Oh no! More proposed D-DOT bus cuts!

**Danny** · February-07-12, 04:14 PM

The Detroit City Council is thinking about laying off up to 163 bus drivers and 60 mechanics. This is due to financial crunch from the city treasury if Bing's 3 year deal does not go through its unions before April 1st.

The proposed D-DOT bus cuts includes:

1. Eilminate weekend bus services.

2. Increase wait times for all D-DOT bus routes.

More doom and gloom in Detroit. We're a laughing stock to entire Untied States of America.

**Detroitnerd** · February-07-12, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

The Detroit City Council is thinking about laying off up to 163 bus drivers and 60 mechanics. This is due to financial crunch from the city treasury if Bing's 3 year deal does not go through its unions before April 1st.

The proposed D-DOT bus cuts includes:

1. Eilminate weekend bus services.

2. Increase wait times for all D-DOT bus routes.

More doom and gloom in Detroit. We're a laughing stock to entire Untied States of America.

SMART ain't much better. And meanwhile, we're going to add a THIRD bus system on top of this. OK, whatever.

**Jason** · February-07-12, 05:18 PM

The third system is what should have been in place all along. And they'll tell you that the third system isn't meant to replace the others, but even if it doesn't right away, in the longterm the new system will take over the responsibilities of the other two, and for the better.

The buses should be one of the last things cut in Detroit. And even if you cut the buses you need to keep weekend service. The people who ride the buses mostly work retail and weird hours, so if there's no weekend buses you can expect Detroit's unemployment rate to shoot up.

The money saved by cutting the buses is probably less than the money lost through income taxes and other costs associated with unemployment.

**Detroitnerd** · February-07-12, 05:23 PM

Actually, the third system isn't what should have been in place all along. It's conceived poorly as a transit system, but plays well politically because every county gets something, even though the system will not take one car off Hall Road.

I wish I could really, honestly root for a regional transit authority, except that the people who would run such an authority have very little understanding of transit. Count me ambivalent.

But I agree, buses should not be cut. In fact, we should be moving ahead with a light rail system on Woodward. We should be INVESTING in transit, not cutting it.

**antongast** · February-07-12, 05:46 PM

How do they expect this to go over? They just tried the same damn thing like 7 or 8 months ago. I went to one of the public hearings at Northwest Activities Center, and that huge auditorium was jammed full of people with a long line of angry speakers. There is absolutely no fat left in DDOT service anymore, what's already out there is completely inadequate for the ridership it gets, and any further talk of drastic cuts is straight-up freaking insane. Every time they propose this, half the city comes out and tells them what a terrible idea it is, they back off, and then they come back a little while later with basically the same list of cuts. Apparently they don't have very long memories.

**401don** · February-07-12, 06:27 PM

In the meantime here's 2 million more to argue some more about all the things that won't be done.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...ons-for-all-of

**brizee** · February-07-12, 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

In the meantime here's 2 million more to argue some more about all the things that won't be done.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...ons-for-all-of

,,,

This situation goes from backwards to batshit.

If light rail has already been sabotaged [[including Ray Lahood) why is money still being spent?

Oh yeah it seems DDOT is threatened at least 3 times a year. The populace keeps telling you they aren't quite as stupid as you make them out to be, when will the message stick?

**trotwood** · February-07-12, 07:21 PM

More D-DOT cuts??I......I just don't know what to say.

If DDOT's cut anymore it may as welll cease to exist! It's bad enough SMART's all but eliminated serivce in&out of the city of Detroit[[which in my opinion further adds to DDOT's overload)now more proposed cuts are being discussed????WTH's wrong with the picture here???
I took a bus into Detroit today. An empty DDOT Woodward pulled up&was full house capacity within less than a minute.We left the fairgrounds at standing room only capacity!!By the time the coach reached Woodward&Manchester the driver had to pass up lines&lines of potential passangers at various stops along Woodward. He wasn't able to squeeze anymore passengers on until we neared Woodward&Clairmont[[sp?). The ride back to the fairgrounds was no better. I arrived at Warren&Woodward at 1:35pm.While sitting in the bus shelter,along with almost 10 other people,FOUR Southbound Woodward coaches passed by. North bound #53 pulls approaches&passes us by!!While I understand why the coach had to pass us,it was filled to CAPACITY,I couldn't help be p&ssed!
I thank heaven I'm not on council nor in a position of authority in the city as I'm not sure what the answer is to this situation. I do however know more cuts to DDOT service isn't the answer. Cutting service more is,in my opinion,is as a@# backwards as it gets. If council wants to save more money&cut more they perhaps should start with their own darn salaries!! Maybe they should do severe cuts to their,and their aides,salaries/budgets. Cutting DDOT any further is adding extreme insult to the already extremely injured!
This makes no damn sense!

**professorscott** · February-07-12, 10:41 PM

Wait a minute... where did the original information on this thread come from? Danny did not quote any article or source, and the State Treasurer's committee has not released its findings [[although, henceforth, they must meet in the open).

I am not aware that any decision has been made by anyone in authority as to DDOT operations. If anyone can provide such information, please do. Otherwise we are arguing about what-ifs. Fun but not useful.

