IONIA, Mich. — Neighbors in and around Ionia County will soon have more public transportation options as the City of Ionia prepares to expand its I-Go transportation service with more than $1.1 million in new funding.
The funds will allow the city to add vehicles, expand routes, and offer more rides to folks traveling further distances.
Watch FOX 17 reporter Pagie Meye's story about this expansion in the video below:
For Kathleen Cook, the service has already made a meaningful difference.
Cook says getting her 86-year-old father, David, to his doctor's appointments wasn't always easy, especially when it came to transporting his wheelchair.
"While helping him I put my back out so I wasn’t really very good at picking up his wheelchair and getting it into the car," Cook said.
She wanted her father to maintain his independence while continuing to receive the medical care he needed.
For just a few dollars, Cook could arrange for an I-Go driver to pick up her father any day of the week and take him to his appointments. David relied on the service until his final days.
"Being able to call them and ask them if they could help transport just up to the doctor and back was just a huge help," Cook said.
Now, the city is working to make that service available to even more people.
The City of Ionia has been awarded more than $1.1 million in Infrastructure Projects Authority Fund grants to expand I-Go.
"Mobility is known to be fundamental to quality of life," Ionia Mayor John Milewski said. "By connecting our residents directly to specialized healthcare facilities within and beyond county lines, we are removing barriers to healthcare offerings for our seniors, veterans, and families."
The expansion comes as demand for the service continues to grow.
City of Ionia Director of Transportation Heidi Wenzel says I-Go's two vehicles currently complete roughly 1,000 rides each month, but the service often struggles to keep up with demand.
"We have consistent issues with not being able to have enough service for everybody, having to turn away rides because the rides are booked already for the day," Wenzel said.
Starting in early 2027, the city plans to add three new vehicles, introduce additional routes, and expand their service outside of Ionia County.
"The more people that are able to get to their regular checkups and their regular doctors appointments, the healthier people are, the healthier our community is," Wenzel said.
How to book an I-Go ride:
- Download the I-Go app to book a ride.
- Call the I-Go dispatch office at 616-527-4000 and select option 1.
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