Indian Trails, Michigan’s primary intercity bus/motorcoach service, has launched a new website.
The website has a fresh look and feel and boasts a new schedule and quoting system. Indian Trails promises regular updates on its services and happenings through the website.
The address is:
http://www.indiantrails.com
This year’s Labor Day weekend will feature a rare and nostalgic opportunity for Michiganians: a train trip from south central Michigan to Petoskey and two full days in the popular Little Traverse Bay region. The Michigan Northern Arrow will blend the leisurely ambiance of rail travel with the enjoyment of Petoskey, Harbor Springs, the Straits and the Soo. Bluewater Michigan Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society is presenting this new ‘take” on a bygone tradition of rail excursions “Up North” with the cooperation of the Great Lakes Central railroad and the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce.
The Michigan Northern Arrow departs Owosso Friday morning, Sept. 3, with complimentary bus connections from metropolitan Detroit and west Michigan points. The diesel-powered train of coaches, a sleeper, diners and lounges will take a day-long ramble through Mt. Pleasant, Clare, Cadillac, Manton, Kalkaska and Boyne Falls to the former GR&I (Pennsylvania Railroad) station in downtown Petoskey. Refreshments, snacks, lunch and dinner will be served enroute. At the end of the line, passengers will board buses to the Holiday Inn Express, Best Western Inn or Days Inn, depending on package selections.
Saturday will be spent relaxing, shopping Petoskey’s Gaslight District, strolling the shoreline paths or quaint Victorian-era Bay View, or visiting the new Odawa Casino. Side trips to Boyne City or Harbor Springs, including a bay cruise on the Pointer, may be reserved in advance. Sunday affords more relaxation and shopping or a prepaid trip to Mackinac Island, Keewadin Casino in Sault Ste. Marie, or through the Soo locks by boat, with lunch on board.
On Labor Day, passengers who make advance reservations to do so may take part in the annual Mackinac Bridge Walk, and will board the homebound train down line. The Michigan Northern Arrow departs Petoskey at 8:00 a.m. and is scheduled to arrive in Owosso in the early evening.
The excursion will feature Coach, First Class and Ultra Class packages, priced according to on-board and overnight accommodations and services. Side trips away from Petoskey are priced separately, but in-town shuttles will be available at no additional charge.
Full information, including a detailed flier, is available from Bluewater Michigan Chapter, NRHS at 800-594-5162, or on-line at www.bluewaternrhs.com.
Bluewater Michigan Chapter of the National Railway Historical Chapter is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of rail traditions, equipment and artifacts, and is headquartered in Royal Oak. Great Lakes Central railroad operates freight service between metropolitan Ann Arbor, Traverse City and Petoskey, and is headquartered in Owosso.
MEDIA CONTACT: BILL HARMAN, 989-860-3900
From The Royal Oak Daily Tribune
ROYAL OAK — The first in a statewide slate of public forums on Michigan’s passenger rail transportation future takes place from 6-8 p.m. Monday, June 14, 2010 at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 26988 Woodward Ave., which is at the southeast corner of 11 Mile Road.
The public can voice their opinions on how to best upgrade passenger and freight rail service in Michigan to create a more convenient, efficient system.
Attendees include State Rep. Marie Donigan (D-Royal Oak), Royal Oak Mayor Jim Ellison, and staff from U.S. Congressman Gary Peters’ office.
“Recent federal support has put Michigan in a great position to build a modern rail transit system that is clean, fast and convenient,” said John DeLora of the Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers, which is one of the forum sponsors.
“We want residents to shape that vision and discuss how best to meet big challenges like funding for such a rail network.”
Investments in state-of-the-art passenger rail can help speed the way toward a new, robust economic model for the state that will also soften our environmental footprint, according to spokespeople for the other sponsors, the Michigan Environmental Council and the Michigan Suburbs Alliance.
“High speed rail is about much more than just tracks, trains, and trip times,” said Tim Fischer of the Michigan Environmental Council. “It’s also about creating thousands of green construction and manufacturing jobs that can help drive a new, clean-energy economy.”
Fischer said a modern rail system can revitalize urban centers, reduce freeway and airport congestion, and boost the use of urban public transit while reducing air pollution and carbon emissions in the process.
Each forum will include an overview of the existing rail system, an interactive rail mapping session, discussion of financing options and a big picture vision for a modern Michigan high speed rail system.
