Help is on the way. We’ve recently hired several new drivers and continue to recruit more employees to meet the increase in demand for our services. As our new drivers complete training, we anticipate we will be able to add more service to meet the growing needs of the community. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding.
Due to the efforts of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) virus on service demand, the WexExpress will be making the following service changes effective June 1, 2020.
We will begin collecting customer fares. We suspended collecting fares back in March, but have since put in protocols to allow for safer handling of money.
Weekday customer service hours will be available from 5:00 am to 6:00 pm. Any ride requests for after 6:00 pm must be made prior to 6:00 pm. We’ve added ways for customers to get in touch with customer service which includes texting (231-266-0023) and web chat which can be found by visiting us online at www.wexexpress.us.
Last drop off for evening service is 9:00 pm. The last drop off time for weekday evening service can be scheduled no later than 9:00 pm.
Saturday service will resume on June 6th with customer service hours being available from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. We recommend customers call the day prior for Saturday service requests. Rides will only be scheduled on Saturday if space is available in the schedule. Ride cancellations must be made prior to noon on Saturday.
Delivery service will be discontinued. We will continue to offer delivery service to organizations that require logistics assistance for large mounts of goods. General delivery service is being discontinued due to lack of use.
For any questions regarding these changes, please contact us at (231) 779-0123.
Today we were featured in the Cadillac News regarding maintaining services despite the pandemic. You can read the article here: https://www.cadillacnews.com/news/wexexpress-still-operating-during-covid--pandemic/article_9fc56aef-172b-501c-9a9a-29ebbddd88f4.html
We know how important transportation can be to a community and we are working to continue operating as long as it is safe to do so. If you have any questions, you are welcome to call us at (231) 779-0123.
The WexExpress Executive Director Carrie Thompson and board member Mike Hayes was recently interviewed on 9&10 News the four. You can see the interview by visiting the following link:
https://www.9and10news.com/2020/02/07/wex-express-introduces-new-freedom-volunteer-driver-program/
To find out more information about our New Freedom Volunteer Driver program, please visit www.wexexpress.com/mobility.
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Carrie Thompson, CWTA Executive Director
Office: 231.775.9411
Mobile: 231.709.1899
Email: carrie@wexexpress.us
Cadillac, Mich. – The Wexford County Council on Aging Board recently acknowledged the Cadillac/Wexford Transit Authority for its service enhancements that benefit seniors across the county.
“Both the WexExpress and the New Freedom programs have been invaluable to our Seniors in Wexford County,” stated COA Executive Director Kathy Kimmel. “The New Freedom program is especially helpful in providing transportation to out of town appointments for Seniors. And it’s greatly appreciated.”
The New Freedom Volunteer Driver Program provides non-emergency medical transportation to hospitals, medical facilities, health clinics and doctor offices across the state.
“Transportation to medical appointments is a constant worry for those suffering from chronic conditions, many of whom are older adults,” explained CWTA Executive Director Carrie Thompson. “This program is designed to align passengers in need with available resources so that no senior, veteran or disabled individual ever misses an appointment, no matter where it is in the State of Michigan.”
Typically, volunteers use their own vehicle to transport passengers and receive 50 cents per mile in reimbursement through a federal grant and support of partner agencies including the Wexford County Council on Aging. However, if the passenger has a mobility issue and requires an accessible vehicle, the program has one available for a volunteer to drive.
“During 2019, WexExpress provided 4,292 rides with the New Freedom program,” said Thompson. “That’s an increase of 2,172 rides over 2018 and we anticipate that number to continue to grow as the program matures. We’re always looking for ways to improve our service offerings for seniors and the communities that we serve”
For more information about the New Freedom Volunteer Driver Program including how you can become a volunteer driver, call New Freedom Coordinator Kristin Kendall at 231.942.7900 or visit wexexpress.us/mobility.
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The Cadillac/Wexford Transit Authority (CWTA) offers door-to-door public transit services to all residents and visitors of Wexford County. You can book your travel on WexExpress anytime from 5am to 10pm Monday through Friday, and 9am to 5pm on Saturday. CWTA also has routes daily to and from Traverse City, can help coordinate transportation to neighboring counties, and organize transportation to/from the Munson Medical Campus and area doctors/physicians. To schedule a ride, visit wexexpress.us or call dispatch at 231.779.0123.
