DDOT Sickout: No Bus Routes Today

**Scottathew** · November-04-11, 07:23 AM

http://www.freep.com/article/20111104/NEWS01/111104009/Riders-stranded-bus-driver-protest-halts-Detroit-service-DDOT-warns-extreme-delays-?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

A protest by at least 100 Detroit Department of Transportation bus drivers today has crippled service for bus riders across the city of Detroit.

DDOT passengers have been left stranded throughout the city as drivers say they are afraid to board the buses after one was attacked on a bus Thursday.

"The bus drivers have expressed concern about this incident," Mayor Dave Bing's spokesman, Stephen Serkaian, said this morning. "We are meeting with the bus drivers' union. We are trying to resolve their concern. At the same time we’re encouraging them to get back on the buses and get the buses back on the street."

**Scottathew** · November-04-11, 07:26 AM

One driver was attacked yesterday so they do a system-wide sickout with zero notice? It would be one thing to protest and bring attention to the incident, but to just do a knee-jerk system-wide sickout the next day is not acceptable.

People count on those buses. Some folks might lose their jobs or be docked pay because they can't get to work. I know folks that rely on those buses, and they've been let down.

Fire them all. Every last one of them. Replace them with people who are willing to work.

**MidTownMs** · November-04-11, 07:28 AM

People will do anything to get a long weekend.....

**DetroitPlanner** · November-04-11, 07:34 AM

48091, if the drivers are not safe, the passengers are not safe. If the passengers do not feel safe you can kiss any form of meaningful regional transit reform goodbye.

This is not the first incident where something like this has happened on a bus. This may have been the straw that broke the camel's back.

**Scottathew** · November-04-11, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

48091, if the drivers are not safe, the passengers are not safe. If the passengers do not feel safe you can kiss any form of meaningful regional transit reform goodbye.

This is not the first incident where something like this has happened on a bus. This may have been the straw that broke the camel's back.

Perhaps they should have brought light to it. Planned a sick-out and advertised it to the media. This would allow people to at least know ahead of time and make alternate arrangements.

Just doing it the next day while people too poor to drive wait at freezing cold bus stops for buses that aren't coming? Just sounds irresponsible, dangerous, and harmful to people that need to be employed and rely on DDOT buses to get there.

Fire. Them. All.

**j to the jeremy** · November-04-11, 07:39 AM

The ongoing DDOT clusterf*ck is the prime example of why Bing needs to go.

I can not believe he has let this go on for so long. And I bet that driver was attacked out of frustration because of the ongoing slowdown they were doing. The drivers are at fault too. And so are the mechanics. Our lack of real transit has been the number 1 problem with SE Michigan for decades. We are 50 years behind the times, and the world is not waiting for us.

**cman710** · November-04-11, 07:54 AM

While the lack of notice is not good, it is understandable for drivers to be concerned about their safety. To me, the embarassing [[but not surprising) part of the story is that it took the police 30 minutes to respond.

**Scottathew** · November-04-11, 08:11 AM

Originally Posted by cman710

While the lack of notice is not good, it is understandable for drivers to be concerned about their safety. To me, the embarassing [[but not surprising) part of the story is that it took the police 30 minutes to respond.

What about the safety of students, both college age and younger [[some kids use DDOT to get to school when school busing isn't available). What about the safety of people trying to get to work?

All these people and kids were waiting out at bus stops in the freezing cold before the sun came up because these yahoos wanted a three day weekend.

boneshaker · November-04-11, 08:12 AM

Does anyone else feel the City is nearing closer to something much bigger and more violent?

**Goose** · November-04-11, 08:15 AM

where is Bernie Goetz when you need him.....

**Johnnny5** · November-04-11, 08:50 AM

The City has cut DDOT and police finances to the bone. It's not fair to blame the drivers, officers and the mechanics for the end result.

Imagine being a DDOT driver and picking up dozens of angry passengers that have been waiting for hours. In a city where people are shot over a "look" it's not much of a stretch to think that the drivers could be in serious danger from irate passengers. I sure as hell wouldn't want to be in their position.

**EastsideAl** · November-04-11, 08:56 AM

I agree with 48091. I also agree with the bus drivers - they should be safer on their jobs. But there have to be much better ways to go about this and make their voices heard.

I can think of no quicker way to lose public support though than leaving innocent passengers, who count on the buses to get to where they need to be, stranded all over the city. Instead of gaining sympathy for their difficulties, this just makes them seem arrogant, insular, entitled, and uncaring for the very passengers they are employed to serve. A stupid and ultimately counter-productive move that only makes enemies out of their natural allies, the people who most need and support timely and safe transit.

**sirrealone** · November-04-11, 09:13 AM

Two wrongs don't make a right. It's wrong that the bus drivers were put in a position to have what happened yesterday take place, but their response to leave thousands of people stranded with no notice [[and potentially putting those people at risk in the process) is also wrong.

DDOT needs to hire Ty Pennington and his megaphone. "Bus driver! Move that bus!" Surely they'd listen to him, right?

boneshaker · November-04-11, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by Goose

where is Bernie Goetz when you need him.....

Bernie would be found guilty and locked up for 20 years here in Detroit...Protecting life and property is still criminally prosecuted in Detroit.....

**JBMcB** · November-04-11, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by Johnnny5

Imagine being a DDOT driver and picking up dozens of angry passengers that have been waiting for hours.

