MPTA Updates Membership Structure to Better Serve Michigan Transportation Providers
At its June meeting, the MPTA Board of Directors approved recommendations to modernize the association’s membership structure and better reflect the variety of transportation providers serving Michigan communities.
The recommendations include replacing the current Specialized Services membership category with a broader "Other Transportation Provider Member" category and retiring the association’s Constitution in favor of updated bylaws. MPTA members will consider the proposed Constitution retirement and bylaw amendments at the Annual Membership Meeting during the August Conference.
The new category is intended to better represent organizations that provide transportation services but are not traditional public transit agencies. This includes many Section 5310 transportation providers, non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) providers, intercity bus operators, and other community-based transportation organizations. While these providers have different missions and funding structures, they often face similar opportunities and challenges and can benefit from stronger connections with peers across the state.
MPTA already provides a variety of resources that are valuable to these organizations, including advocacy, collaboration with MDOT, training and conference opportunities, committee participation, industry updates, benchmarking resources, and peer-to-peer networking. The association believes there is significant opportunity to expand these benefits and create even greater value for transportation providers that may not have traditionally viewed themselves as part of the broader public transportation community.
Looking ahead, MPTA hopes to grow membership among transportation providers across Michigan, develop more targeted training opportunities, increase access to available resources, and ensure that these organizations have a stronger voice in association activities and transportation policy discussions. As part of this effort, MPTA is also working to verify member information—including vehicle inventories and eligible operating expenses—ahead of the upcoming membership renewal season to ensure accurate records and a smooth transition to the updated membership structure.