Oh no! More proposed D-DOT bus cuts!

**lukabottle** · February-15-12, 11:24 AM

This the story that Danny was talking about regarding the brand new buses that aren't on the streets yet.
http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news...op-20120214-ms

Show your support for transit and come to Lansing on February 23rd to talk to your legislators. For more information or to find a ride, go to: http://trans4m.org/transitday.asp. If you can't come, please write your legislators.

**fryar** · February-15-12, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by lukabottle

http://www.michiganradio.org/post/more-cuts-changes-store-detroits-troubled-bus-system

From that article:

The city recently turned over management of its transportation department to a private contractor, Parsons Brinckerhoff, who sub-contracted with another company, Envisurage.

Envisurage, in turn, is apparently a vehicle [[no pun intended) for this guy.

That article doesn't sound too bad.

**trotwood** · February-15-12, 12:15 PM

"At the moment" worries me. Thanks again Professor!

**Dexlin** · February-16-12, 06:17 AM

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** · February-16-12, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by Dexlin

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** · February-16-12, 10:12 AM

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** · February-16-12, 10:48 AM

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** · February-16-12, 10:54 AM

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** · February-16-12, 12:04 PM

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.

**antongast** · February-16-12, 05:08 PM

I called the mayor's office to protest this. They first challenged me about which routes I rode and when. Then they told me that not all 24-hour service would be cut, which contradicts all the media reports [[which are citing the mayor's office), so either the people Bing has answering his phones are egregiously misinformed or blatantly lying to constituents. I asked which routes would still be 24-hour, and the person insisted that she didn't have time to read me the entire list, which, there are currently 8 24-hour routes, that list should take about three seconds to read. Then she told me I'd fallen victim to the drivers' scare tactics, and abruptly transferred me to 933-1300. Yay for accountable elected officials!

**trotwood** · February-16-12, 05:45 PM

This is just........I'm almost at a loss for words here.Scratch that!I'm not out of words.I've plenty popping into my head but don't want to type that kind of language on the net nor do I want to say something about someone that might come back to bite me later.
I just can't wrap my mind around why,whenever there are talk of cuts,public transportation is always[[almost)first on the list?Why are those in positions of power&authority so dead set on d&mning those without private vehicles [[or access to)? Why are those who are already struggling to make it day by day always being told "make it the best way you can or piss you!" ?
These,of course,are just rhetorical questions/rantings of one bewildered person.
Sadly SMDH@ the absurdity of it all!

**stasu1213** · February-16-12, 06:10 PM

The residents are held under seize in there own neighborhoods due to the cut of basic service by moronic city leaders. You can't get to you job. You don't have a decent grocery store nearby. Don't have a car to drive to one. You can't get an EMS if you or your loved one gets hurt. Police would not come on time if you become a victim of crime.Your house will burn down for the firefighters might show up late. What the hell are you paying taxes for? Charles Pugh to give his aide a $6000 raise?

**bc_n_dtown** · February-16-12, 06:41 PM

Originally Posted by antongast

I called the mayor's office to protest this. They first challenged me about which routes I rode and when. Then they told me that not all 24-hour service would be cut, which contradicts all the media reports [[which are citing the mayor's office), so either the people Bing has answering his phones are egregiously misinformed or blatantly lying to constituents. I asked which routes would still be 24-hour, and the person insisted that she didn't have time to read me the entire list, which, there are currently 8 24-hour routes, that list should take about three seconds to read. Then she told me I'd fallen victim to the drivers' scare tactics, and abruptly transferred me to 933-1300. Yay for accountable elected officials!

It's unfortunate that the person at the mayor's office either misled you, lied to you, or is totally ignorant of the facts. "ALL" 24-hour service is scheduled to be discontinued effective March 3rd. The work assignments which the drivers have to pick-on that are currently posted at the satellite terminal locations has service pulling in to the garages by 1:00AM. In addition, the detailed service reduction information being distributed by DDOT to the media also shows service being eliminated after 12:30AM, including the nine 24-hour bus routes. You would think that someone representing the mayor's office would share accurate information with the riding public who basically have no choice but to depend on the service. It's evident from her attitude that she doesn't depend on the bus to get around.

Here's a link to a PDF file distributed by DDOT showing detailed service reductions
http://download.gannett.edgesuite.net/detnews/2012/pdf/0216ddot2.pdf

**bc_n_dtown** · February-16-12, 07:01 PM

This is even better!
Just recently posted on the official DDOT website, their service change brochure in PDF format:
WEEKDAY CHANGES:
http://www.detroitmi.gov/Portals/0/d...ekday_2012.pdf

WEEKEND CHANGES:
http://www.detroitmi.gov/Portals/0/d...ekend_2012.pdf

**trotwood** · February-17-12, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

The residents are held under seize in there own neighborhoods due to the cut of basic service by moronic city leaders. You can't get to you job. You don't have a decent grocery store nearby. Don't have a car to drive to one. You can't get an EMS if you or your loved one gets hurt. Police would not come on time if you become a victim of crime.Your house will burn down for the firefighters might show up late. What the hell are you paying taxes for? Charles Pugh to give his aide a $6000 raise?

ICAM with you!
Yet there are still those who bemoan the declining population &/or attribute it to anything other than the gospel truth

eople need&deserve quality of life&decent city services. When that's not given the masses leave.Why in the world people in city government don't grasp that is a mystery to me.
Detroit[[actually MetroDetroit/state of Michigan)seems determined to make it as hard as possible for the residents to live here!
SMH!

