Bing to cut bus services

[Rocko]

Well the official changes have been announced. From the Detroit Free Press:

New Detroit bus plan cuts routes, increases waits

By SUZETTE HACKNEY
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

Detroiters this morning learned the fate of some city bus routes, including the elimination of several lines and wait-time increases.

Charles Beckham, Detroit Mayor Dave Bing’s chief executive officer, reiterated to the 30 or so riders who attended the meeting at the Considine Center on Woodward, that weekend bus service would not be canceled.


“There was no intent to inconvenience you, the citizens of Detroit, who rely on this service,” Beckham said. “We’re just trying to make it as efficient as it can be.”

The route changes — which will cause 113 drivers to lose their jobs — will go into effect Sept. 26.

Lovevette Williams, interim director of the Detroit Department of Transportation, said the changes were based on ridership and fare data. She said new fare boxes were purchased in 2006 that allows the city to monitor data by the hour.

The city averages 37 passengers per hour. If data showed that routes functioned at 40% or less than that average, those routes were eliminated.

Henry Gaffney, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 26, which represents city bus drivers, said the cuts will affect schoolchildren and seniors the most. One discontinued line, the No. 40 Russell Street, traveled into Eastern Market.

“They’re really not looking at how this is going to hurt the citizens of Detroit,” Gaffney said, referring to the Bing administration. “They’ve cut off all service for the senior citizens who use the bus to go to Eastern Market on Saturdays.”

Gaffney said 381 additional DDOT workers, including mechanics and those who answer residents’ questions in a call center, could be laid off by Oct. 2.

The Bing administration is facing a $300-million accumulated budget deficit and up to an $80 million cash shortfall. Bing has said the city needs to make cuts in most city departments.

‘I know so many folks who ride the bus and this is going to put a major hardship on them,” Detroiter Lance Hamilton, 58, said of the bus service changes.

I can't believe this part: "The city averages 37 passengers per hour." That's one full DDOT New Flyer D40LF coach per hour. C'mon Free Press, what about accurate reporting?

Here's a link to the changes. http://www.detroitmi.gov/Portals/0/d...ce_Changes.pdf I'm surprised there are service improvements on some routes.... since cuts were all I had heard about previously. While the improvements don't necessarily make up for the cuts, some of them are good to see, such as the reduced wait time on the Crosstown Route, one of the busiest in the city.

[Bearinabox]

Well the official changes have been announced. From the Detroit Free Press:

I can't believe this part: "The city averages 37 passengers per hour." That's one full DDOT New Flyer D40LF coach per hour. C'mon Free Press, what about accurate reporting?

Here's a link to the changes. http://www.detroitmi.gov/Portals/0/d...ce_Changes.pdf I'm surprised there are service improvements on some routes.... since cuts were all I had heard about previously. While the improvements don't necessarily make up for the cuts, some of them are good to see, such as the reduced wait time on the Crosstown Route, one of the busiest in the city.

Some of the peak-hour service improvements are probably because they're moving from a summer to a school-open schedule, and the Caniff peak-hour route extension is probably to help offset the reduced service on the Hayes route. It's good to see the Jefferson route go 24-hour, though, and the eight existing 24-hour routes left alone. As someone who often uses the late-night service, I'd have been upset to see that go.

[professorscott]

Neat trick for the Vernor bus on Sundays. The service has been eliminated, and frequency has also been reduced from every 35 minutes to every 45 minutes.

This is very bad for the few users of the Grand Belt and Holbrook routes, but on the whole this is much less bad than what I anticipated.