This year we provided transportation for students at Cadillac Schools to Meijer in order to be able to participate in the “Shop with a Cop” program. We’ve been doing this for a couple years now and and think that this is a terrific program put on by local law enforcement.
We hope that the kids, as well as the officers and their families, have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Every day, nine people are killed on US roadways and more than 1,000 are injured due to distracted driving. When driving please keep your eyes on the road, hands on the wheel, and your full attention on driving.
The WexExpress is a proud member of the National Safety Council who did a great video to remind you to avoid distracted driving!
Uploaded by the National Safety Council.
Summer Passes available for purchase on Wednesday, May 28, 2019!
Read MoreFor Immediate Release
May 28, 2019
Contact:
Carrie Thompson, CWTA Executive Director
Office: 231.775.9411
Email: carrie@wexexpress.us
Cadillac, Mich. – A unique program offered by WexExpress is helping seniors, veterans and people with disabilities in Wexford and Missaukee counties to get to doctor appointments.
The New Freedom Volunteer Driver Program provides non-emergency medical transportation to hospitals, medical facilities, health clinics and doctor offices across the state.
“Transportation to medical appointments is a constant worry for those suffering from chronic conditions, many of whom are older adults,” explained CWTA Executive Director Carrie Thompson. “This program is designed to align passengers in need with available resources so that seniors, veterans and disabled individuals don’t miss critical appointments, no matter where they are in the State of Michigan.”
Typically, volunteers use their own vehicle to transport passengers and receive 50 cents per mile in reimbursement. However, if the passenger has a mobility issue and requires an accessible vehicle, the program has one available for a volunteer to drive.
“During the month of April, WexExpress provided 414 rides with the New Freedom program of which 40 were veterans,” said Thompson. “Year to date, we have provided 322 trips for veterans and we anticipate that number to grow as the program matures.”
Earlier this month, WexExpress was invited to attend an expo for AARP and The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency. At the event, WexExpress was honored with an award for the New Freedom Volunteer Driver Program in recognition of their contribution to make Michigan the most veteran-friendly state in the nation.
For more information about the New Freedom Volunteer Driver Program, call New Freedom Coordinator Kristen Kendall at 231.942.7900 or visit wexexpress.us/mobility.
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The Cadillac/Wexford Transit Authority (CWTA) offers door-to-door public transit services to all residents and visitors of Wexford County. You can book travel between 5am and 10pm Monday through Friday, and 9am to 5pm on Saturday. CWTA also has routes daily to and from Traverse City, can help coordinate transportation to neighboring counties, and organize transportation to/from the Munson Medical Campus and area doctors/physicians. To schedule a ride, visit wexexpress.us or call dispatch at 231.779.0123.
CADILLAC — About 15 to 20 riders are already taking advantage of a new program offered by the Cadillac-Wexford Transit Authority that should improve service for its customers.
CWTA Executive Director Carrie Thompson and the CWTA hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday for the new Night Rider program, which offers evening rides to Wexford County residents. Thompson said 15 to 20 riders requested rides for the service’s first day which was Monday. Most were using it to get to and from work, she said.
“We actually have people on all three evening buses,” Thompson said. “We have people being picked up as late as 11:18 p.m.”
Thompson recently informed the Wexford County Board of Commissioners that extended service times would begin on Nov. 28, and Monday’s open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated that milestone.
The new service will be available until midnight Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Thompson said the night service is part of the CWTA’s plan to improve services for riders. The plan was created after focus groups were held last year. The other parts of the plan include dependability, which is addressed with the CWTA’s new dispatch system, and more coverage in rural areas.
“We have lifted all travel restrictions in our out-county areas, and they have been taking advantage of that all day (Monday),” she said.
Thompson has said none of the CWTA’s millage money is going to be needed to fund this extended service time, thanks to a Job Access Reverse Commute grant through the Michigan Department of Transportation and Federal Transit Administration. The grant, about $160,000, covers the next six years.
