Detroiter walks 21 miles in work commute

**Lowell** · February-01-15, 12:51 PM

Only in Detroit [Metro]. I don't know whether to go 'wow' or cry after reading this amazing Freep story of a Detroiter with a factory job in Rochester and his commute. No matter how much controversy this situation may and should stir, James Robertson is truly admirable.

"His job pays $10.55 an hour, well above Michigan's minimum wage of $8.15 an hour but not enough for him to buy, maintain and insure a car in Detroit."

"I set our attendance standard by this man," says Todd Wilson, plant manager at Schain Mold & Engineering. "I say, if this man can get here, walking all those miles through snow and rain, well I'll tell you, I have people in Pontiac 10 minutes away and they say they can't get here — bull!"

As he speaks of his loyal employee, Wilson leans over his desk for emphasis, in a sparse office with a view of the factory floor. Before starting his shift, Robertson stops by the office every day to talk sports, usually baseball. And during dinnertime each day, Wilson treats him to fine Southern cooking, compliments of the plant manager's wife.

"Oh, yes, she takes care of James. And he's a personal favorite of the owners because of his attendance record. He's never missed. I've seen him come in here wringing wet," says Wilson, 53, of Metamora Township.

**mtburb** · February-01-15, 01:21 PM

Sadly, can't replicate this right now if I worked across the Rouge River-I don't want to walk to the SMART stop at Fort and Eureka, ride the bus up to Outer Drive, then walk further up Fort and be greeted by a closed and raised drawbridge.

**Jimaz** · February-01-15, 02:28 PM

It's the life Robertson has led for the last decade, ever since his 1988 Honda Accord quit on him.

I hope he gets a car out of this somehow. No one should have to go through that.

**Spartan** · February-01-15, 02:29 PM

Damn, that's some hardcore dedication. Is there really no bus running down Woodward south of 8 Mile?

**313WX** · February-01-15, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by Spartan

Damn, that's some hardcore dedication. Is there really no bus running down Woodward south of 8 Mile?

Only SMART buses from 3-6 PM.

Keep in mind though, that's a LONG route from 8 Mile to downtown....

**Chicago48** · February-01-15, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by Spartan

Damn, that's some hardcore dedication. Is there really no bus running down Woodward south of 8 Mile?

What's wrong with a bike?

**Johnnny5** · February-01-15, 02:56 PM

I feel bad for the guy, but my guess is that something else is going on here. A nine hour commute to put in 8 hours is flipping nuts! He'd be better off moving closer to his job, finding a job closer to home [[Even with the lousy job prospects in Detroit with his dedication to work it would have been possible sometime in the last decade), buying a beater of a car, buying a scooter, riding a bike [[It would be way faster), car pooling, etc. Again, I feel really bad for the guy and admire his determination,but this just doesn't make sense.

**Pam** · February-01-15, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by Chicago48

What's wrong with a bike?

What's wrong with giving him a raise? Or at least his company could send a car to pick him up at the bus stop.

**Khorasaurus** · February-01-15, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by Spartan

Damn, that's some hardcore dedication. Is there really no bus running down Woodward south of 8 Mile?

DDOT Route 53 but apparently not at 2 am.

**chicagoforlife** · February-01-15, 11:42 PM

Originally Posted by Spartan

Damn, that's some hardcore dedication. Is there really no bus running down Woodward south of 8 Mile?

I believe that DDOT only runs until 1:00.

**scooter** · February-04-15, 10:13 AM

ddot do, but since SMART cant go into Detroit after 6 pm , they use to, I don not know why Mayor Duggan doesnt let SMART come back, he use to run SMART, also Oakland county shouldd stop the city opt out thing, Macomb county its all the cities and towns or nothing

**scooter** · February-04-15, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by Spartan

Damn, that's some hardcore dedication. Is there really no bus running down Woodward south of 8 Mile?

Yes DDot runs up to 8 mile, SMART cannot go into Detroit after 6 pm. they use to so I don not know why Mayor Duggan, dosent let them come back all day, and this nonsence of cities opting out have to stop, In Macomb County its all or nothing[[rochester had bus service yrs ago on Rochester Rd to Oakland Mall)
we will never be a great city unless we get better transit,

**dtowncitylover** · February-04-15, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by scooter

Yes DDot runs up to 8 mile, SMART cannot go into Detroit after 6 pm. they use to so I don not know why Mayor Duggan, dosent let them come back all day, and this nonsence of cities opting out have to stop, In Macomb County its all or nothing[[rochester had bus service yrs ago on Rochester Rd to Oakland Mall)
we will never be a great city unless we get better transit,

Mayor Duggan would probably love to have full time SMART service in the city restored. It was eliminated to only peak time service due to budget issues.

What would be nice would be a route from ROTC in Royal Oak to downtown Rochester and extending the 756 Pontiac-Perry-Opdyke into downtown Rochester via Walton/University. Re-name it the Pontiac-Rochester.

**Danny** · February-04-15, 12:55 PM

SMART is not going to reinstate its early morning, midday and later evening services to Detroit. The A.T.U. voted to keep their precious pensions. Funding has been cut. Rochester and other far away suburbs are not going to opt in SMART bus services, but they will pay taxes to SMART in return. So for those who going to work, services, shopping or home in a land far far away, start walking, ride a bike and find a ride. This is the way its going to be for years to come.

Politics and money are batteries in our global society. Without it there will be no modern future civilization.

