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December 31, 2005Starting Monday, buses roll to EmpireEMPIRE - The new year will bring a new way for Leelanau County residents to travel to Traverse City.The Bay Area Transportation Authority will roll out its Empire village connector service starting Monday, making it the second rural fixed route launched this year in Leelanau County. The Northport village connector route started in June, with five daily buses making more than 18 stops along the M-22 corridor. George Warnick, BATA's driver supervisor, predicted the new Empire route will build on the success of the Northport service, which served 1,424 riders between July 1 and Nov. 30. "We're getting tons of calls already on it," he said. The Empire village connector will make four inbound and outbound trips each weekday. Buses will leave Empire at 6:30 a.m., 9:10 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:55 p.m. and leave from Traverse City at 7:40 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 1:45 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. Stops include Glen Arbor, The Homestead, Glen Lake School, Maple City, Cedar and Tom's West Bay. The Northport route includes five inbound and outbound runs Monday through Friday, the first departing from Northport at 6:10 a.m. to Traverse City. The last outbound trip from Traverse City leaves at 5:40 p.m. Stops include Tom's Northport, Northport Marina, the Omena post office, Leelanau Sands Casino, Hansen Foods and Tom's West Bay. BATA developed the new routes with input from community focus groups. Voters in 2003 approved a 0.10 millage request to fund improved services. The village connector routes meet up with the BATA transfer station in Traverse City. Riders can transfer to Cherriot buses for free and to outbound village connector buses by paying $1 for adults and children and 50 cents for senior citizens and people with disabilities. Route maps and schedules are available at each stop. One-way fares are $2 for adults and $1 for senior citizens and people with disabilities. For more information, call BATA at 941-2324 or visit www.bata.net.
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