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MagicBus, new crowd-sourced shuttle service, launches in metro Detroit

Posted at 9:12 AM, Nov 14, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-14 11:36:36-05

There's a new option for getting around town in metro Detroit.

MagicBus, a crowd-sourced shuttle service, recently launched a number of routes here to help with commutes from the suburbs to downtown.

MagicBus CEO Chris Upjohn stopped by Broadcast House Monday to talk about the new launch. He says the service is all about giving people back time in their daily lives.

"We pick you up close to your house in a really comfortable vehicle with WiFi on board, so you can get work done or watch cat videos or whatever you want to do, and we drop you off right at your office," said Upjohn. 

To find a route near you, enter your address on the MagicBus website. People can book rides ahead of time and meet at a certain location for pickup. 

If there are no options close to you, spread the word. 

"You can campaign for new routes, so if you have about 15 people in your neighborhood who want MagicBus, all you have to do is get them to sign up as well and we'll create a new route for you," said Upjohn. 

The pricing starts at about $5 per trip from surrounding suburbs. Right now, Upjohn says they have about a dozen vehicles running in the area equipped with professional drivers. 

MagicBus is a Silicon Valley-based startup, but Upjohn says they saw a need for services here in metro Detroit.

"Unfortunately with transit being defeated recently, we think this is going to be a really great way to help people who don't have great commutes," said Upjohn.