Downtown Traverse City has a parking problem, which has prompted city leaders to give away bus passes to people who work downtown. A new pilot program is offering up unlimited six-month passes to 50 people. The passes will be good from July through December on Village and City Loops (fixed routes) of the Bay Area Transportation Authority (BATA).
The catch? Participants will have to ride the bus to work at least twice every three weeks, and fill out surveys on the experience.
The program, called Downtown Direct, is sponsored by the Downtown Development Authority, BATA and the Michigan Land Use Institute.