[casscorridor]

Althought two routes have been eliminated completely-- #20 Grand Belt and #24 Hollbrook-- and more routs eliminated on the weekends, it is still good to see that none of the 24 hr service has been cut. I really think ending overnight service on those routes would spell the end of transit for Detroit. These cuts are bad, really bad, but not as bad as they could have been without strong public opposition. But the times are tough, and apparently the busses are not important enough to leave untouched. The no service on saturday for #40 Russell is a big blow for seniors getting to eastern market, as already pointed out. You'd think they'd leave saturday service for this reason alone. Hopefully the cuts made can be restored after transit is once again prioritized over highways, and fully funded to meet the needs. These changes mean peoples needs will go unmet... harder for folks to get to jobs and back... to church, to school, etc. Transit advocates shouldn't see these cuts as permenant, for as we see even with the changes that some routes have been improved and #25 Jefferson is now 24 Hrs... eventually more routes could be made 24hr, headways decreased [[such as 45 reducing to 15min, instead of from 30 to 45). We have to show the federal government that we are serious in improving our transit system, including increasing ridership. These cuts decrease ridership.

[Bobl]

Bing doesn't have much choice. The City is more broke than I am!

Best solution is a metropolitan, and even nationwide approach to mass transit.
Few cities can go it alone.

[Danny]

That's quite better, Bing had to do this D-DOT bus cuts. He has on other option. At least we keep most of the weekend bus routes.

[sumas]

Many people have great suggestions. I agree that a city of any size needs to subsidize transportation. I agree that smart and mdot need to merge. I agree that it is foolish to limit services further since they already stink. I agree that a cut in staffing only compounds the economic crisis we are in.

One simple solution would be to simply downsize buses on lesser used routes to a large econo van size. Saves money, saves jobs, cheaper maintainance and a bonus would be less carbon imprint on the environment. Don't forget to add bike racks.

[Russix]

...
One simple solution would be to simply downsize buses on lesser used routes to a large econo van size. Saves money, saves jobs, cheaper maintainance and a bonus would be less carbon imprint on the environment. Don't forget to add bike racks.

That was the devised solution during the Kilpatrick-era bus cutting crisis. I guess it was determined that the largest operating expense was the driver, making the savings in maintenance and fuel for using a smaller vehicle negligible.

[sumas]

Let us not forget that Bing was quite surprised at the public outrage over bus cuts and chided residents for not showing a similar rage over crime. Of course we are outraged over crime [[petty and serious) but the police department is currently beyond hope. Response time to home invasion in progress is about 5 hours. The only reason people call is that a police report is required to collect on their insurance policies for their loss. That is one department that should seriously be outsourced.

Why not help displaced drivers start legal regulated jitney services or make an outreach to cab services to run a regular route stopping for multiple passengers?

[Russix]

"This project doesn't concern cops, it's classified, it's OCP... got it? "

[stormin' norman]

DDOT will cease to function after the 1st of October. the city is in the process of laying off 95% of ALL ddot supervisors, ALL store keepers and over half of their mechanics. The service cuts are a sham as there will be no or little service after the above cuts take effect. Bing has made a big mistake putting Norman White and Charles Beckham in his administration, contrary to the beliefs of some forum members they are more responsible for Detroit's financial woes than any labor union.

[Tig3rzhark]

DDOT will cease to function after the 1st of October. the city is in the process of laying off 95% of ALL ddot supervisors, ALL store keepers and over half of their mechanics. The service cuts are a sham as there will be no or little service after the above cuts take effect. Bing has made a big mistake putting Norman White and Charles Beckham in his administration, contrary to the beliefs of some forum members they are more responsible for Detroit's financial woes than any labor union.

I guess that it will take an assassination team in order to get rid of those assholes. [[Charles Becham and Norman White)

However, let's be serious. The city can't run it's own transportation department, so they should just let SMART handle it.

MERGE DDOT AND SMART NOW!!

[Russix]

...
However, let's be serious. The city can't run it's own transportation department, so they should just let SMART handle it.
...

