Delta Area Transit Authority and Bay College will partner this school year to provide free transportation about 1 p.m. every Tuesday for students on campus to shop for groceries and other needs. The first student pickup took place Tuesday. (Sophie Vogelmann | Daily Press photo)

ESCANABA – Delta Area Transit Authority and Bay College will partner this school year to provide free transportation every Tuesday for students on campus to do grocery and other shopping.

The first student pickup occurred about 1 p.m. Tuesday in the Bay College student housing parking lot, taking them to and from Walmart.

“The initiative is designed to ensure reliable, consistent access to food, health care and other essential resources, helping students thrive both in and out of the classroom,” according to a news release on the partnership.

The 1 p.m. pickup time on Tuesdays was carefully selected to accommodate the majority of students’ schedules, as well as to avoid peak transit time in town.

While students can rely on scheduled grocery transportation every Tuesday, students can also request non-emergency medical transportation and other mobility support.

Amy Fudala, the mobility manager for Delta Area Transit Authority and Schoolcraft County Transit Authority, and Penny Viau, operations manager for DATA, attended the first student pickup Tuesday.

“We came to the cookout a couple weeks back, and we did have some students inquire about it.” Fudala said.

“We’re not just moving people, we’re ensuring access to essential services like health care, jobs and education,” said Fudala, who has worked at several non-profit organizations in the past before joining DATA in February.

The first student to use the DATA grocery transportation was Ziad Abouali, an international student from Egypt.

“I was browsing through the Bay College app, and I was looking to go to Walmart and for transportation because I’m not from here.” Abouali said.

The new transportation partnership will run the Fall and Winter semesters of the 2025-26 school year. Further scheduling and service options will be evaluated based on student feedback and review.