As Marq-Tran wrapped up its fiscal year on September 30, 2025, it marks an impressive year of transit services in Marquette County. This includes:

• More than 225,000 rides through fixed route and door-to-door service
  • That amount is:
    • 3.3 times greater than the population of Marquette County
    • A 5% increase from the previous year
• Traversing 789,400 miles through its services
  • Miles traveled decreased by 2% from the previous year–meaning more community members were served in fewer miles than previously
• Provided 34,815 door-to-door service routes, of which:
  • More than 12,000 were seniors
  • More than 10,000 were seniors with disabilities
  • More than 10,000 were passengers with disabilities
• Averaged 600-700 riders on fixed routes and 131 door-to-door routes daily

All of this was accomplished as budgets for public transit have gotten increasingly tighter over the years. Where state funding had previously covered 60% of operational costs for rural transit communities like ours in 1998, that percentage was just 38% in FY2025. 

Even as we’ve adapted over our 43 years of service thus far in response to budget fluctuations, our priorities remain to serve our communities by: 

• Operating fixed routes six days a week and door-to-door services seven days a week
• Offering services that span all of Marquette County
• Being a dependable transportation option that our riders can rely on
• Serving the unique mobility needs of our community

We strive toward these priorities as we understand that public transit is about more than getting people to and from their destination. The effects of public transit broadly help communities as: 

• Communities are able to attract and retain talent in the workforce
• Transit supports employers as a reliable mode of transportation to work for employees
• Residents have access to shopping and the ability to participate in the local economy
• The ability to engage in the community fosters connections and supports better quality of life
• Public transit removes mobility barriers so anyone can participate in their community
• Investing in public transit is an economic driver:
  • For every $1 invested in public transit funding, it contributes $5 to Michigan’s economy

Given the need for affordable, dependable transportation options in Marquette County, as well as the broad benefits of public transportation toward thriving communities, Marq-Tran works diligently to stretch its resources to bridge Marquette County through affordable transportation.

It is with this responsible allocation of resources and care for our community that Marq-Tran drives its mission to deliver and improve professional and dependable connections between each person and their unique mobility needs across Michigan’s largest rural county.