“We are really excited to deliver on the promise to the people of Wexford County to offer better service and more hours,” Thompson said.
For more information about the program or to learn more about the CWTA, call (231) 775-9411 or log on to www.cwta.us.
CADILLAC — The Cadillac-Wexford Transit Authority is kicking off a new era that should improve service for its customers.
CWTA Executive Director Carrie Thompson recently informed the Wexford County Board of Commissioners that extended service times will begin on Nov. 28, and on Monday, the CWTA is hosting an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate that milestone. The event will be held at the CWTA offices, 951 Casa Road, with a ribbon-cutting at 4:30 p.m. and the open house continuing until 6 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.
The new service will be available until midnight Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. The CWTA is calling the new service its Night Rider program.
"We have been working on many items since our focus groups met about a year ago," Thompson said. "The three things the community wanted to see was more dependability, which we worked on with our new dispatch system; more service, which the extended hours addresses; and more coverage in our rural areas. Before, we had travel restrictions where we were out to places like Harrietta, Boon and the Mesick area at certain times. With the new dispatch system, (those customers) have access to buses all day long."
Thompson has said none of the CWTA’s millage money is going to be needed to fund this extended service time thanks to funding from the Michigan Department of Transportation and Federal Transit Administration through a Job Access Reverse Commute grant. The grant, about $160,000, is for the next six years, and Thompson said it is attached to CWTA’s master agreement.
Every six years, the CWTA composes a master agreement pledging to follow all MDOT rules in order to receive grants or any funding from MDOT. The grant funding is now attached to it, Thompson said. She also said CWTA has the ability each year to apply for different amounts, but it will typically be around $160,000.
For more information about the program or to learn more about the CWTA call (231) 775-9411 or log on to www.cwta.us.
If you work, study, or play late, we have good news. CWTA buses will soon be running weeknights and Saturdays.
We listened to your input. We got the message. We made it happen. Our new Night Rider schedule beings in late November. Details will be announced soon. We'd appreciate any input you have regarding our Night Rider schedule. When you click the image below, you will be taken to a brief survey.
By Rick Charmoli
CADILLAC — For the past few years, Elizabeth Boron has been taking weekly rides to the store, to appointments and other locations.
Although the 60-year-old has her driver's license and a car to drive, she prefers to let someone else do it. She uses the Cadillac-Wexford Transit Authority. Recently, the authority has upgraded its dispatching service, the services it offers and its website. Boron said so far those services are working, but there also are some things that need to be adjusted.
The CWTA had been working to introduce its new, fully automated system for ride scheduling called RideOnTime for the past several months. It initially went online in March but just recently had all the options made available to riders.
CWTA Executive Director Carrie Thompson said focus groups of both riders and community members last fall were conducted to gather feedback before the new system was implemented.
That feedback resulted in the identification of three things riders want: service to the out county areas such as Buckley, Mesick, Harrietta and Boon with no time restrictions; evening services; and Saturday service.
Thompson said the hope is that the new efficiencies of the new dispatch system will allow for those three things to be implemented.
“The biggest thing we are looking forward to is the reporting (of the new system) so we can really see where the fat is and where we can be more efficient,” she said. “There are needs from the community that we are not able to meet. We would like to invest the efficiencies we find back into the system.”
How does the new system work? Thompson and CWTA Operations and IT Manager Aaron Stahl both said the system uses technology and automation to help drivers and dispatcher get to customers faster and more efficiently. To utilize the new system, riders call the same dispatch number — (231) 779-0123. A ride can be scheduled up to two weeks in advance or as late as the same day over the phone. Rides scheduled on the day it is needed, however, will not be guaranteed.
The new dispatch system also allows for online bookings of rides, too. Those can be submitted to cwta.us. A ride can be scheduled up to two weeks or at least three hours in advance. Confirmation emails also will be sent after online booking is completed.
Also with the new system, if a ride is scheduled at least a day in advance, the rider will receive an automated confirmation call the night before to confirm or cancel. A new feature of the system also allows for an automated call to happen just before the bus arrives to alert the rider of that fact.