**trotwood** · February-17-12, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by bc_n_dtown

This is even better!
Just recently posted on the official DDOT website, their service change brochure in PDF format:
WEEKDAY CHANGES:
http://www.detroitmi.gov/Portals/0/d...ekday_2012.pdf

WEEKEND CHANGES:
http://www.detroitmi.gov/Portals/0/d...ekend_2012.pdf

Thank you very much for posting this. After giving it a thorough read through the message this sends to Detroit residents&vistitors to the city that rely on public transportation is clear. If you're a resident you'd better find your way to&from work the best way you can after the buses stop.God help you if you have a 'odd' work schedule[[eg. start after 11:30pm-12:30 am).If you're a visitor to the city without a car you'd better take in the sights&attractions the city has to offer before 8:30ish at night otherwise you're SOL&up the creek!
I understand tough financial times as well as the next but these proposed service changes are oppressive&ridiculous!!
No wonder this region's going to crap!

**Zacha341** · February-19-12, 09:15 AM

Detroiters Voice Concern Over Changes To Bus Service

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news...to-bus-service

**trotwood** · February-19-12, 06:46 PM

I read this and got quite the chuckle out of this line from the article: "A spokesperson for Mayor Dave Bing said only 500 customers, on nine routes, use the buses after-hours"
Guess this means the rest of the city residents are sleeping,walking,or getting rides after hours huh?
SMDH!

**professorscott** · February-19-12, 09:05 PM

This is how unimportant basic services are to the out-of-touch City leadership. Since the 1950s, Detroit has lost, as a guess, 60% of its residents. I doubt the number of people working in the City bureaucracy has gone down by 60%.

Meantime the bus service - in terms of bus-hours per weekday - has gone down at least 98%, and this next round of cuts might be pushing it close to 99%.

So the remaining 40% of the people somehow have to get by with 1% to 2% of the transportation.

**Hypestyles** · February-19-12, 09:28 PM

more bad news. I don't see it improving any time soon.

**stasu1213** · February-19-12, 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by trotwood

I read this and got quite the chuckle out of this line from the article: "A spokesperson for Mayor Dave Bing said only 500 customers, on nine routes, use the buses after-hours"
Guess this means the rest of the city residents are sleeping,walking,or getting rides after hours huh?
SMDH!

Put mini busses on those damn lines if that was true. Bing is doing this on purpose for someone who is pulling the dummy's string is telling him to.This is the powers to be scheme to make this city a less desirable place to live for long time residents, most of them are low middle to lower class. This is Bings way of showing the Transportation Secretary that Detroit is not ready for or want any for of dependable mass transit or light rail. I would rather have Kilpatrick in office than this traitor to Detroit. I would not be surprise if he will be caught up in the Ficano scandall.

SteveJ · February-19-12, 10:02 PM

Don't even see the point of a public hearing when everything is pretty set in stone for March 3rd. Usually public hearings are more than week in advance of changes.

**Dexlin** · February-20-12, 06:39 AM

This is he work of Parsons Brinckerhoff [[and the consultant they subcontracted this work out to); this is running DDOT "like a business" as they say. Expect more of this. There are no transit advocates in city administration, and not even anyone that knows anything about transit.

It's pretty clear the administration views DDOT as a red-headed stepchild, a "problem", instead of viewing it for what it's viewed as in just about every othe functioning city: a basic city service. I'm sure Bing is hoping that if they stab it a few more times, DDOT will just go away. Well, mayor, you're still going to have to service its debt whether it survives or not. I realize that running Detroit has to be one of the toughest jobs in the nation, but this is not how you do it. The issue of DDOT shows rank mismanagement. But, I guess mismanagement is all right so long as a private, professional company is doing it and not public appointees.

Wow, what a way to make sure you get rid of what little choice ridership you had left; what a creative way to kill demand for a service more in need than it has been in years. You know you can only call something "creative destruction" if you actually have a plan for after you destroy the thing you are killing. Far as I can tell, the administration doesn't seem to have any plan for what to do with DDOT after they put it under.

**trotwood** · February-20-12, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

Put mini busses on those damn lines if that was true. Bing is doing this on purpose for someone who is pulling the dummy's string is telling him to....... I would rather have Kilpatrick in office than this traitor to Detroit.

I agree with you.This is delieberate though I can't figure what the expected/desired outcome is to be.
Btw you have Kilpatrick in office. He's now going by the name of Dave Bing.
Imo the Bing administration is just finishing up the good work KK didn't have time to complete.
As I say I can't figure the desired outcome I have no choice but to believe someone[[or large group)is hell bent on ruining,for want of better word,the lives of the currrent citizens of Detroit. Bing's carrying out his orders beautifully!

**trotwood** · February-20-12, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by SteveJ

Don't even see the point of a public hearing when everything is pretty set in stone for March 3rd. Usually public hearings are more than week in advance of changes.

I see it as a way of them covering their collective a%$es to avoid anyone saying "We didn't get our say" or something along those lines. The public hearing in this matter is nothing more than a way to be able to say they gave all interested a chance to voice opinions/concerned. It's a waste of everyone's time&energy[[not to say the public shouldn't go&make their voices heard).At the end of the day those listening to public opininon at the hearing will be in attendance knowing full well&good the decision has been made&there's no turning back.
Imo it's another show of blatent disrespect for the citizens of Detroit!!