Free bus rides on Election Day: SMART and DDOT go fare-free Tuesday, as Macomb voters decide SMART’s own millage

WARREN, Mich. — Buses run by the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation and the Detroit Department of Transportation will carry riders for free all day on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, the two agencies say.

SMART’s free service covers every route and service it runs in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties. DDOT’s covers its regular fixed-route buses and eligible paratransit riders in Detroit, and the free fares are not limited to trips to a polling place or to people who have already voted, BridgeDetroit reported.

“Election Day is a day when every resident should have the opportunity to participate, and transportation shouldn’t stand in the way,” SMART General Manager and CEO Tiffany J. Gunter said in the agency’s announcement.

What is free, and what needs a reservation

On SMART, the free day includes fixed-route buses, the curb-to-curb Connector service, ADA paratransit for eligible riders and SMART Flex, the on-demand service that runs in zones in Dearborn, Troy and Clawson, Auburn Hills and Pontiac, Hall Road, Farmington and Farmington Hills, and Northern Macomb. Connector and paratransit trips still need an advance reservation, at 866-962-5515, option 1. Flex rides are booked through the SMART Flex app or at 734-212-8429, The Oakland Press reported.

Free fares do not change who qualifies for Connector, paratransit or Flex, or where those services go. DDOT paratransit riders should book the usual way, at 313-774-5555.

A few private and volunteer groups are offering rides, too. The Detroit Bus Company says it will give rides from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for people who call 313-444-2871 by Monday, Nov. 2. Warriors on Wheels of Metro Detroit offers wheelchair-accessible rides for seniors and people with disabilities from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 313-251-5777, and Detroit Downriver APRI volunteers will drive voters from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to BridgeDetroit.

SMART’s own question on the Macomb ballot

The free day comes as SMART asks Macomb County voters to renew the property tax that pays for much of its service there. As our earlier look at Macomb’s three countywide millage questions laid out, the proposal would replace the expiring 0.95-mill levy with a 0.94-mill tax for 2027 through 2031.

The county estimates it would raise about $39.2 million in its first year. A home with a taxable value of $50,000, roughly a $100,000 market value, would pay about $47 a year. Each participating city, township and village would get back 12.5% of what is collected inside its borders for local transportation for older adults, people with disabilities and the general public. The tax was first approved for 1995 and has been renewed every time it has been on the ballot. If voters reject it, the current levy expires after the 2026 tax year.

The county Board of Commissioners notes that placing a millage on the ballot does not mean it supports or opposes it. SMART says the money keeps its fixed routes, Flex and paratransit running in Macomb, including the FAST Gratiot express between downtown Detroit and 23 Mile Road, which it says carries more than 70,000 riders a month. It also pays for free fixed-route rides for students with a valid ID, a program that began in May, and for bus stop upgrades.

How to vote

Early in-person voting ends Sunday, Nov. 1. Voters can still request an absentee ballot in person at their city or township clerk’s office until 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2, and can register in person with proof of residency through 8 p.m. on Election Day. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday; anyone in line at 8 p.m. may vote. County canvassers have until Nov. 17 to certify results, and the Board of State Canvassers until Nov. 23. Voters can find their polling place and sample ballot at Michigan.gov/Vote.

Sources:
SMART, “Macomb County Millage Renewal” (Oct. 27, 2026; fare-free Election Day, FAST Gratiot, student rides, bus stops), https://www.smartbus.org/About/News/2026-macomb-millage-renewal
WDIV ClickOnDetroit, “SMART to provide free rides to the polls on Election Day” (Oct. 28, 2026; services, Gunter quote), https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2026/10/28/smart-to-provide-free-rides-to-the-polls-on-election-day/
The Oakland Press, “SMART offering free rides to the polls on election day” (Oct. 30, 2026; reservation and Flex numbers), https://www.theoaklandpress.com/2026/10/30/smart-offing-free-rides-to-the-polls-on-election-day/
BridgeDetroit, “Need a ride to the polls? Here are some Election Day options” (Oct. 30, 2026; DDOT and volunteer rides), https://www.bridgedetroit.com/need-a-ride-to-the-polls-here-are-some-election-day-options/
Macomb County Board of Commissioners, Public Transportation Millage (ballot language, revenue, cost example), https://bocmacomb.org/millages/public-transportation-millage/
Photo: New Flyer XD40 SMART bus in Detroit, Kyah117, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0), https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:New_Flyer_XD40_-_SMART_(Suburban_Mobility_Authority_for_Regional_Transportation)_Detroit.jpg

Warren · Election 2026 coverage

Tags: Election 2026 · SMART · DDOT · Public transit · Macomb County · Millage