Forums later this summer are being planned for cities including Traverse City, Grand Rapids, New Buffalo, Lansing, Jackson, Holland, Detroit, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph/Benton Harbor and Ann Arbor.
Original article appeared at:
http://www.dailytribune.com/articles/2010/06/10/news/doc4c11334ddfc1d998866018.txt#blogcomments
This version was edited to include complete date for web reading.
From Agentathome.com
The Amtrak Police Department is now periodically conducting random screening of Amtrak passengers and their carry-on baggage at Chicago Union Station. The initiative is part of an ongoing commitment by Amtrak to improve safety and security at stations and on trains across its national network. It is not, Amtrak insists, in response to any threat.
Randomly selected Amtrak passengers and their baggage, handbags, backpacks or other personal items may be screened or inspected as they board trains. The inspection will be completed as quickly as possible, usually less than a minute, in a manner designed to respect passengers’ privacy as much as possible. Dangerous, hazardous and illegal items, including all firearms and other weapons, are prohibited in carry-on baggage. “Amtrak has been conducting these security screenings on a random basis along the Northeast Corridor and during special events elsewhere, in some cases in conjunction with the Transportation Security Administration,” said Amtrak Chief of Police John O’Connor.
In addition to the carry-on baggage screening, Amtrak Police explosive detection dogs will continue to patrol on the platforms, on-board trains, and throughout the station. Some of these K9’s are trained to detect specific materials on or around passengers.
A passenger who does not consent to the inspection or other security procedures will be denied access to Amtrak trains. In such cases, an Amtrak police officer will accompany the passenger to the ticket office, where a full refund may be given, without fee or penalty, even if the ticket is ordinarily non-refundable. The ticket may be refunded in cash, credit or travel certificate, depending on how it was paid.
Screening and other security activities are done on an unannounced and unpredictable basis. Therefore, no further public announcements regarding this type of screening are anticipated. An average of 55 Amtrak trains come and go from Chicago Union Station every day, with more than 8,500 Amtrak passengers using the station daily. With more than 1.5 million passengers, it is the fourth-busiest station in the Amtrak system. For more information, call 800-USA-RAIL or visit www.Amtrak.com.
Original source:
http://www.agentathome.com/Editorial.aspx?n=72433
The intercity motorcoach or bus network that Indian Trails has so carefully put together in Northern Michigan, which has been endorsed by MARP, is in jeopardy and we need you to contact your state senators to educate them about the negative impact of SB1164; it will dry up funding for state supported inter-city bus routes.
In the event you are not up to speed, on Wed. 5/12/10, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed SB 1164 to the full Senate, which would essentially eliminate all of our funding for intercity services for everything north of Grand Rapids, Lansing, Bay City and all of the Upper Peninsula for FY 2011. The Senate is scheduled to vote this week, the week of 5/17/10.
It was thought that this would only represent a 10% cut in the Intercity Services budget, but they don’t realize that this fund is the match for federal grants. The $725,000 proposed cut to the budget is actually more than 100% of the state funding for some intercity busing. We would lose our federal match, so there would be no intercity bus services for 2/3 of the state.
Below you will find a link that will help you find a link to your senator. We encourage you to write a letter to your senator (in your own words) but you may use the letter below for guidance.
http://senate.michigan.gov/
Dear Senator _______,
Over the last two years, I have become very familiar with the motor coach or bus service Indian Trails provides to all of Northern Michigan . Utilizing clean, comfortable coaches, they serve countless communities in our state, with a very economical, logical route system. Hubs exist in Escanaba and St. Ignace, where passengers can make convenient connections between the various routes. Just last year, a new Transportation Center was opened in St. Ignace, through the efforts of Indian Trails, MDOT and the St. Ignace business community. Late last year, at no additional expense, Indian Trails expanded service to Sault Ste. Marie, which had had no motor coach service for years.
SB 1164 is a penny wise, pound foolish proposition, which jeopardizes efforts to improve tourism and economic recovery in our state. While on the surface it appears it is just a 10 percent reduction in the budget, in reality that 10 percent is used to secure federal transportation dollars for the remaining 90 percent of the budget. It would effectively eliminate a vital transportation service to the northern 2/3 of the state.
I urge you to vote NO on SB 1164.
Thank you for your consideration. Best wishes.
Regards,
__________