QLine to join DART payment system to help riders connect between streetcar and buses

The QLine will join DART — metro Detroit’s regional transit payment system — to make it easier for travelers to get to their destinations using a combination of both the street car and buses.

Joining the DART payment system means the QLine will amend its fare structure to align with both DDOT and SMART starting on Oct. 1. The changes will allow bus riders to take unlimited rides on all systems, and will no longer require the same transfer fees in the previous system.

“QLINE was always envisioned as a catalyst for the creation of a true regional transit system,” Matt Cullen, M-1 Rail CEO, said in a press release. “Joining DDOT and SMART on a unified payment system is another important step toward that goal. It will encourage the use of public transit and help connect the region.”

M-1 Rail, which owns and operates the 3.3 mile-long QLine, will have two options available for purchase:

• A 4-hour regional Dart pass for $2, with unlimited transfers between systems. A reduced fare price of $.50 will be available for qualified customers.

• A 24-hour regional Dart pass for $5, with unlimited transfers between systems. A reduced fare price of $2 will be available for qualified customers.

Reduced-fare riders include seniors, Medicare Cardholders, people with disabilities, children ages 6 to 18, and students in grades 9-12 who present a valid ID.
Dart’s 7-day and 31-day passes will also be accepted on the QLine. The streetcar will continue its $30 unlimited-rides monthly pass program through the rest of 2019, and will do away with the current 3-hour and day-pass fares on Sept. 30 in favor of the 4-hour and 24-hour regional passes listed above.

As MT previously reported, the QLine ridership has reached record lows, and it has so far failed to be a step toward a robust regional transit system.

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