WAYLAND, Mich. — A shuttle service that offers West Michigan seniors rides to Gun Lake Casino in Wayland is coming to an end in about a month. One couple tells 13 ON YOUR SIDE this will mean losing out on a weekly trip they always look forward to.
Donna and Barney Dykhouse have been using the shuttle offering rides to Gun Lake Casino for the last few years.
Donna says it’s “wonderful for seniors because a lot of us don’t drive anymore long distances. So, they had a real good thing going.”
Larry Dykhouse is their son, who also appreciates the shuttle service because it means his parents “don’t have to drive the 30 miles each way,” to the casino.
The couple pays $10 a piece for each roundtrip. This also gets them each $10 in slot play and $10 in food credits.
“It’s a day to get out. They’re there for like four hours, they have fun, they gamble a little bit, they have lunch. When you’re in a senior living facility and you’re retired, there aren’t a lot of things you can do and it’s nice to get out and get some fresh air,” said Larry.
His parents tell 13 ON YOUR SIDE they’d even be willing to pay more for the shuttle if it meant getting to keep the service.
Compass Coach is the third party company subcontracted to operate the service. The owner did not give us an on-camera interview, but confirms the contract has not been renewed and services will be ending on Nov. 16.
The timing is even more concerning to Donna who said, “Winter’s coming and [why] stop on Nov. 16 when it’s the start of the bad driving?”
Her husband Barney says most of the shuttle riders complain that, “The traffic between here and there is heavy. It’s Grand Rapids traffic all the way in and they’d rather not drive it.”
Hoping there’s still time for change, the couple has been making calls to the casino and encouraging other riders to do the same.
“Customer relations said that the tribe has decided they’re not going to do it and that’s the end of that,” said Donna.
13 ON YOUR SIDE has reached out to Gun Lake Casino about the decision to end the bus shuttle service. Casino representatives declined to comment.
Larry finds this to be “disrespectful,” and says, “It’s self-serving and selfish and I think that the seniors in our community should be respected more than they are now.”
Donna said, “It means a lot to us old people to have a day a week that we can plan on that. I wish they would reconsider.”
Compass Coach offers rides to the casino six days a week with stops across West Michigan, including Rockford, Holland and Muskegon. Compass Coach has said they have not been given a specific reason as to why this service is ending. It is subcontracted by the company Casino Cruiselines, which still lists Gun Lake on its website as one of its clients.
13 ON YOUR SIDE has also reached out to Casino Cruiselines for comment, but they refused to comment.
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