North Oakland Transportation Authority (NOTA)

Driving Independence Across North Oakland County: NOTA’s 25 Years of Service

For nearly a quarter century, the North Oakland Transportation Authority (NOTA), has been helping residents get where they need to go with care, dignity, and reliability. Social Media, Marketing and Dispatch Liaison Veronica Konopnicki describes NOTA as a door to door transportation service that has operated since 2001, originally serving Lake Orion, Oxford, and Addison. In 2022, voter approved countywide transportation funding allowed NOTA to significantly expand its service area.

Today, NOTA serves a large portion of North Oakland County, including Lake Orion, Oxford, Addison, Brandon, Independence Township, Springfield Township, Clarkston, Davisburg, and Ortonville. “We’ve really expanded. We have a huge territory covering a lot of North Oakland County,” Konopnicki shared. NOTA also works with neighboring transportation agencies to coordinate cross border trips, helping riders reach destinations outside its primary service area.

What sets NOTA apart is its people. “We provide transportation, but we care,” Konopnicki said. “Our employees have a heart for service. It is not just a job.” For many riders, NOTA drivers are their primary connection to the outside world, and staff take pride in building relationships while ensuring riders arrive safely.

NOTA serves the general public, with a strong focus on seniors and people with disabilities. The agency operates approximately 60 routes each weekday and about 12 on weekends, providing around 500 rides Monday through Friday. Dialysis patients make up one of the largest groups of riders, receiving transportation for life sustaining treatments. “It’s very important that they are able to get there,” Konopnicki emphasized.

Rides are affordable, with reduced rate riders paying $2 each way and general public riders paying $4 each way. Veterans currently ride free while grant funding through Oakland County remains in place. Registration is designed to be simple and accessible, whether online, by mail, or with phone assistance. “We will work with people,” Konopnicki said. “We know that everybody’s got different challenges, and we try to make it as easy as possible.”

NOTA provides true door to door service, meeting riders at their doorway and assisting with wheelchairs, scooters, and other mobility needs. While medical and work trips receive priority, NOTA also helps residents get to grocery stores, salons, banks, restaurants, and other everyday destinations. “Transportation is so important to people,” Konopnicki noted. “This does give people the ability to be a little more independent.”

As NOTA celebrates its 25th year of service, the organization remains committed to supporting the community it serves. “We’re all just one big community here,” Konopnicki said. “I’m glad to be a part of it.”