Bus Service Slowdown

[NewportNic]

If Detroit goes to a Emergency Financial Manager, does the bus contract get voided too?

Since the bus service is operated using tax payer money, how is a fair wage determined? City and State have no money. Public School bus drivers in the rest of the state have taken huge cuts, why shouldn't municipal drivers sacrifice some more.

PS Just did my taxes, made 10% less again this year, a 4 year trend.

[Rocko]

April 13. 2011 10:57AM
Dozens of DDOT bus drivers call in sick, cause route delays

Santiago Esparza / The Detroit News

Detroit— Dozens of Detroit Department of Transportation bus drivers called in sick today, causing roughly 30-minute delays for riders, city officials said this morning.

The 82 drivers, as of 9:30 a.m., were expected to participate in a rally being held in Lansing today to protest Gov. Rick Snyder's proposed budget cuts. The event is expected to attract thousands of people from across the state.

There are typically 187 drivers scheduled for a normal day shift, mayoral spokeswoman Karen Dumas said this morning. Officials are monitoring how many people are calling in sick every hour.

"While we certainly respect their right to protest, it is unfortunate it is at the expense of citizens," Dumas said.

DDOT Director Lovevett Williams said the contract with drivers gives them the right to take sick days and that they wouldn't face sanctions from calling in sick today.
"They have nothing to lose," she said. "They have nothing to fear. The citizens are the ones being harmed."

Department officials had caught wind of the planned sickout and even saw a flyer announcing it, Williams said. So managers were called in to be available to drive routes, and off-duty drivers were contacted about working, she said.

Another flyer was circulating at the Rosa Parks Transit Center downtown today stating route cuts were coming. Williams admitted the department is going to make an announcement about cuts by the end of the week but wouldn't confirm them today.

She said seven or eight routes would be affected and that the changes would go into effect April 23.

"We try to move resources where most of the demand is at," Williams said. "We are working with limited resources."

Nicole Pillow of Detroit waited for more than 35 minutes for a bus to come to the transit center this morning to take her to a doctor's appointment on Chene.

She said any driver who took the day off to go to the rally was doing so for a good reason. But she admitted the situation made getting around town inconvenient.

"I can't deal with it but I have to," Pillow said. "I have to go to the doctor's [[office)."

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 26 officials weren't available for comment this morning.

sesparza@detnews.com
[[313) 222-2320

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110413/...#ixzz1JQGbYDRX

[Danny]

Here's my prejection for proposed D-DOT bus cuts:

When the EFM [[ dictator) takes over all Detroit city government this will happen to D-DOT bus services:

1. Eliminate certian bus routes that has lower ridership.

2. Raise bus fares from $1.50 to $2.00, transfers from $0.25 to $0.50. student fares from $1.00 to $1.25. Students will have to pay for transfers shown. D-DOT bus passes will be raised. Bi-weekly to $16.00, Weekly to $20.00 and Monthly to $70.00.
Senior and disable fares will be raised from $0.50 to $0.60. Child fare will be raised from $0.50 to $0.60. Any child is under 44ft in height [[ with accompany by adult will have to pay) $0.10.

3. Lay-off up from 20 to 40 bus drivers.

4. Eliminate ALL SUNDAY BUS SERVICES COMPLETELY!

5. Reduce all weeknight bus services from Monday to Saturday starting at 10.00pm. Busses will resume services at 6.00am.

5. Reduce bus scheldules to 45 minutes to 1 hour.

6. Propose to privatize D-DOT. Have the EFM, Mayor and City Council oversee bus services and have a representative voice to build political and social relationship between Detroiters, city government and private companies to improve better and safer transit rides.

[Rocko]

Here's the link to the summary of service changes made by DDOT in September 2009, the last time major route, service, and headway changes were made:

http://www.clickondetroit.com/downlo...0/20833641.pdf

We'll see what this round brings.....

[Rocko]

DDOT has announced their most recent round of schedule and route changes, effective April 23. Not all routes are affected, and many have been left untouched.

Most affected routes show slight to moderate increases in headway [[and therefore slightly longer wait times between coaches); there are a few where headways have been reduced slightly. Many routes claim to have trip times that are 2-7 minutes faster than before [[is DDOT ordering jet-powered buses now?)

Many routes have new start and end times. I know some routes that used to have late evening service have had that removed.

Read the full list of changes here:
Weekday service: http://www.detroitmi.gov/Portals/0/d...ay_Rotated.pdf
Saturday & Sunday: http://www.detroitmi.gov/Portals/0/d...nd_Rotated.pdf

[stasu1213]

I feel that DDOT could use take advantage of these tough times by increasing their routes, not shutting them down. Also decrease the wait time. Many people had lost their jobs and can't any longer afford their cars due to high insurance or lack of funds to pay the note, high gas prices, and repairs. Ridership would increase meaning DDOT would profit. The charter should change it so that the profits DDOT make in increase ridership would go back into DDOT and not the city's general fund.

[lpg]

So how are they going to sell mass transit and get people out of driving cars when things like this happen ? Most bosses don't want to hear that the bus never showed.

[HistoryNotHisStory]

Here's my prejection for proposed D-DOT bus cuts:

When the EFM [[ dictator) takes over all Detroit city government this will happen to D-DOT bus services:

1. Eliminate certian bus routes that has lower ridership.

2. Raise bus fares from $1.50 to $2.00, transfers from $0.25 to $0.50. student fares from $1.00 to $1.25. Students will have to pay for transfers shown. D-DOT bus passes will be raised. Bi-weekly to $16.00, Weekly to $20.00 and Monthly to $70.00.
Senior and disable fares will be raised from $0.50 to $0.60. Child fare will be raised from $0.50 to $0.60. Any child is under 44ft in height [[ with accompany by adult will have to pay) $0.10.

3. Lay-off up from 20 to 40 bus drivers.

4. Eliminate ALL SUNDAY BUS SERVICES COMPLETELY!

5. Reduce all weeknight bus services from Monday to Saturday starting at 10.00pm. Busses will resume services at 6.00am.

5. Reduce bus scheldules to 45 minutes to 1 hour.

6. Propose to privatize D-DOT. Have the EFM, Mayor and City Council oversee bus services and have a representative voice to build political and social relationship between Detroiters, city government and private companies to improve better and safer transit rides.

According to the law, the EFM can fire City Council, bus drivers, and the Mayor. If an EFM takes over the bus routes will be privatized and the cost will lower.

Private businesses small and large will take over providing public transportation.

[HistoryNotHisStory]

If Detroit goes to a Emergency Financial Manager, does the bus contract get voided too?

Since the bus service is operated using tax payer money, how is a fair wage determined? City and State have no money. Public School bus drivers in the rest of the state have taken huge cuts, why shouldn't municipal drivers sacrifice some more.

PS Just did my taxes, made 10% less again this year, a 4 year trend.

The answer to your question is yes. When Detroit gets an EFM, he has the authority to abolish union contracts, and to hire and fire at will.

But the logical response will be to privatize the bus services. I prefer if he contract multiple small businesses to take over the routes.