What would you do if you ran DDOT and/or SMART?

[mtburb]

If you were asked to run DDOT and/or SMART [[or AATA, Monroe LET or Port Huron BWAT if you choose), what would you do? Here's what I would do:

1. I would make sure that all SMART routes serving Detroit would become limited-stop between the city limits and when they enter an area bounded by Grand Boulevard, M-10 and I-75/I-375 [[even if they already have limited-stop service in the suburbs), except on roads with no overlapping DDOT service.
2. I would resurrect route #110, but instead have it continue straight down Jefferson [[except in Gibraltar, where it would use North and South Gibraltar Roads) and terminate at Lake Erie Metro Park.
3. I would resurrect route #120, which would be called "Fort Street Local" and would run to the proposed Flat Rock Meijer via Vreeland, Telegraph and Gibraltar Roads and Fort Street to downtown Detroit. I would also have several weekday peak-hour trips terminate in downtown Roockwod instead.
4. I would launch a new route that would provide fast, limited-stop service along Fort Street. It would be given route #125, named "Fort Street Limited" and link the proposed Flat Rock Meijer and downtown Detroit via Vreeland Road, Fort Street and I-75. On weekdays, it would provide two inbound trips in the morning and two outbound trips in the afternoon.
5. The existing route #125 would be renumbered #130 as a result. Also, it would stay on Fort Street instead of diverting through River Rouge and Ecorse.
6. I would resurrect route #135, but I would call it "Downriver Limited", renumber it #115 and extend it to follow the same path as #110, but having it stay on Jefferson through Gibraltar.
7. I would resurrect route #145, but instead of terminating in Melvindale, it would stay on Oakwood Boulevard and terminate at the Ford Rouge Plant via Raupp Street and Schaefer Highway.
8. I would resurrect route #150, but make it an all-day-on-weekday route instead of the weekday peak-hour-only route it was at discontinuation, but it would follow a different route on it's northern half. From Allen Road, it would use Southfield Road, Dix Highway and then at Oakwood Boulevard, follow the same route as my resurrected #145 and terminate at the Rouge. Weekday peak-hour service would extend from Beech Daly/Goddard to Southland Center, like what the real #150 did before 2007. I would also provide Saturday service, which would run from Dix/Oakwood to Beech Daly/Goddard.
9. I would extend routes #160 and #830 past Grange Road to the Ford Woodhaven Stamping Plant via West Road, then circling via Meijer, Woodhaven Village Square [[including Walmart and Home Depot) and Woodhaven Commons [[including Target and Homegoods) before returning to West Road. Route #160 continues past the plant, goes via Kohl's and Lowe's, back onto West Road, then terminates at Telegraph Road. #160 Saturday service will still start in Wyandotte, but is extended to the Woodhaven Meijer.
10. I would launch a new route that links Metro Airport and the Rouge via Merriman, Ecorse and Allen Roads before following the same route as my #150. It would be numbered #190 and named "Ecorse Road Local".
11. I would resurrect route #190, but it would be renumbered #195 [[for reason, see above) and renamed "Ecorse Road Limited".
12. I would launch a new route that would provide fast, limited-stop service along Michigan Avenue. It would be given route #205 and named "Michigan Avenue Limited". On weekdays, it would provide two inbound trips in the morning and two outbound trips in the afternoon.
13. I would resurrect resurrect routes #202, #245 and #265.
14. I would extend routes #250 and #255 to the Canton Meijer store via IKEA, Target and Lowe's. At the Canton Meijer, both routes would provide a transfer to AATA #711 [[Expressride Canton), thus making it possible to ride by bus from Detroit to Ann Arbor and vice-versa [[well, it's already possible to do so at Metro Airport, since both terminals are served by both SMART and AATA, but you would have to pay separate fares between both systems).
15. I would extend route #275 to the proposed Flat Rock Meijer. Also, I would discontinue the service via Goddard and Pardee Roads, since my #150 already serves those two roads and as a result, all #275 runs will once again stay on Telegraph south of Goddard.
16. I would discontinue route #280 and replace it with a resurrected #285, which would then be extended to downtown Pontiac [[unless #285 already went there in real life), therefore giving central Oakland County residents a one-seat ride to Metro Airport.
17. I would resurrect route #295, but extend it to downtown Plymouth, with select trips extending to Compuware Arena during weekday peak periods and Whalers games.
18. I would launch a new route that would link 7 Mile/Grand River to downtown Northville. It would be numbered #310 and named "7 Mile".
19. I would undo the #305/#330 merge. Then I would extend the new #305 to downtown Wixom via Twelve Oaks Mall and the Suburban Collection Showplace, renumber it #300 and rename it "Grand River Local". Saturday service on that route would run between Twelve Oaks and Middlebelt Road.
20. I would then launch a new route #305, named "Grand River Limited", that would provide fast, limited-stop service along Grand River Avenue as far out as Twelve Oaks Mall. On weekdays, it would provide two inbound trips in the morning and two outbound trips in the afternoon.
21. I would resurrect routes #410, #440, #470 and #499.
22. I would resurrect route #535, filling in a north-south transit gap that exists between Dequindre and Van Dyke.
23. I would resurrect route #540, but it would also serve The Mall at Partridge Creek in addition to allowing people to overcome their fears of going on Hall Road.
24. I would resurrect routes #810 and #820.
25. I would resurrect route #78.
26. I would undo the #19/#25 merge.
27. The best part: I would add hundreds of new hybrid buses to both DDOT's and SMART's fleets. Would this mean if you're on Woodward between the State Fairgrounds and Grand Boulevard during the weekday peak period, you would see transit buses every 90 seconds?

