Getting around without driving yourself
A house search often doesn't account for transportation until it's too late to matter. If not driving — or not always being able to — is part of your situation, here's what's actually available in this area, and who to call to check a specific address.
FlexRide — on-demand van service
This is the closest thing to "a van that comes to your house." FlexRide is TheRide's on-demand, curb-to-curb shuttle — you book a pickup with an app or by phone, not a fixed schedule. It's open to the general public, not just riders with a disability, and offers accessible vehicles.
- Currently operating: FlexRide-East, serving parts of Ypsilanti Township with a direct connection to the Ypsilanti Transit Center.
- Not currently operating: FlexRide-West (Pittsfield Township). Pittsfield Township now contracts a different provider, People's Express, for curb-to-curb service in that area — TheRide's fixed-route and A-Ride service still cover Pittsfield Township.
- Book a ride: the FlexRide app (iOS/Android), or call 734-794-0377.
Service areas shift over time, so the honest answer for any specific address is to call and ask — a phone call is faster and more reliable than any map I could put here.
A-Ride — ADA paratransit
A-Ride is TheRide's shared, reservation-based ADA paratransit service, for people who are functionally unable to use the regular fixed-route buses (disability alone doesn't automatically qualify you — there's an application and functional determination).
- Service area: within roughly 3/4 mile of TheRide's fixed bus routes, covering Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Pittsfield Township, Superior Township, and Ypsilanti Township.
- To apply: call 734-973-6500 or email ARide@TheRide.org. Decisions typically come back within 21 days.
- Hours: seven days a week, matching TheRide's fixed-route service hours.
Fixed-route buses
For a specific address, TheRide's own tools are more accurate than anything I could maintain here:
- Plan a trip — check routes and times between two specific addresses
- Route maps & schedules — see the full system at a glance
Late-night & holiday service
FlexRide also runs curb-to-curb during late-night hours and on major holidays when regular fixed-route service isn't running — useful to know if a work schedule doesn't match typical bus hours.
Not sure what this means for a specific property? Let's talk it through