Detroit Department of Transportation

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Template:Short description Template:Infobox Bus transit The Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) (pronounced Template:Respell) is the primary public transportation operator serving Detroit, Michigan. In existence since 1922, DDOT is a division of the city government, headed by a director appointed by the mayor. Primarily serving Detroit and its enclaves, DDOT is supplemented by suburban service from the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART). In Template:American transit ridership, the system had a ridership of Template:American transit ridership, or about Template:American transit ridership per weekday as of Template:American transit ridership.

History

Department of Street Railways

File:Checker Cab built Bus (5239224631).jpg
Restored ex-DSR bus 7618 built by Checker Cab at the AACA Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania

The DDOT began its life as the Department of Street Railways (DSR) in 1922 after the municipalization of the privately-owned Detroit United Railway (DUR), which had controlled much of Detroit's mass transit operations since its incorporation in 1901.[1] The DSR added bus service when it created the Motorbus Division in 1925. At the height of its operation in 1941, the DSR operated 20 streetcar lines with 910 streetcars.[2] By 1952, only four streetcar lines remained: Woodward, Gratiot, Michigan and Jefferson. Streetcar services was discontinued in April 1956 with the decommissioning of the Woodward line. The DSR formally became the DDOT in 1974 under the Detroit City Charter.[3]

2000s-2020s

Between 2009 and 2012, the system's seven remaining limited and express bus routes (70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 76, and 78) were discontinued.[4]

Starting January 1, 2012, management of DDOT was contracted out to Parsons Brinckerhoff, an engineering and management firm. The firm subsequently subcontracted the management of the system to Envisurage, LLC a consultancy run by the former CEO of the Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority.[5][6] On March 3, 2012, 24-hour service was discontinued, and other weekday and weekend routes and services were pared down, or eliminated entirely, in an attempt to produce savings for the department.[7] In August 2013, management of DDOT was contracted out to MV Transportation under the direction of Paul Toliver until September 2014. Dan Dirks was appointed director of the department by mayor Mike Duggan on January 9, 2014, for the duration of MV Transportation's contract.[8] MV Transportation's contract was extended for another two years on August 12, 2014.[9]

On January 23, 2016, DDOT reintroduced 24-hour service on three principal routes along with other smaller service changes.[10]

On September 1, 2018, the system's ten most popular routes were branded as "ConnectTen" and renumbered as routes 1-10, and received 24/7 service among other changes. The existing routes numbered 7, 9, and 10 were given higher route numbers to avoid conflict.[11]

2020s

In November 2021, the Detroit City Council approved plans to construct a new State Fair Transit Center, housed inside the disused Dairy Cattle Building, one of the last remaining structures from the State Fairgrounds.[12] The Council rejected a prior plan, which called for the historic building's demolition.[13] The original State Fair Transit Center, dating back to the streetcar era, closed permanently on November 6, 2022, and was promptly demolished; a temporary transit center was constructed in the former State Fair parking lot, 500 feet to the north, entering service the next day.[14][15][16] Construction began on the new permanent transit center in May 2023.[17][18][19]

The new State Fair Transit Center is dedicated to the memory of DDOT bus driver Jason Hargrove, who advocated for better protections for DDOT drivers during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hargrove died in April 2020 from COVID-19, and the transit center was dedicated in his memory in March 2024. The Jason Hargrove Transit Center opened on May 11, 2024.[20]

"Reimagined" network overhaul

In the summer of 2022, DDOT announced DDOT Reimagined, a project to redesign the agency's route network and upgrade its infrastructure for better reliability, better coverage, more efficient travel, and reduced environmental impact. The plan's first phase, conducted that summer, consisted of public outreach to gather riders' input, through in-person and virtual meetings, workshops and pop-ups at popular bus stops.[21][22]

In Spring 2023, DDOT launched the second phase of Reimagined, which included a draft of the planned redesign.[21] The draft plan called for every route in the system to run at least every 30 minutes (where many currently run hourly), with more popular routes operating at 15-minute headways. Six routes – 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, & 10 – were slated for service every ten minutes (with route 4 running every 7½), and upgrades resembling bus rapid transit. These six, plus four other routes, would run 24/7 under this plan, with all other routes in the system running from 4 a.m. to 1 a.m., seven days a week.[23]