At least Lathrup Village opt in the SMART buses. That's good news.

**iheartthed** · February-01-15, 02:30 PM

Why would anyone want to live in a place where you have to walk 21 miles for an almost minimum wage job? No wonder Detroit's economy has been in the crapper for so long.

**SyGolden48236** · February-01-15, 03:07 PM

I salute Mr. Robertson!

This man's work ethic and dedication are to be admired and should serve as a lesson to many folks out there. If this man can do it rain or shine, winter or summer, then folks out there who do have a car but are too lazy to work should be ashamed of themselves.

The world needs more folks with James Robertson's mettle.

**nain rouge** · February-01-15, 03:38 PM

Someone made the point that he'd be better off working two minimum wage jobs closer to home. One full-time minimum wage job and another for the amount of time he commutes. Honestly, the guy is just a little crazy to commute like that for $10.55/hour.

**Wesley Mouch** · February-01-15, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by nain rouge

Someone made the point that he'd be better off working two minimum wage jobs closer to home. One full-time minimum wage job and another for the amount of time he commutes. Honestly, the guy is just a little crazy to commute like that for $10.55/hour.

As usual, we don't know the whole story. Perhaps there's something else that might explain it.

Maybe this job has future potential. Maybe he likes the work more than he'd like 2 other min. wage jobs. Maybe he has a girlfriend there he has his eye on. Maybe, maybe, maybe.

I admire his mettle, and expect that it will pay off for him in the future.

And what a sad state of affairs that our bus system can't do better for the James Robertsons of our area. You can't ride the same bus on Woodward from Davison to 13 Mile? Can anyone justify this? Both SEMTA, SMART, SEMCOG, DDOT, DSR, Wayne County, Oakland County, and Governor Snyder should be embarrassed.

**iheartthed** · February-01-15, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

You can't ride the same bus on Woodward from Davison to 13 Mile? Can anyone justify this? Both SEMTA, SMART, SEMCOG, DDOT, DSR, Wayne County, Oakland County, and Governor Snyder should be embarrassed.

Nor can any of the bus systems get him closer than 7 miles to his job, apparently.

**nain rouge** · February-01-15, 04:35 PM

The 465 Auburn Hills Limited could take him back and forth from work if he worked a different shift.

**antongast** · February-01-15, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by SyGolden48236

I salute Mr. Robertson!

This man's work ethic and dedication are to be admired and should serve as a lesson to many folks out there. If this man can do it rain or shine, winter or summer, then folks out there who do have a car but are too lazy to work should be ashamed of themselves.

The world needs more folks with James Robertson's mettle.

He's working his ass off day after day, depriving himself of sleep and ruining his health, and he's still exactly where he started. Meanwhile the factory owner who only knows him as "that guy with the really good attendance record" is getting richer and richer year after year off James Robertson's work ethic and dedication.

**SyGolden48236** · February-01-15, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by antongast

He's working his ass off day after day, depriving himself of sleep and ruining his health, and he's still exactly where he started. Meanwhile the factory owner who only knows him as "that guy with the really good attendance record" is getting richer and richer year after year off James Robertson's work ethic and dedication.

This is not communist Russia. Mr. Robertson is doing this by choice. If he thought like you did he would not be doing it. And thank God that there are people like him who do have a good work ethic. Spare us the "oppressed workers slaving away for the man" nonsense. This man is a shining example to all. He is emblematic of what makes this country great. He could easily lay around his house saying "woe is me, I have no car, I cannot work". Instead he does what he needs to do to be a productive member of society instead of being a leech.

**antongast** · February-01-15, 08:57 PM

Originally Posted by SyGolden48236

This is not communist Russia. Mr. Robertson is doing this by choice. If he thought like you did he would not be doing it. And thank God that there are people like him who do have a good work ethic. Spare us the "oppressed workers slaving away for the man" nonsense. This man is a shining example to all. He is emblematic of what makes this country great. He could easily lay around his house saying "woe is me, I have no car, I cannot work". Instead he does what he needs to do to be a productive member of society instead of being a leach.

The USSR under Stalin venerated "Stakhanovites," whose strong work ethic led them to produce quantities greatly in excess of their production quotas.

Stakhanov and other "model workers" were promoted in the press, literature and film, and other workers were urged to emulate their heroic examples. What is more, the achievements of Stakhanovites served as an argument in favor of increasing work quotas.

Emphasis mine.

**morebread** · February-01-15, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by antongast

He's working his ass off day after day, depriving himself of sleep and ruining his health, and he's still exactly where he started. Meanwhile the factory owner who only knows him as "that guy with the really good attendance record" is getting richer and richer year after year off James Robertson's work ethic and dedication.

^^^this^^^

**Cincinnati_Kid** · February-02-15, 01:20 AM

Originally Posted by antongast

He's working his ass off day after day, depriving himself of sleep and ruining his health, and he's still exactly where he started. Meanwhile the factory owner who only knows him as "that guy with the really good attendance record" is getting richer and richer year after year off James Robertson's work ethic and dedication.

I agree. If the owner of the company was any type REAL person who actually cared, he would have helped him purchase a car by now. It's nice that his wife cooks him dinner every day, but he needs a way to get to work. These companies use to show loyalty to their workers, especially one that has never missed a day of work. This is ridiculous man. And for those that didn't read the article, it said that he stays with his girlfriend who inherited the house they live in, so at this point why move closer to his job, when the house is probably paid for.