Oh no! More proposed D-DOT bus cuts!

[Dexlin]

So, what is Bing's plan, ultimately? Apparently, they've already privatized operations, and that still obviously can only do so much. Are they trying to unwind this thing and sell it off in pieces? What's the end game, here? Run a few buses up the spokes and call it a day? Who picks up all of the lost ridership? Taxi services that'll gouge those with no other option even more than they already are?

In a city where in 2000, a full third of city residents didn't even own a car [[can you even imagine what it is now?), what kind of hope at any economic and educational development will you have when tens-of-thousands of people are trapped like rats in a city with few job opportunities and even fewer ways to reach those opportunities?

I just don't get it. Maybe, in other cities, cut service would be an option. As far as I'm concerned, mass transit is up there with police and fire in a city like Detroit. You can't keep cutting service and then wonder why crime and poverty and low school scores remain stubbornly high. I've already seen the administration come out with the talking point that over-night service only consitutes a tiny part of ridership, but this is cumulative. Everyone knows already shitty service is about to get shittier if that is even possible.

It's nights, now, and in a few months they'll be back to kill week-end serivce and then before you know it'll, we'll have a dozen routes in the central city of a region of over 4 million people where ridership isn't cut for lack of demand, but because the region doesn't want to pay for economic development on the front-end.

In a city as poor as Detroit, you either take the pain and pay for the social costs up front, or you pay out the @ss on the back-end. It's just that simple.

[antongast]

I've already seen the administration come out with the talking point that over-night service only consitutes a tiny part of ridership...

...because overnight service is already so thin, not because nobody is riding the buses that are left. I actually ride those buses, and Dave Bing doesn't. He doesn't know what he's talking about. He's had it in for overnight service since the day he took office, and he refuses to believe us that it's important.

[epiphany]

Does anyone know when they will actually release a new schedule so that bus riders can prepare for any changes? If they are changing the schedules beginning this month, why haven't they told us anything concrete yet? I am doing all that I can to move closer to work and school, but with such short notice I don't know if I will be able to move soon enough. I am really concerned about getting to and from work/school before I get moved.

If they are making reductions to day time service AT ALL it will be really bad because buses that should come every 20 minutes or so have already been taking 1 hour or longer for the past few weeks.

[professorscott]

Epiphany,

The schedule changes take effect March 3, I believe. Daytime service is being reduced on certain lines only. I don't remember the details or I'd share.

As far as the printed schedules, who cares what the printed schedules say? All of us riders know they are fiction anyhow. That, to me, is the bigger problem. If the bus is only going to come every half hour, fine, we can work our schedules around that, but at least let the damned thing come when it's supposed to!

Professor Scott

[epiphany]

LOL. I agree. I was just hoping that a schedule would give me a better idea about which lines are being cut and by how much. But, nothing frustrates me more than leaving to catch a bus at a certain time that is never coming. If they ran every hour or even every two hours and CAME ON TIME, it wouldn't be such a big deal because I could plan to be there on time and avoid waiting in the cold. But, showing up early to catch a bus that never arrives is just terrible. No one likes standing in the rain or snow [[without a shelter, of course) for such extended periods of time.

[lukabottle]

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...ng-bus-service

Among the service adjustments to be discussed at the hearings are:

Discontinue bus service from 1-4 a.m.
Route 11/Clairmount weekend service only will be discontinued.
Route 46/Southfield Sunday service will be discontinued.
Eliminate Route 78/Imperial Express.
Route 49/Vernor service will end at the Rosa Parks Terminal in downtown Detroit.

To learn more

Public hearings:
DDOT has scheduled public hearings on Feb. 24 at two locations: Northwest Activities Center, 18100 Meyers from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 6-8 p.m.; and Wayne County Community College [[at Interstate 94), 5901 Conner, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. and 6-8 p.m.
A service document detailing all changes and route alternatives can be obtained from the following locations on or after Friday:
DDOT main office, strategic planning/scheduling, 1301 E. Warren
Detroit Public libraries
Community access centers
Online at www.ridedetroittransit.com.