Imagine the same situation Monday, when the DDOT drivers are picking up passengers they totally abandoned today. Do you think those passengers are going to be happy?

Unless the drivers have a huge PR campaign lined up for the weekend detailing their problems with the department, with some *really* compelling argument for leaving their passengers high and dry, I don't see how this is helping their cause.

**jt1** · November-04-11, 09:34 AM

I agree with 48091, fire them all. This sick out isn't about safety, just like their work slow down isn't about ensuring the best work is done on the buses.

DDOT has shown that they care about one thing and one thing only, themselves. Hopefully when an EFM is brought in their union contracts will be voided and the drivers and maintenance workers will actually have to perform as expected and in a manner comparable to other cities.

DDOT and AFSCME are in for a rude awakening when an EFM is appointed.

**Zacha341** · November-04-11, 09:37 AM

Indeed it's off the chain crazy. I am so glad to have resumed driving. I spent 3 months out there on public transpo and while most of the drivers I met where cool to hold the uninvolved passengers hostage like this is just another reason to not be amongst them. Public transportation in this city is melting all the way down!!! Taxi cabs should do well today!

Originally Posted by 48091

One driver was attacked yesterday so they do a system-wide sickout with zero notice? It would be one thing to protest and bring attention to the incident, but to just do a knee-jerk system-wide sickout the next day is not acceptable.

People count on those buses. Some folks might lose their jobs or be docked pay because they can't get to work. I know folks that rely on those buses, and they've been let down.

Fire them all. Every last one of them. Replace them with people who are willing to work.

**Zacha341** · November-04-11, 09:39 AM

Hmm, they should have taken note on what has gone down with DPS teachers and AFL-CIO/ DFT....

Originally Posted by jt1

I agree with 48091, fire them all. This sick out isn't about safety, just like their work slow down isn't about ensuring the best work is done on the buses.

DDOT has shown that they care about one thing and one thing only, themselves. Hopefully when an EFM is brought in their union contracts will be voided and the drivers and maintenance workers will actually have to perform as expected and in a manner comparable to other cities.

DDOT and AFSCME are in for a rude awakening when an EFM is appointed.

**Zacha341** · November-04-11, 09:41 AM

Precisely. I was on the Woodward and the driver had to get out of his seat to check someone that was arguing over the fare amount they owed. The crazy man backed down fortunately. There are going to be alot of 'tude' from riders Monday for sure.

Originally Posted by JBMcB

Imagine the same situation Monday, when the DDOT drivers are picking up passengers they totally abandoned today. Do you think those passengers are going to be happy?

Unless the drivers have a huge PR campaign lined up for the weekend detailing their problems with the department, with some *really* compelling argument for leaving their passengers high and dry, I don't see how this is helping their cause.

**Islandman** · November-04-11, 09:41 AM

I concur with firing them all. This is simply unacceptable. I wonder how many people are at risk of losing their jobs because of this.

I remember one guy on my team getting fired when his car broke down and having to catch the bus from the west site to the old GM building back in '99. It's time for radical change.

**Zacha341** · November-04-11, 09:43 AM

Exactly!!! Well stated!

Originally Posted by sirrealone

Two wrongs don't make a right. It's wrong that the bus drivers were put in a position to have what happened yesterday take place, but their response to leave thousands of people stranded with no notice [[and potentially putting those people at risk in the process) is also wrong.

**Flintoid** · November-04-11, 09:45 AM

Fire every one of them. This is a disgrace.

**Johnnny5** · November-04-11, 09:52 AM

Originally Posted by jt1

I agree with 48091, fire them all. This sick out isn't about safety, just like their work slow down isn't about ensuring the best work is done on the buses.

DDOT has shown that they care about one thing and one thing only, themselves. Hopefully when an EFM is brought in their union contracts will be voided and the drivers and maintenance workers will actually have to perform as expected and in a manner comparable to other cities.

DDOT and AFSCME are in for a rude awakening when an EFM is appointed.

Somewhere a Mackinaw Center crony is saying "I told you it would work!". Cut funding until it's impossible to effectively operate and then you have the perfect excuse to privatize.

**jt1** · November-04-11, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by Johnnny5

Somewhere a Mackinaw Center crony is saying "I told you it would work!". Cut funding until it's impossible to effectively operate and then you have the perfect excuse to privatize.

I'm the last person to agree with the Mackinaw center and I do not believe core services should be privatized. That said, the actions of the drivers and the mechanics at DDOT show that they care about themselves and union negotiations and don't give two shits about the citizens.

Cutting funding is a sad reality, intentionally walking away from your job, stranding people and taking 2-3 times the time of your peers for repairs is not the fault of some conspiracy. It is the fault of the rank and file taking orders from the union to stick it to the city by negatively impacting the citizens.

**Zacha341** · November-04-11, 10:00 AM

Not taking sides, but per the article I guess the the driver was beaten as the other DOT staff [[including security staff) inside the building [[Rosa Parks Station) looked on....? What's was up with that?

"Gaffney said two officers inside the station did not help, and Detroit Police officers arrived 30 minutes after the beating started. The driver was taken to a local hospital, where he was treated and released..."

Vid of the fight and those who observed it:

http://www.clickondetroit.com/video/29678629/index.html