Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation timeline 1999-2008

A timeline of Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation-related events that took place between January 1, 1999 and December 31, 2008.

Typical SMART vehicles used during this period

SMART receives 20 Blue Bird CSRE buses.
Infinity Outdoor replaces Outdoor Systems as the advertisement provider on SMART.

SMART receives 80 Gillig Low Floor 35' G22B102N4 buses, it's first low-floor buses.
Viacom Outdoor replaces Infinity Outdoor as the advertisement provider on SMART.

The original appearance of smartbus.org as it appears on the Wayback Machine today.

SMART receives 92 Gillig Low Floor 35' G22B102N4 buses and 66 Gillig Low Floor 40' G22D102N4 buses.
A bill meanders through the legislature that proposes establishing a Detroit Area Regional Transportation Authority (DARTA), but is ultimately vetoed by Governor John Engler.

February 4, 2002 - Winter service changes take effect:
- Routes 240 and 260 are discontinued, replaced by additional trips on 185 and 265.

May 1, 2002 - The 31-Day and Value Passes are introduced.
May 20, 2002 - Spring service changes take effect:
- Routes 165, 486, 488, 498 and 540 are discontinued.
- Route 160 is launched.
- Saturday 110 service into Southgate is replaced by a Saturday-only extension to 185.
- Routes 510 and 560 receive 20-minute midday headways, with alternating trips operating to Shelby Plaza and New Baltimore respectively.

SMART's primary phone number converts to toll-free, replacing the previous 313 area code with an 866 area code. The last seven digits remain 962-5515.

The February 2004 redesign of smartbus.org as seen in August 2010.

February 2004 - For the first time since it's launch, the SMART website is completely redesigned. This design was used until 2011.

September 2004 - SMART's fleet becomes an all-Gillig Low Floor fleet after the last remaining high-floor buses are retired.

January 2006 - CBS Outdoor replaces Viacom Outdoor as the advertisement provider on SMART.

May 2006 - DARTA is officially dissolved following a Michigan Supreme Court ruling.

November 27, 2006 - Fall service changes take effect, which include the discontinuation of service within the city of Livonia, which opted out of SMART:
- Routes 285, 295, 297, 315, 410, 810 and 820 are discontinued.
- Routes 280, 330, 385 and 805 are launched.
- Route 125 begins serving the McNamara Terminal at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Alternating trips serve either the McNamara Terminal or the Smith Terminal. Later evening service on all days and earlier Sunday service are also added.
- Routes 415 and 420 are rerouted to serve downtown Detroit along the former route of 410, thus discontinuing service to Greenfield and Joy Roads.
- Sunday service is launched on routes 415, 420 and 740.

September 4, 2007 - Fall service changes take effect. These would be the most extensive service changes since December 11, 1995:
- Routes 110, 185 and 201 are discontinued.
- Routes 135, 140, 145, 190, 202, 245 and 515 are launched.
- All non-rush-hour service on routes 430 and 530 is discontinued.
- Routing changes are implemented on routes 125, 150, 250, 265, 275, 400, 405, 450, 494, 525, 580, 610, 615, 830 and 851.
- Schedule changes are implemented on routes 150, 160, 200, 250, 255, 265, 275, 280, 305, 400, 405, 445, 465, 475, 510, 610, 615, 752, 753, 756 and 851.
September 8, 2007 - Saturday service on route 160 launches, operating only from Wyandotte southward.