The bus system use to be poorly operated. Then Mr. Kilpatrick threatened to cut DDOT[[stop running at midnight). http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/jan2005/detr-j14.shtml The Unions and riders like me showed up to make a big hurrah. Simultaneously a big story broke in the news about how Mrs. Kilpatrick was driving a Lincoln Navigator that was apparently paid for by the taxpayers. Then god must have enlighten him on the importance of mass transit as a month later he announced that the city was hiring 100+ new drivers and had bought 60 new buses. http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=106&subid=122&contentid=253191
Then they redesigned the schedules, redid their website and got tough on driver absenteeism. The service improved noticeably and was actually reliable. I guess the point I’m trying to make is that the city can run its own bus service well if it wants too. I’m little concern now that the much needed improvements that DDOT received are now ending up on the long list of items from the previous administration’s overspending.

...
MERGE DDOT AND SMART NOW!!
...

You do know that Wayne and Oakland counties are Opt-In individually per community? Most people in these communities have no idea that the buses they pay for are even servicing or going to Detroit, think about what would happen when some fanatical Politian starts telling them that “they� are “paying� for Detroit’s bus service. Not a pretty picture. Plus, a lot of Detroiter’s are resentful of suburban “control�. Focus on creating some new, with the authority to coordinate both, and capable of providing something neither can do.

[stasu1213]

When Bing had talked privately with GM to get them to stay downtown I wonder what was in the deal; cut the bus service for people to buy more cars. "CASH FOR CLUNKERS"

[Russix]

When Bing had talked privately with GM to get them to stay downtown I wonder what was in the deal; cut the bus service for people to buy more cars. "CASH FOR CLUNKERS"

GM makes buses too you know.

[Bearinabox]

GM makes buses too you know.

Not anymore. The RTS buses in DDOT's current fleet were built by NovaBus in Roswell, NM after GM stopped building them in Pontiac and sold the rights to the design. I believe the oldest DDOT RTS buses [[32xx coach numbers) were built in 1994-95, so GM was out of the transit business by then.

[Russix]

Not anymore. The RTS buses in DDOT's current fleet were built by NovaBus in Roswell, NM after GM stopped building them in Pontiac and sold the rights to the design. I believe the oldest DDOT RTS buses [[32xx coach numbers) were built in 1994-95, so GM was out of the transit business by then.

http://www.hybrid-vehicles.net/gm-al...hybrid-bus.htm
Maybe not whole buses anymore, but buses don't go very far without transmissions.

[Danny]

DDOT will cease to function after the 1st of October. the city is in the process of laying off 95% of ALL ddot supervisors, ALL store keepers and over half of their mechanics. The service cuts are a sham as there will be no or little service after the above cuts take effect. Bing has made a big mistake putting Norman White and Charles Beckham in his administration, contrary to the beliefs of some forum members they are more responsible for Detroit's financial woes than any labor union.

Your comments that you have quoted " DDOT will cease to function after the 1st of October." is non-sequitur. D-DOT WILL NOT cease to function after October 1st. Just cutting the fewer bus routes like the Holbrook, Russell and Grand Belt due to low riderships and cutting after midnight services. Bing is cutting fewer mechanics and up over 100 bus drivers after September 26th and wait times for city busses will increase by 5.2% and other busses that reciever more ridership will reduce its wait time by 4%.

[stormin' norman]

Your comments that you have quoted " DDOT will cease to function after the 1st of October." is non-sequitur. D-DOT WILL NOT cease to function after October 1st. Just cutting the fewer bus routes like the Holbrook, Russell and Grand Belt due to low riderships and cutting after midnight services. Bing is cutting fewer mechanics and up over 100 bus drivers after September 26th and wait times for city busses will increase by 5.2% and other busses that reciever more ridership will reduce its wait time by 4%.

Danny my boy, I have no idea where you get you information from but you have no clue what you are talking about. 111 mechanics are getting laid off, 95% of the floor supervisors and all of the storekeepers. Not to mention 80% of the transportation supervisors.
Mr Bing is either pulling a big bluff, totally stupid or has a company standing ready to step in to provide service for the city.
No supervisors, 40% of the present active mechanics {all of the remaining ones are 50-60 years old}, no fueling and cleaning, no parts, no dispatchers and transit supervisors cut to an unheard of level equals NO SERVICE after ddot collapses.
After October layoffs I give it a week, then we will see how "non-sequitur" my comments where.

