DATA - Delta Area Transit Authority

08/07/2026

08/05/2026

On Aug. 4, Delta County residents voted approximately 65% in favor of the millage funding the Delta Area Transit Authority (DATA).

As a result, DATA will expand service soon to all of Delta County (including the seven townships that have never had DATA service) and add evening and weekend hours.

After the expansion, the new operating hours will be:

- Monday through Thursday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Friday, 6 a.m. to 2 a.m.
- Saturday, 7 a.m. to 2 a.m.

This expansion will take time to roll out. Job postings and more details about timing are coming soon. Follow us here for updates.

Thank you, Delta County.

08/05/2026

💙❤️ THANK YOU, DELTA COUNTY! ❤️💙

As we reflect on the past several weeks, we simply want to say thank you.

To the many restaurants, businesses, breweries, markets, healthcare providers, and community establishments across Delta County—thank you for welcoming us into your spaces and helping make transportation information available to our community.

Whether you opened your doors, shared information with your customers, or simply supported the conversation, your partnership and willingness to engage meant more than you know.

Community conversations are built through people who are willing to listen, ask questions, and create opportunities for others to learn. We are grateful for every business and organization that took the time to be part of that process.

On behalf of all of us at DATA, thank you for your hospitality, and your support of public transportation in Delta County.

We are grateful to be part of this community. 💙

08/04/2026

Today is Election Day, Delta County!

Still need a ride to your polling place? Call Dispatch at 906-786-1186 as early as you can today. Not sure where to go? Find your polling place at Michigan.gov/Vote.

08/03/2026

Tomorrow is the day. On Tuesday, Aug. 4, Delta County voters will decide on a countywide transit millage.

If you'll need a ride to your polling place, don't wait, call us today at 906-786-1186 to set it up. Election Day rides to the polls are free and open to any Delta County voter.

Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Find your polling place at Michigan.gov/Vote

08/01/2026

Everyone deserves to have their voice heard.

On Election Day, Tuesday, Aug. 4, DATA is offering free rides to and from your polling place for Delta County voters. Rides are available to every voter, no matter how you plan to vote.

To reserve yours, call Dispatch at 906-786-1186 and book at least one hour ahead. Not sure where you vote? Find your polling place at Michigan.gov/Vote.

07/30/2026

If passed, would the DATA millage send money to a Downtown Development Authority?

A DDA helps fund downtown improvements, and state law lets a DDA keep a small share of the property taxes collected in its city. This happens with many millages in Michigan (if it covers a city with a downtown area).

Here's a list of the local taxes that DDAs can take a small percent from:

- 911 Dispatch
- City of Gladstone
- Community Action
- Community College Debt
- Community College Operations
- Delta Area Transit Authority
- Delta County
- Jail Bond
- Recycling
- Road Patrol
- Veteran Affairs

For the Aug. 4 DATA millage, DDA funding would apply to people in Escanaba or Gladstone. If you live in a township, none of your money goes to a DDA. Currently, Gladstone's DDA receives about $10,000 a year and Escanaba gets about $5,000. This is about 1% of what the proposed DATA millage would raise if it passes.

For more information about Delta County DDAs, visit https://www.gladstonemi.gov/dda/page/how-dda-funded.

07/30/2026

Community Spoke. DATA Listened.

Over the years, DATA has continued to evolve because the transportation needs of our community have changed. The proposed countywide transit system was built around what residents, employers, healthcare providers, seniors, families, and community organizations told us they needed.

Because life doesn't stop at 6 PM.
🏥 Someone discharged from the Emergency Room may need to stop at Meijer or Walmart for prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, or medical supplies before going home.
💙 Dialysis patients deserve access to early morning and Saturday appointments without worrying about how they'll get there.
👷 Shift workers who are unexpectedly kept for mandatory overtime deserve a safe ride home after a long day.
🏀 Varsity games don't usually tip off until 7:00 PM. Families, grandparents, and students should be able to cheer on their favorite athletes.
🎡 County fairs, concerts, community festivals, and benefit events bring our communities together.
💍 Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, funerals, and family gatherings happen throughout the evening and on weekends.
✈️ Early morning flights and evening airport pickups don't always fit within traditional transit hours.
🍽️ Sometimes it's simply dinner with friends, a movie, shopping, or spending time with family.

Transportation isn't just about getting from Point A to Point B.
It's about independence.
It's about opportunity.
It's about being able to participate in your community.

The proposed service continues with DATA's on-demand, door-to-door model—picking riders up at their home, taking them where they need to go, and providing a safe ride home.

Because transportation should work around your schedule—not the other way around.

Community spoke. DATA listened. That's what this proposal is about - Something for everyone.

07/30/2026

Linda is a receptionist at Christian Park Center, where part of her job is scheduling appointments and arranging transportation for residents.

For many of those residents, getting to a doctor's appointment, picking up a prescription or simply getting out for the day depends on a reliable ride. That's where Delta Area Transit Authority comes in.

In Linda's words: "The Delta Area Transit Authority is very helpful in the transport of Christian Park Center residents. They have a very friendly staff that go above and beyond. I am very happy with their services and would recommend to anyone who needs a timely, friendly transport."

07/29/2026

Just because you see DATA buses in your township doesn't mean they provide service to that area. Our vehicles sometimes drive through unfunded areas to get riders to their destinations, but residents of unfunded townships cannot be picked up or dropped off.

If the proposed August 4 millage is approved, ride services will be available across all of Delta County, eliminating the "checkerboard" of service areas under the current patchwork of existing transit millages.

Learn more about the upcoming millage on our website: https://ride.databus.org/data-2026-millage-fact-sheet