Novi lends space, support for Pex during transition

NOVI — People’s Express, which on July 1 took over in Novi as the provider of curb-to-curb transit services, will be housed at the Novi Civic Center until the end of the year as part of an agreement with the city.

The Novi City Council voted to approve the measure, which allows Pex, as People’s Express is known, a lease to use a city office and parking spaces, as well as use the city’s fuel pumps.

“Similar to other transitions we’ve had experience with … we’ve asked for contractors to be on-site so they can answer and help facilitate that transition, they can answer real-time questions,” City Manager Victor Cardenas said at the June 17 council meeting.

Councilwoman Priya Gurumurthy said she is glad that Pex will be on-site to answer questions during the transition.

Mayor Pro Tem Laura Marie Casey said that she really likes this process, which she said was started many years ago when they brought a new waste management company on board.

“I appreciate that we have started that process and that we are continuing it with Pex. I think that’s only going to continue to make the transition go even more smoothly,” said Casey.

She pointed out that although it is a six-month agreement, the city is able to extend that.  She said she looks forward to the city’s input in about three months as to where they should go from there.

Mayor Justin Fischer said that he agreed with it on a temporary basis during the transition period, but after that he said they would need to look into renting some space.

“They are a separate body; they should not be using our parking spaces for free forever,” Fischer said.

Pex is currently based out of Whitmore Lake, and this move reportedly will enable the invoicing of free rides for seniors and those with disabilities to go smoothly. It will also ensure that the Pex vehicles are within the Novi Community, rather than have the Novi bus drivers, who were just hired on by Pex, have to drive to Whitmore Lake every day to pick up their vehicle.

Fischer asked what Pex’s long term solution is to this situation.

Cardenas said they were still in talks on whether they will keep vehicles at the Novi Civic Center on a permanent basis.

“I think it would be extremely appropriate for them to have some kind of a staging area or depot, that they purchase property in the city, much like Medstar did, making an investment in our community,” Councilman Dave Staudt said. “Driving to Whitmore Lake to drive back to have service in our area, it just doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense to me. I think it would behoove them to look at a facility here and make an investment in our community.  I mean, they are getting $1.5 million a year. They can afford to buy a small building.”

Pex declined to comment on whether it would consider purchasing a building in the area.

“At this time PEX has no comment. Once we get further into the services, we will have better information,” said Eveliina Taylor, deputy director of Pex.

Despite the concerns of Fischer and Staudt, the measure passed 6-0.