By Jim Bloch
Jim Wilson, who served more than three decades as the general manager of Blue Water Area Transit, died Dec. 31 at the age of 68.
Wilson retired from BWAT on March 1, 2021. He helped expand the public transportation system from 21 buses and 44 employees to 90 buses and 130 employees.
One of Wilson’s skills was grant writing and he landed millions of dollars in federal and state public transportation money for St. Clair County. Jim’s many accomplishments have brought millions of dollars of public transportation funding to St Clair County. He led the effort to build the $10 million Blue Water Area Bus Center Port Huron’s downtown, which opened at the end of 2015, and the $15 million maintenance facility on Lapeer Road.
“The St Clair County community and environment have benefited from Jim’s clean energy philosophy,” said BWAT upon his retirement. “The Blue Water Area Transit fleet of buses is totally powered by Compressed Natural Gas starting back to 1997. Also, BWAT recently secured a federal grant for two electric buses. This was the first grant awarded in the state of Michigan to public transportation for electric buses.”
After earning a B.A. in accounting from Michigan State University and a law degree from Wayne State, Wilson worked in public transportation for more than four decades, beginning as an auditor for the southeast Michigan SMART Transit system. Jim began his public transit career in 1980, as an auditor for the southeast Michigan SMART Transit system.
“Jim became General Manager of BWAT in 1990,” BWAT said. “In 1994 he facilitated a separation of St. Clair County from the SMART system and established the current BWAT system. Jim greatly enhanced the BWAT system in 1997 with the consolidation of 11 St. Clair County agencies’ transportation services. These agencies include Community Mental Health, the Council on Agency, the Community Action Agency, Community Enterprises, the YMCA and others.”
More than 25 million riders used the BWAT system over Wilson’s tenure.
Wilson was a past president of Hi-Noon Toastmasters and the ARC of St. Clair County. He was a dedicated Deadhead, attending more than 90 Grateful Dead concerts.
“Where public transportation goes, communities grow and Jim Wilson’s dedication and leadership to public transportation in St. Clair County greatly reflects that,” said Linda Bruckner, chair of Blue Water Public Transportation Commission, in a statement upon Wilson’s retirement. “St. Clair County is a much better place thanks to Jim Wilson.”
Karrer-Simpson Funeral Home will hold a visitation 4-7 p.m., Friday, Jan. 10. Contributions in Wilson’s name may be made to the ARC of St. Clair County.
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, MI. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
