The Mackinac Bridge Authority, or MBA, has voted to reinstate its suspended driver assistance program on Nov. 1, along with pedestrian, bicyclist and snowmobile transportation programs.
However, based on recommendations from staff and the Authority’s Fees, Fares and Classification’s Committee, the reinstatement of the above programs will include an increase in fees for services as well as revised liability waivers and hold harmless agreements.
The reinstatement comes after the programs had been suspended in March 2020 as a step to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 between customers of the bridge and staff.
“Suspending these popular programs was a difficult decision, but one that was necessary based on what we knew then about this ongoing pandemic,” stated Patrick “Shorty” Gleason, Chairman of the Mackinac Bridge Authority. “As our committee and staff have examined these programs, it became clear that reinstatement should come with changes to address staff concerns and costs of the services provided, as the programs have been provided at a net loss for the Authority.”
According to the Mackinac Bridge Authority, the driver assistance program, in which an MBA employee drives a customer’s car, motorcycle or commercial vehicle across the bridge, has been offered since the 1980’s.
The Authority says users of the program, “often have concerns or fears of driving across the bridge, particularly during windy conditions, but many have said they used the service so they could take photos while crossing or take a break from driving.”
The Authority notes that in 2019, 2,559 customers used the driver assistance program, which was previously offered for no charge aside from the bridge toll.
To help defray the cost of the service, which is roughly $33 per trip for the program, the MBA will begin charging $10 per trip when the programs resume Nov. 1. The fee will increase to $15 per trip beginning Jan. 1, 2025.
Additionally, the Authority says the required liability waiver has been updated and staff will complete a checklist of several items the customer must agree to. This includes: allowing for adjustments of mirrors and the driver’s seat, using a dash camera to record while inside the vehicle during the crossing, keeping any animals in the vehicle restrained, having all occupants wear masks, and allowing the vehicle to be cleaned before crossing.
The Mackinac Bridge Authority also states that pedestrians and bicyclists must cross the Mackinac Bridge in a vehicle, and have provided transportation services for them since the Bridge opened on Nov. 1, 1957.
They say before the program was suspended, pedestrians were charged $3.50 each to be driven across the bridge, and bicyclists were charged $5 to be transported across the bridge with their bicycle.
When the program resumes, pedestrians will have to pay $5 and bicyclists will have to pay $15.
The Authority states that an average of 793 pedestrians and 375 bicyclists have used the program annually in recent years. The average cost to the MBA to provide the service is $23.21 per pedestrian and $32.50 per bicyclist.
Furthermore, the MBA has provided snowmobile transportation service since the early 1990s as snowmobilers are not allowed to ride across the bridge. Before the suspension, the fee for service was $15 per snowmobile and rider with additional riders being charged $3.50. The Authority says that the new fee will be $20, with additional riders charged $5.
The average of more than 1,000 snowmobiles have been transported through the service annually in recent years, with approximately four snowmobiles transported per trip, according to the MBA. The average cost to the MBA for each trip is $61.30.
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