go!pass Program

IMPORTANT! Please read these policies completely so you understand what is required when your organization participates in the go!pass program. 

Questions? Please contact us.

How the go!pass Program Works

As a business within the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Boundary you can offer the go!pass to your employees to help them get to and from work. The go!pass provides you and your employees with unlimited use of all TheRide fixed route buses and discounts on other commuter services. The go!pass can be offered to you for an extremely low price because of a generous grant from the Ann Arbor DDA.

go!pass Pricing

Participation Fee (required): To participate in the go!pass program, you are required to pay an annual participation fee based on the TOTAL number of full and part-time employees on your payroll, not just those who want the pass. This includes owners and managers. The participation fee gives you access to the go!pass program, free transportation assistance for your employees, and more. As you increase employees during the year, you will be charged the difference when you get to the next fee level.

go!pass Fee (required): You can order a go!pass for all your employees or just some of your employees. By paying per pass, you have some flexibility. Each go!pass you order will be $15. The per pass fee is added to the Participation Fee to get to your total cost.

Participation Fee Rates

  • 50+ employees = $100
  • 21-49 employees = $50
  • 1-20 employees = $20

Ordering go!passes

Go!pass coordinators are authorized to order new, additional or replacement passes for their business. Orders are done online using our website forms. go!pass orders are typically processed within 48 hours, Monday through Friday. The go!pass coordinator will receive an email when the order is processed and the pass(es) are ready for pick up. 

Please click here to visit our go!pass order page. 

Commuting Resources and Frequently Asked Questions

Here's some material you can share with your employees about the go!pass program.

Intro to go!pass for New Users

go!pass Poster

go!pass Renewal Order Form - Unable to submit your order online? Just download and print this order form. Once you fill it out, you can drop it off at our office or mail it us: getDowntown Program, 328 S. Fifth Ave. Ann Arbor, MI 48104.

Passes may be picked up at the Blake Transit Center ticket desk after you receive a confirmation that your order is ready. The desk is open from 7 am to 7 pm Monday through Friday, and 8 am to 5:45pm on Saturday.

Any employee of legal working age, who works 8 hours or more a week at your location in the DDA Boundaries, including owners, managers and full/part time employees. 

  • Employees at your organization CANNOT give or sell their go!pass to anyone else. The go!pass should only be used by the employee it was given to and should NEVER be given to a spouse, friend, child or anyone except the intended employee.
  • Employees who work less than 8 hours a week in the DDA Boundaries.
  • Children under 16 years of age.
  • Employees who work at a location that is outside of the DDA Boundaries
  • Organizations outside of the DDA Boundaries

Designate a go!pass Coordinator

As a go!pass participant, you MUST keep a list of go!pass numbers and the employees who have those go!passes and keep it updated. To make this easier, you'll want someone on your staff to manage and promote the go!pass program to your staff. The "go!pass Coordinator" will also be the contact person between your company and the getDowntown program. We'll even provide free training and promotional materials to help make sure your program is a success and to keep your administrative costs low.

Keep track of your go!passes

  • go!passes are a benefit you give to your employees. They are your property, just like a company credit card, keys, or other items that you give to your employees while they are employed with you.
  • Since they are your property, your go!pass Coordinator is required to keep track of the go!pass numbers and which employees they are assigned to. The go!pass number is located in the lower left-hand side of the go!pass.
  • go!passes should not leave your company when your employee leaves. If an employee leaves, get the pass back from them so that it can be reassigned to a new employee, which saves you money. An employee should not be using a go!pass if they no longer work for you. Would you let your employee take their company credit card, keys or other items with them?
  • The getDowntown Program reserves the right to TURN OFF all of your go!passes if we find that you are not keeping track of who is getting what pass or if the passes assigned to you are not being used appropriately within the DDA Boundaries.

What if I hire new employees during the year?

You can get go!passes at any time for new employees by filling out the Order Additional go!pass on our website. The cost to add a pass for a new employee is $15.

What if an employee leaves and takes a pass with them?

First, contact us and provide the pass number to have that go!pass turned off. If you also want a replacement for the taken go!pass, you will be charged a $10 fee to replace the taken pass, which is $5 less than what you would pay if you ordered a new pass without reporting the old one as taken. Click here for the replacement go!pass order form.

What if an employee's pass is lost or stolen?

You can fill out the Order Replacement go!passes form to get a lost, stolen pass replaced. Lost passes are $25 to replace. We will need the number of the lost or stolen pass to turn off before we can get you a replacement.

What if an employee's pass is damaged?

Damaged passes can be replaced at no charge in most cases. You can fill out the Order Replacement go!passes form to get a damaged pass replaced. We will need the damaged pass back to replace it at no charge.

DO

  • Treat the go!pass program like your property, just like company credit cards, keys, etc.
  • Keep track of all of your go!pass numbers.
  • Get go!passes back from employees who no longer work for you. Give those passes to new hires.
  • Report lost/stolen/non-returned go!passes to 734-219-6596 or information@getdowntown.org.
  • Give a go!pass to every eligible employee. go!passes can be used for back up transportation for employees who normally walk, bike, roll or drive to work.
  • Explain the policies about lost and damaged go!passes with employees. Don't forget to tell them that letting someone borrow their pass is fraud and could jeopardize the program for everyone else. 
  • Give your employees the paper card sleeve when you give them their pass so they can keep their pass in good working order.

DON'T

  • Give the pass to anyone else other than an eligible employee. The getDowntown Program and our partners reserve the right to turn off and make invalid any go!pass we believe is being misused by an employee. If we suspect abuse, this may jeopardize the go!pass program for all your employees and we may turn off all your go!passes.
  • Let your employees give their go!passes to friends or family. If we find out this is happening, we might turn off all of your go!passes.
  • Keep your passes if your organization closes/moves out of downtown. Contact us at 734-219-6596 or information@getdowntown.org to let us know.