“This system allows us to track the buses better so we can give the passengers a better idea of what time they will be picked up," Stahl said. "We can track when a bus arrives at a location, when it departs, how long it was there, and how long it will take to get to the next location."
He also said the new system allows for customers to take control of their ride by allowing them to track progress as well as alter or cancel it through the website. Agencies, Adult Foster Care or assisted living homes also can gain access and book rides for their customers.
Before the new system was put in place, the only option for riders was to call, which they can still do. The difference is now when a call comes in, it is booked in the system and immediately sent out to a driver's tablet. The tablet allows the drivers to see all their calls, pick ups and drop offs. There also is navigation features for directions.
If someone cancels, the tablet also shows that.
“The drivers caught on really fast to the tablets," Thompson said. "The tablets don't work unless they are stopped. If they are using the navigation feature it gives audio directions. The screen only becomes visible if they are traveling at 5 mph or slower.”
In addition to being able to share all that information with drivers, the tablets allow dispatch to know exactly where their buses are or how fast they are going. They monitor everything, she said.
Just like any new system, CWTA is working through the growing pains, and Boron understands that. She said so far, the only issues she has had with the new system is the calls alerting her that her ride is coming.
“Sometimes if the bus is coming and someone canceled their ride, then you don't get the call,” Boron said. “That is when I need the call, if they are going to be early. I know with all new systems it takes awhile to get all the bugs worked out. There are a lot of people who use this and it's not a personal taxi service.”
Thompson said typically there are 400 to 600 riders per day. Buses travel a total of 50,000 miles a month. Typically, there are between 9,000 and 10,000 riders a month, and in May there were 9,482. She said there are 36 drivers, a total of 25 vehicles, and at any given time, there could be 18 to 20 buses out on calls. Thompson, however, said there aren't necessarily routes as rides are generated by need rather than a schedule.
According to statistics generated by riders, a majority of CWTA users are adults between the ages 17 to 54, followed by senior citizens aged 55 and older. Students ages 5 to 16 were the next highest in ridership while youth ages 4 and under were last in ridership. For example, in February, adults made up roughly 45 percent, while senior citizens made up nearly 30 percent of riders. Stats for March were similar, and all statistics can be found on the CWTA website.
Although there is the opinion CWTA doesn't have a lot of customers, Thompson said she knows that is not the case. She also reminds people the buses leave and return to Cadillac, so if you see an empty bus, it could either be on its way to or coming back from calls.
“We know as transit we are serving a lot of people,” she said.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Northern Michigan. Delays and cancellations are possible so please make sure you plan accordingly. We would recommend that you not plan to travel unless it is absolutely necessary.
We make every attempt to provide service as long as it is safe to do so, and if there are any cancellations or delays, we will get that information out to you as quickly as possible. In the event of any service disruptions, we make service announcements at the following places:
Facebook
Twitter
Cadillac News Alerts
CWTA Website
For the latest service information, you are also welcome to call our dispatch center at (231) 779-0123.
A big thank you to our passengers and our community for your support over this past year; it's been a pleasure serving you! We have a bunch of great improvements planned for 2016 that we are looking forward to so make sure you check back for updates often.
CWTA driver Jim, our Traverse City route driver, was given a tastey Christmas gift from one of his passengers for the great work that he does!
Last week one of our great passengers presented our driver Jim with a tastey Christmas gift. We love our drivers too and would like to thank them for the service they provide. We couldn't do it without them!
Thank You Jim!!!
This holiday season we will be closed on the following days:
We will be open for regular service all other days. We hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
For those of you who have always asked for credit card processing, your day has come! Since the first of June, we having been testing Square for credit card processing and it has been working great!
Come on in and you can now purchase all passes with your credit or debit card. This is just one of the many things we are working on to make using our service friendly, easy, and convenient to use.
CWTA
951 Casa Road
Cadillac, MI 49601
Customer Comments
CUSTOMER SERVICE
(231) 779-0123 // dispatch center (call or text)
(231) 942-7900 // new freedom (call or text)
(231) 775-0333 // indian trails