P.S. The lay off started today, their last day will be the 2nd of October. Seniority went back to 1983.

[stormin' norman]

Stormin' Norman is correct! The administration, led by Charlie Beckham and crew, plans to eliminate some key mid-management positions in DDOT's operations division without taking into consideration the added impact these cuts will have on service. It's bad enough he plans on laying off 212 coach operators [[113 by this Friday and 99 more next month) but Beckham now wants to eliminate almost the entire support staff responsible for placing and maintaining the service on the road.

Take for example the Transportation Emergency Dispatcher position. There are currently 15 employees budgeted for this position. The administration wants to layoff twelve. Sure one can holler that city government is too top-heavy in employees, but these are the employees who handle "all" radio communication calls within the department, from break-downs, service calls, coach accidents, unexpected detours, and coach disturbance calls. All DDOT emergency communications from coach operators, mechanics, road supervisors, yard, office and top level administrative staff are channeled through these employees. Yet, Beckham and crew expects three employees working 8-hour shifts to cover a 21-hour day, six-day a week operation. IMPOSSIBLE!!!

This move also places the safety of all DDOT on-street personnel and passengers in jeopardy as incoming emergency calls will back-up because of inadequate personnel staffing. Imagine a serious incident such as a passenger having a seizure or a fight on the coach and the operator is placed on hold trying to contact the emergency dispatcher because only one employee is on duty. This should be unacceptable!

And not to mention a few other positions be plans to render ineffective or almost eliminate, such as Sr. Transportation Service Inspectors [[road supervisors) who are responsible for monitoring service and adjusting service in the event of a breakdown, accident, missing runs, bus bunching and the like. Their ranks will shrink from 31 to 10. And lastly, the Transportation Terminal Supervisor [[a.k.a. Station Master), the "only" position at DDOT which is responsible for monitoring and maintaining manpower requirements, such as filling open runs in the event of an operator's absence, assigning the work assignments for all extra board operators, adjusting the manpower in the event of excessive absences, etc. Aside from administering disciplinary action, the TTS basically handles all office related activities at the satellite terminal level. Yet the administration wants to eliminate 15 of these employees, leaving only two to handle a 21-hour, six-day a week, two terminal operation. Another impossibility!

Truly this decision is the action of someone ignorant to the responsibilities of the positions he plans to eliminate, or just doesn't care what impact it will have on DDOT service.

Read Danny Boy

[kraig]

Penske. Just wait for it. Detroit is going into rape, pillage and plunder mode.

[stasu1213]

seems like it getting set for regional to me

[Trainman]

Since the city of Detroit can not adequately pay for public bus service without continued revenue sharing from federal and state fuel taxes or other methods at this time, I’m interested in what the public and DY’ers think should be done to improve bus service in order to stop the possible bus service cuts in Detroit

Without improving or replacing DDOT, any effort to get or improve bus service in Livonia or anywhere else in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb County will not work to improve our region. This is not my opinion but is a fact. Please challenge, if you disagree with this statement.

What thoughts do you posters have on the following to help prevent the possible bus service cuts that Mr. Bing or others might have to impose in the future? I think we should help the city of Detroit and their leaders.

Extract to change the state constitution

Therefore, it is recommended that we ask our State Legislative delegation to introduce a joint resolution asking the Legislature to place a question on the fall 2006 State-wide ballot, to allow voters to consider a constitutional amendment which would allow metro regions located within the State, no less than one county in size, to authorize a one-half cent sales tax to fund and operate regional rapid transit systems.
While no viable option is in place to fund transit, road funding is also inadequate in our State which features severe winters and heavy truck activity. Therefore, a one-half cent transit sales tax needs to be combined and tie-barred with a one-half cent sales road tax to begin to repair and modernize our infrastructure in a comprehensive fashion.