**Zacha341** · February-07-12, 11:34 PM

Goodness! Hold on to your car - even a piece of a car! Mechanic shops have got to be doing well as people try to retain some form of transpo!

**mtburb** · February-08-12, 07:12 AM

If this were to pass, then there would be no more city buses within Detroit city limits on weekends! That's because SMART discontinued all service within Detroit outside peak times!

**trotwood** · February-08-12, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by professorscott

Wait a minute... where did the original information on this thread come from? ......did not quote any article or source, .......

Good point. I overlooked that fact. I guess my anger over my experience with DDOT yesterday prevented me from noticing a source had not been listed.

**Zacha341** · February-08-12, 11:42 AM

Yeah, I came off the spool too a bit.

Originally Posted by trotwood

Good point. I overlooked that fact. I guess my anger over my experience with DDOT yesterday prevented me from noticing a source had not been listed.

**Danny** · February-08-12, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by professorscott

Wait a minute... where did the original information on this thread come from? Danny did not quote any article or source, and the State Treasurer's committee has not released its findings [[although, henceforth, they must meet in the open).

I am not aware that any decision has been made by anyone in authority as to DDOT operations. If anyone can provide such information, please do. Otherwise we are arguing about what-ifs. Fun but not useful.

Go on any D-DOT bus. Look the ghetto flyer from the side ceiling and you see the info. If you don't go into the ghettoes of Detroit, you will miss something wild and exciting.

**Danny** · February-08-12, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

Yeah, I came off the spool too a bit.

It's not the D-DOT's main site yet. I have got my source by reading the ghetto flyer while I was on the D-DOT bus. I just talk with the D-DOT bus driver just last week to prove its true. The D-DOT driver said "Yes" However D-DOT is proposing to the Detroit City Council to only cut 53 bus drivers and lay-off fewer mechanics. Stay Tuned! Sometimes the A.T.U. can make their own news about D-DOT and SMART bus service anytime they want before it goes to the Board of Directors.

Remember the D-DOT Green Flu Sick out! It could happen again. So please respect your bus drivers and the information.

**313hero** · February-08-12, 02:54 PM

at least we dont have to worry about text messages anymore ROTFLMAO

**DetroitPlanner** · February-08-12, 03:18 PM

Please contact your reps in Lansing. There are many transportation bills going through right now. Give them your support.

**Detroitnerd** · February-08-12, 03:34 PM

Any transportation bill from Lansing is going to be a road and rubber bill. Tell your representatives to get serious about transit and rethink their "let them ride buses" campaign. Demand light rail for Detroit.

**trotwood** · February-14-12, 05:50 PM

On the subject of DDOT&cuts,can someone tell if what I just heard is true or not.
While watching the local evening news I see a rep from Rider's United[[I believe that was organization reporter called)who says DDOT will eliminate night&weekend service starting in early March.
Is this true ???

**professorscott** · February-14-12, 08:01 PM

I have seen a draft of the March 3 service changes. [[Note: it is a DRAFT.)

It is not nearly as disastrous as what is predicted here. It does include the usual crappy reductions in already thin service and, without any fanfare, the elimination of overnight [[but not nighttime) service. Basically no service between about 12:30 a.m. and 5 a.m.

The only route elimination on the DRAFT I saw was the Imperial. The east-side portion of the Vernor route is being eliminated.

So it is another bummer of a document, one of the cuts in DDOT's death by a thousand cuts. But it is not per se a catastrophe. Under the circumstances, frankly, I was expecting worse.

**trotwood** · February-14-12, 08:56 PM

Professor,I appreciate the information. No service from 12:30-5:00am isn't ideal but given economic times being as they are I understand.I don't like but certainly understand. Now what have you heard[[what do you know)regarding the elimination of weekend service?
I thank you again for the information&your time

**professorscott** · February-15-12, 01:05 AM

The draft I saw had nothing about eliminating weekend service. I don't believe that is happening at the moment.

**antongast** · February-15-12, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by professorscott

I have seen a draft of the March 3 service changes. [[Note: it is a DRAFT.)

It is not nearly as disastrous as what is predicted here. It does include the usual crappy reductions in already thin service and, without any fanfare, the elimination of overnight [[but not nighttime) service. Basically no service between about 12:30 a.m. and 5 a.m.

The only route elimination on the DRAFT I saw was the Imperial. The east-side portion of the Vernor route is being eliminated.

So it is another bummer of a document, one of the cuts in DDOT's death by a thousand cuts. But it is not per se a catastrophe. Under the circumstances, frankly, I was expecting worse.

My previous comment stands. Overnight service is not dispensable, and I don't know how many times they expect us to tell them this.

**Danny** · February-15-12, 09:35 AM

Funny thing is a recent source for Fox 2 News investigation group said that there are some new D-DOT busses in the Coolidge Terminal but haven't been used yet.

**lukabottle** · February-15-12, 11:14 AM

http://www.michiganradio.org/post/mo...led-bus-system

"1000 city workers will be laid off next week—including 78 bus drivers and 25 mechanics, according to Naomi Patton, a spokeswoman for Detroit Mayor Dave Bing."

"Patton says Bing will reveal more details about changes to the system later this week. In the meantime, a public hearing is scheduled for February 24th—as the layoffs are going into effect."