Opinion: Regional transit needed to improve lives, keep Michigan mobility leader

Joe Hinrichs | The Detroit News

As the auto industry enters a new era, Ford is developing innovative ways to move people and things. We are committed to making vehicles that people want and value, while figuring out how to move people in ways that make their lives better. Our belief is that freedom of movement drives human progress.

Making lives better in southeast Michigan is especially important to Ford. The ease of movement affects not only the lives of our customers, it also affects our more than 40,000 employees here.

Sitting in traffic on the Southfield Freeway is not time well spent. Interstate 696 is causing disruption for our Macomb County facilities in particular. The men and women on the plant floor who are producing vehicles for the world have to be on time for their shifts. And for our researchers and engineers, the pace of innovation and the necessity of collaboration often require being together to unlock the potential of future mobility solutions.

We all need to get somewhere – and in continuing to attract talent and investment to the metro Detroit region, we need to make getting to that somewhere a better use of everyone’s time.

A thoughtful regional transit system would support everything from shuttle services to rail lines. And it must help everyone – from those that live in Detroit to those that live in the towns outside of the city.

It isn’t just about commute times. Regional transit would have a broader positive impact. By helping transport people quickly and safely, we will improve access to jobs and in turn, create economic opportunity.

Of the 25 largest metropolitan areas in our nation, the Detroit region ranks 24th in per capita transit spending, 24th in the percentage of our citizens using public transportation to get to work, and last in the number of public transit trips the average citizen takes. This scorecard is out of step with the region’s commitment to innovation and the future of mobility – and is one reason Amazon cited for not locating in our area.

As hard as it is for an auto company to admit, not everyone wants to own their own car. In addition, population growth presents significant challenges regarding congestion and parking. Having regional transit options, like other areas of comparable size and economic activity, will position Michigan for future growth.

At Ford, our strategy is designed to position us to meet mobility needs of our customers. We urge community support for transit so our region can continue to grow and succeed as the world’s center of mobility innovation.

Joe Hinrichs is executive vice president and president of Global Operations for Ford Motor Co.