What do you think of this [[I think I may have put in a lot!)? And it's now your turn! Soon, I will try to work on a route map and schedules for these routes.

[MidTownMs]

Judging from the effort you put in this post, if I were running anything you would be the first person I would hire.

[mtburb]

Judging from the effort you put in this post, if I were running anything you would be the first person I would hire.

That, I can definitely agree with. And to continue on with my plans, including the launch of four new SMART-operated loop routes:

1. I would resurrect routes #2, #3, #28, #35, #52 and #99.
2. I would launch a new weekday peak hour route that would link Woodward/Manchester and the State Fairgrounds via John R. Street. It would be given #33 [[like the last DDOT route that used John R.).
3. I would launch a new weekday-only route that would circulate through Wyandotte and Riverview, a combination of old routes #112 and #130. It would be given #100 and named "Wyandotte/Riverview Loop".
4. I would launch a new weekday-only route that would circulate through Inkster, similar to old route #196. It would be given #210 and named "Inkster Loop".
5. I would launch a new weekday-only route that would start at Fairlane Town Center and circulate through west Dearborn, similar to old route #203. It would be given #215 and named "Dearborn Loop".
6. I would launch a new weekday-only route that would circulate through the Grosse Pointes, similar to old route #655. It would also be given #655 and named "Grosse Pointe Loop".
7. I would resurrect route #559.

[professorscott]

I would first try to find some money with which to do anything nice. DDOT is flat [very bad word] broke and SMART isn't exactly swimming in cash. Then I would look at where the regional activity centers are and where the transit users are and would work with a completely blank slate to try to link the two. My transit map when finished would look nothing at all like what nonsense we all put up with today.

[DetroitPlanner]

1. Combine the major routes where both have buses running.

2. Rework secondary routes to feed main routes to reduce lengths.

3. Close some of the garages to reduce costs. Transfer mechanics and other garage personnel to other facilities.

4. Set up metrics and employ people to ensure that those metrics are being met or exceeded.

[Honky Tonk]

Judging from the effort you put in this post, if I were running anything you would be the first person I would hire.

I agree. All those in favor........

[DetroitPlanner]

Put your name in for CEO of the new RTA.

[michimoby]

Put your name in for CEO of the new RTA.

COO? Absolutely.

CEO? If he/she's worked for the CTA, MTA, DARTA, BVG, London Transit, or someone else, sure.

[Eber Brock Ward]

OP, how do you plan on funding that plan, given the recovery ratio issues in the Metro region?

I would hire professorscott and DPlanner as a two-headed CEO monster.

[nain rouge]

We can't make this guy COO, yet. Unless you live in the western half of Wayne County , or near the western border of Wayne County, you're barely on his radar!

[Honky Tonk]

We can't make this guy COO, yet. Unless you live in the western half of Wayne County , or near the western border of Wayne County, you're barely on his radar!

Just have him buy a house in Palmer Woods.....

[stasu1213]

First thing that I would do is to have a bus that is for commuters who want to go from downtown to Metro Airport non stop. Next I would have express busses that are for workers that commute from downtown to the suburbs. I would have smaller shuttle like busses for those routes that have low commuter ridership and to run all night on all routes when ridership is low. That way the busses could run 24 hrs a day. I would have a crosstown express bus for Warren Avenue, 6, 7 and 8 mile roads. I would have the SMART/DDOT to combine so the busses would go beyond the city limits into and out of Detroit so those who go to work get off work late nights or early in the morning would have transportation to and from the jobs. I would have as my board members people who commute on busses and not those who rarely catch the bus but drives all or the time. I would install the routes that was dis continued search as Vernor, Hayes, and the Rusell. I would have an express bus that would take shoppers from Downtown to the Gateway Shopping center