End of extract

Learn the facts about mass transit funding in Trainman’s save.. under DETROIT LINKS

[bc_n_dtown]

Danny my boy, I have no idea where you get you information from but you have no clue what you are talking about. 111 mechanics are getting laid off, 95% of the floor supervisors and all of the storekeepers. Not to mention 80% of the transportation supervisors.
Mr Bing is either pulling a big bluff, totally stupid or has a company standing ready to step in to provide service for the city.
No supervisors, 40% of the present active mechanics {all of the remaining ones are 50-60 years old}, no fueling and cleaning, no parts, no dispatchers and transit supervisors cut to an unheard of level equals NO SERVICE after ddot collapses.

Again, Stormin' Norman is 100% correct! There's no exaggeration here. If those so-called "phase 3" proposed layoffs of 381 DDOT employees go into effect on October 3rd, DDOT operations will be severely crippled shortly afterward.

Sure Mayor Bing promised to implement a schedule on September 26th which many have labeled "not as severe" as the one he and his staff had first proposed. But it takes more to operate a bus system than buses and bus drivers. The support staff needed to place that bus and its driver on the road, keep them both operating in service and the staff needed to prepare them for service the following day are basically being eliminated by Bing and his samurai warriors Beckham and White.

Promising to increase bus service on seven lines is a fallacy if there's no support staff to maintain and monitor that service. And if the mayor goes ahead and also lays off the additional 99 bus drivers that he's threaten to do those "not as severe" schedules will collapse.

Layoff notices were issued to DDOT operational staff employees on Wednesday and Thursday, some with 29 years of service. Sure the mayor claims that he will maintain 24-hour, Saturday night and all-day Sunday service, but many vital support staff positions are being left with 2 or 3 employees to staff a 24/7 two-terminal operation. That's an impossibility!!!!

There have been two major strikes by city AFSCME employees over the past 30 years that have literally shut the city down. I believe one was an 11-day strike in 1980, while a 10-day strike occured in 1986. During both strikes city buses didn't run, but it wasn't because the bus drivers were on strike, since they were not! DDOT bus drivers aren't AFSCME workers, they were instead all laid off during those two strikes. Why? Because the department realized at the time that the bus system couldn't operate without its support staff, all of which were on strike. It is this same support staff that the team of Bing, Beckham and White plans to layoff over 65% of the employees on October 3rd.

[stasu1213]

Since the city of Detroit can not adequately pay for public bus service without continued revenue sharing from federal and state fuel taxes or other methods at this time, I’m interested in what the public and DY’ers think should be done to improve bus service in order to stop the possible bus service cuts in Detroit

Without improving or replacing DDOT, any effort to get or improve bus service in Livonia or anywhere else in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb County will not work to improve our region. This is not my opinion but is a fact. Please challenge, if you disagree with this statement.

What thoughts do you posters have on the following to help prevent the possible bus service cuts that Mr. Bing or others might have to impose in the future? I think we should help the city of Detroit and their leaders.

Extract to change the state constitution

Therefore, it is recommended that we ask our State Legislative delegation to introduce a joint resolution asking the Legislature to place a question on the fall 2006 State-wide ballot, to allow voters to consider a constitutional amendment which would allow metro regions located within the State, no less than one county in size, to authorize a one-half cent sales tax to fund and operate regional rapid transit systems.
While no viable option is in place to fund transit, road funding is also inadequate in our State which features severe winters and heavy truck activity. Therefore, a one-half cent transit sales tax needs to be combined and tie-barred with a one-half cent sales road tax to begin to repair and modernize our infrastructure in a comprehensive fashion.

End of extract

Learn the facts about mass transit funding in Trainman’s save.. under DETROIT LINKS

I think the some of the tax taken from liquor, tobacco, sales, and highway should go into the local and suburban transportation system. That way we would not feel the crunch of higher taxes in Michigan. Look at the roads in the past 20yrs. Taxes had been used for cheap asphalt to cover old cheap asphalt. What a waste of money. The tax should had been used for the transit and would had saved the State and tax payers millions of dollars