than serve a transportation need; it does it in a way that cares for the people that make up the fabric of the community.

“We have a lot of seniors in the community, in Delta County, who do use the DATA bus. For our services they attend, they come to the senior center. They’re able to congregate and have a meal. Or they’re also able to take their meal out and take it home, which data provides that transportation for them,” she said.

A specific timeline for when the money will be distributed has not yet been released, but the funding is part of Michigan’s Fiscal Year 2027 transportation program.

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