Saginaw Transit Authority Regional Services (STARS) received four state grants totaling $4 million to explore autonomous vehicle technology in Saginaw’s medical diamond corridor and add route services to MBS International Airport.

The Michigan Department of Transportation grants also will fund a study to develop a regional plan for additional ground transportation services linking the Tittabawassee Township-based airport to nearby colleges.

A fourth grant will add regional transportation services for military veterans in collaboration with Flint Mass Transportation Authority, Greater Lapeer Transportation Authority and Shiawassee Area Transportation Authority.

“When these services roll out, they will be safe, affordable, reliable and sustainable from day one,” said Amy Bidwell, executive director of STARS.

Bidwell and the transit agency’s regional partners announced the MDOT grants — set for distribution over four years — during a Friday, Oct. 16, press conference where officials provided early details on the four planned projects.

STARS officials said they will announce service launch dates in early 2027.

The two planning studies are also expected to begin in 2027.

“As excited as we are to celebrate this announcement, we want to be equally candid about the work ahead,” Bidwell said. “These transformational projects do not happen overnight. Building routes that cross multiple jurisdictions, integrating software, preparing vehicles and coordinating agency schedules require meticulous preparation.”

The Friday press conference included officials with MBS International Airport, the focus of two of the four announced projects.

The planned regional transit services will connect the airport with existing STARS transit services provided to riders traveling to or from Saginaw Valley State University in Saginaw County’s Kochville Township as well as Delta College in Bay County’s Frankenlust Township, officials said.

“MBS will play an important role in the regional education and employment corridor, which will include a stop at MBS,” said James Canders, MBS International Airport director. “This will be the first public transportation service at the airport in a very long time. It will connect residents and students directly with our daily flights.”

Canders said the STARS study will provide “a comprehensive look at how people move throughout our communities” and explore where transportation gaps might exist between the airport and surrounding communities.

Jamie Forbes, director of external affairs for STARS, said the study exploring autonomous vehicle transportation use in Saginaw’s medical diamond district will evaluate public transit pilot programs underway in other Michigan communities, featuring “semi-autonomous” buses. Those pilot programs use vehicles that require some human operation.

“They use a driver, but many parts of the route are automated,” Forbes said. “Fixed-route loops work better for some autonomous systems because the vehicles travel the same route regularly.”

The $4 million in grants represent a sizable sum for the downtown Saginaw-based transit agency.

STARS operates with an $11.5 million budget and about 105 employees.

The agency’s fleet of 80 vehicles provide an average of 41,000 rides each month, STARS officials said.

The agency operates main-line fixed routes Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with buses departing hourly from the transit headquarters. STARS officials said 72% of fixed route service takes place within the City of Saginaw, while 28% operates outside city limits.

STARS in 2025 performed over 47,000 dedicated work trips through job routes, not including passengers using main-line service to reach employment, officials said. The authority maintains partnerships with employers including Hemlock Semiconductor, Corning and Blue Diamond Steel Casting in Pigeon.

The partnerships with Delta College and SVSU allow students and faculty to ride the entire fixed route system fare-free.

The authority also operates Lift — not to be confused with Lyft — a paratransit service for passengers with disabilities who qualify for ADA gold cards and seniors, at $3 per trip. The curb-to-curb service operates within three-quarters of a mile of all fixed routes.

Rides to Wellness, the most comprehensive service offering door-to-door transportation with driver assistance, completed over 31,000 trips in 2025, officials said. The service extends throughout Saginaw County and can transport passengers to surrounding counties including Midland, Bay, Genesee, Shiawassee, Tuscola, Gratiot and Huron.

STARS also receives support from Frankenmuth to operate a seasonal route, allowing Saginaw residents to travel between the STARS HQ in Saginaw and Frankenmuth.

STARS receives its budget funding from several sources, including a 3.2-mill Saginaw tax that voters last August renewed through 2030. Residents first approved a citywide tax to support the transit system in 1995.

©2026 Advance Local Media LLC.
Visit mlive.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.