About Max Transit

Macatawa Area Express (MAX) has been serving the greater Holland-Zeeland area of West Michigan with fixed route bus service since 2000. Our mission is to create a sustainable transportation system to be used by all residents of the Macatawa Area with linkages to other transit systems. MAX is governed by an independent Transportation Authority board comprised of representatives from the City of Holland and Holland Charter Township.

Oversight of the transit system was transferred from the City of Holland to the Authority on July 1, 2007. The Authority contracts with the city for essential support and administrative services.

MAX is funded by federal and state grants, a transit millage for the City of Holland and Holland Charter Township, and passenger fares. The City of Zeeland also contracts with MAX transit for demand response service for its residents.

MAX’s administrative office is located at the Padnos Transportation Center located at 171 Lincoln Ave. Its bus garage is located at 433 E. 24th Street in Holland.

Each year, MAX Transit safely transports more than 225,000 passengers to their destinations in the local area and ridership continues to grow.

2008 Max Factoids

Typical rider is 40-year old Caucasian female
47% of passengers are homeowners
29% are persons with disabilities
15% of passengers are seniors over age 65
15% of passengers are students going to school

Ridership Figures

2007 ridership - 221,224 rides, a 8.47% increase over 2006
Projected ridership for 2008 – 240,000
45% of passengers ride MAX to go to work or school
26% use MAX for shopping/groceries
18% ride MAX to medical appointments
55% ride the fixed route; 45% use demand response
54% of current bus riders use MAX daily

Benefits to the Community

"People ride public transit to either make money or spend money."-Clark Harder, Executive Director, Michigan Public Transportation Association.
$1 invested in MAX generates $6 in economic returns
$1 million invested in MAX generates $3 million in NEW sales
MAX’s $3.27 million operating budget in fiscal year 2007 generates nearly $8 million in new sales
MAX reduces traffic, congestion and fuel usage promoting cleaner air and energy conservation
MAX is viewed by area realtors as an amenity, promoting higher quality of life and property values

Transportation Authority Board

The authority provides a regional perspective to transit planning, as well as a stable funding mechanism obtained through a 0.4 transit millage levied by the City of Holland and Holland Charter Township.

The authority board is comprised of representatives from both local governments as well as an ad hoc representative from the City of Zeeland.

MAX Transportation Authority Board Members

Nancy Burkitt - Chairperson - Holland Township
Polly Diehl - Vice Chairperson/Marketing Committee Chairperson, City of Holland
Robert VandeVusse - Secretary/Treasurer - City of Holland
Russ TeSlaa - Operations Commitee Chair-Holland Township
Joe Baumann - Member - Holland Township
Doug Bazuin - Member - Holland Township
Steve Bulthuis, Macatawa Area Coordinating Council
Al Dannenberg, City of Zeeland, Ex-officio member

Authority Board Meeting Schedule

The Transportation Authority Board meets at 3:30 pm. on the fourth Tuesday of the month at the Padnos Transportation Center, located at 171 Lincoln Ave. The meeting schedule for 2008 is as follows:

January 22
Feb. 26
March 25
April 22
May 27
June 24
July 22
August 26
Sept. 23
Oct. 28
Nov. 25
Dec. 23

Meeting Minutes

June 24, 2008 - download related info
May 27, 2008 - download related info
April 22, 2008 - download related info
March 24, 2008 - download related info
February 26, 2008 - download related info
January 22, 2008 - download related info
December 18, 2007 - download related info
November 27, 2007 - download related info
October 23, 2007 - download related info
September 25, 2007 - download related info
August 28, 2007 - download related info
July 24, 2007 - download related info

Local Advisory Council (LAC)

MAX seeks input and suggestions from a Local Advisory Council. Students, residents, and persons with disabilities, most of whom use MAX on a regular basis, comprise this group.

The council reviews operational issues from a transit users’ perspective, offering solutions and suggestions for improvement that benefit transit customers.

The council meets every-other-month, the 1st Tuesday of the month. For more information, contact Charles Veldhoff at (616) 928-2494.

Local Advisory Council Members

Renea Walkotten
Elizabeth Ferry
Tony Harmer
Lyle Sanders
Michael DeVries
Ron Martin
Barbara Blume

Meeting Minutes

June 9, 2008 - download related info
April 1, 2008 - download related info
February 5, 2008 - download related info
December 4, 2007 - download related info
October 9, 2007 - download related info