Courtesy Photo A man climbs the steps onto a Dial-A-Ride bus on Monday in Alpena. The local ride service is celebrating its 50th anniversary on Friday.

ALPENA — This week, Dial-A-Ride in Alpena is celebrating its 50th anniversary and over that time, it has provided needed rides to millions of passengers, many of which the red shuttle buses are their only means of transportation.

The Dial-A-Ride program is offered by the Thunder Bay Transportation Authority and offers low rates for riders who need to get from place to place in Alpena and just outside the city limits.

The ride program was one of the first in Michigan to provide public transportation services to a community.

Dial-A-Ride was established in 1974 and was managed and maintained by the city government. The program was only the eighth small bus system to be operating in the state at the time. Over the last five decades, the ride program has become a vital amenity for residents who have few transportation options, and now more than four million passengers have used the shuttle buses for rides and about 7.7 million miles have been put on the fleet of buses that have taken people from place to place over the years.

Angie Fox, executive director of the Thunder Bay Transportation Authority, said last year alone, nearly 100,000 people used the buses for rides, including 32,000 rides for seniors and people who have disabilities.

“There are many people who use the service to go to doctors appointments, go to work and school, and shopping,” she said. “There are a lot of people who depend on Dial-A-Ride for rides, and without it, it would be a challenge for them to do what they need to.”

Dial-A-Ride is paid for by state and federal reimbursements, passenger fares, and a 0.9957 mill city property tax levy.

The tax is up for renewal with a slight increase up to 1 mill during the August primary election. It would cost people who own a home valued at $100,000 about $50 a year.

Fox said seniors or people with disabilities only pay 75 cents a ride, while it charges $1.50 for others. The revenue from the property tax supplements the program and allows TBTA to continue to offer reduced rates.

Although the official anniversary isn’t until later this month, Fox said TBTA is going to provide free rides for people on Friday within the Dial-A-Ride service area. The free rides will be available from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. Calls made to request a ride will not be accepted after 5 p.m.

Fox said people will also be able to register for prizes, including a 50-inch flat-screen television.

Although Dial-A-Ride is only available in select areas of the Alpena area, TBTA offers other ride programs that branch out further from the city. Fox said, that in the future, TBTA may attempt to seek a millage to make Dial-A-Ride available to all residents in Alpena County and even seek to implement the Dial-A-Ride service in Alcona and Montmorency counties.

“All of that may take time and be years down the road,” she said. “But, that is something that we have talked about.”

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 or sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ss_alpenanews.com.