It is served by Amtrak's Wolverine line as well as Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) buses.

The station was established in 1978 with the goal of Detroit's western suburban residents' access to passenger trains.

On August 19, 2011, it was announced that the Federal Railroad Administration had released $28.2 million in funds from the ARRA economic stimulus package for the construction of a new intermodal station to replace the current building; the new facility would serve both intercity and commuter rail and include a new entrance to The Henry Ford museum complex adjacent to it.

[8] A group called Pockets of Perception, made up of ten students of Dearborn senior high schools, created a 18-by-20-foot (5.5 m × 6.1 m) mosaic, titled "Transformations," on display in the station's lobby.

Media related to John D. Dingell Transit Center at Wikimedia Commons