PORT HURON, MI – JUNE 30, 2026 –

The Blue Water Area Transportation Commission (BWATC) is celebrating its 50^th Anniversary with an anniversary  program, and a dedication to former General Manager Jim Wilson at 12:30pm, Thursday, July 9th, 2026 at the BWATC Transit Center, 720 McMorran Blvd., Port Huron.  The Blue Water Area Transportation Commission (BWATC) began operating public bus service in 1976. Currently, the City of Port Huron and Fort Gratiot Township comprise the Commission.  The program will include remarks by Michigan Representative Joe Pavlov.

In 1996, BWATC was very forward thinking and began to switch its bus fleet over to cleaner-burning compressed natural gas (CNG). BWATC now has one of Michigan’s largest CNG fueling facilities with a fleet of 78 CNG powered buses.

BWATC currently operates bus service in City of Port Huron, Fort Gratiot Township, Port Huron Township, Burtchville Township and the City of Marysville.

BWATC also runs two daily commuter routes that meet with the SMART bus system at 23 Mile Rd. and Gratiot in Chesterfield Township in Macomb County.

Additionally, BWATC operates 20 county-wide transportation routes through a contract with St. Clair County Community Mental Health to provide service to their clients and the general public.

Over the past 50 years, BWATC has provided more that 37 million passenger trips for riders throughout St. Clair County.  BWATC has become an integral part of daily life throughout St. Clair County and provides trips for passengers of all walks of life.

During his over 30 years of service as the General Manager, Jim has been credited with a vast list of improvements to the transit system.  He led the effort to separate St. Clair County from the SMART bus system in 1994, thus establishing the current Blue Water Area Transit. It was also during his tenure that the current Admin & Maintenance facility and the Downtown Transfer Center were completed by using Federal and State capital grant funds, and the system grew from 21 to 80 buses and the staff from 44  to 130 employees.  The average monthly passenger trips more than doubled during his time as General Manager.

The Anniversary Program is open to the general public.  RSVP’s can be made by emailing lbelleau@bwbus.com.

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