To achieve this plan, three of the system's least-used routes – 12, 40, & 46 – were recommended for discontinuation, while four others – 23 & 39, 29 & 42 – would be combined into two resulting routes. Other routes would be rerouted, with some seeing extensions: of note was a proposed extension of route 17 into Livonia, a neighboring community which opts out of the suburban SMART system. A new route (70) was also proposed, planned to run near the Detroit Riverfront, connecting Belle Isle with the Gordie Howe International Bridge.[23]

DDOT states that the planned redesign would mean 99% of regular riders would live within walking distance of a DDOT route, though the planned rerouting eliminates service on a number of streets. The agency conducted another series of outreach events to gauge riders' opinion, with a mobile exhibit, inside a converted bus, making a two-month tour of the system's major hubs.[22]

In August 2023, DDOT's director, C. Mikel Oglesby, resigned. G. Michael Staley, then DDOT's paratransit manager, was appointed by Mayor Mike Duggan to replace Oglesby in an interim capacity.[24] Staley previously served as a regional vice president at Veolia Transport, now known as Transdev.[25]

DDOT published the final version of the Reimagined plan in February 2024. Most of the draft plan was kept, though public input influenced a couple of major changes: route 2 was added to the routes slated for service every 10 minutes, route 12 is no longer slated for discontinuation, and the extension of route 17 into Livonia was cancelled.[26] Throughout the spring of 2024, DDOT will conduct further public outreach to gather feedback on the plan.

Services

Fixed-route buses

DDOT's primary service is fixed-route buses, mostly serving the city of Detroit and its enclaves, Hamtramck and Highland Park. Some routes service the neighboring suburban communities of Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Harper Woods, Livonia, Redford, River Rouge, Southfield, and the Grosse Pointe communities; while services on 8 Mile also serve the southern borders of Eastpointe, Ferndale, Hazel Park, Oak Park, Royal Oak Township, Warren, and Eastpointe.[27][28]

Bus service generally operates between 5 a.m. and 12:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday, while Sunday service starts approximately 7 a.m. and ends between 8 and 9 p.m.[29] Routes 3-8, 10, 16 and 17 operate at all times.[11]

File:RosaparksBusTerminaldetroit.jpg
Rosa Parks Transit Center

Current routes

All termini listed are in the city of Detroit unless otherwise noted.

Template:Color box = ConnectTen
Template:Color box = 30-minute rush hour frequency
Template:Color box = 60-minute rush hour frequency

# Name Termini Length Frequency (min) Notes
Mon-Fri Sat Sun
1 Vernor Rosa Parks Transit Center Michigan + Schaefer, Dearborn Template:Cvt 30 30 45
2 Michigan Rosa Parks Transit Center Fairlane Town Center, Dearborn Template:Cvt 20-30 60 60
3 Grand River Jefferson + Beaubien Grand River + 7 Mile Template:Cvt 10 15 15
4 Woodward Rosa Parks Transit Center Jason Hargrove Transit Center Template:Cvt 12 20 20
5 Van Dyke/Lafayette Rosa Parks Transit Center Bel Air Center Template:Cvt 20-30 30 45
6 Gratiot 3rd + Michigan Gratiot + 8 Mile Template:Cvt 15 20 30
7 Seven Mile Moross + Mack Meijer Old Redford Template:Cvt 15 20 30
8 Warren Moross + Mack Warren + Telegraph Template:Cvt 20–30 30 45
9 Jefferson Rosa Parks Transit Center Mack + Alter Rd, Grosse Pointe Park Template:Cvt 10 15 15
10 Greenfield Fairlane Town Center, Dearborn Northland, Southfield Template:Cvt 15 20 20 Overnight service ends at Michigan/Greenfield
11 Clairmount Warren + Conner Fort + Clark Template:Cvt 60 - -
12 Conant Belle Isle Jason Hargrove Transit Center Template:Cvt 45-60 60 60
13 Conner Jefferson + St. Jean Bel Air Center Template:Cvt 60 60 60
15 Chicago/Davison McNichols + Joseph Campau Plymouth + Burt Template:Cvt 60 60 60 Truncated to Woodward/Manchester on weekends
16 Dexter Jefferson + Shelby Northland, Southfield Template:Cvt 15 20 20 Truncated to Rosa Parks Transit Center on weekends
17 Eight Mile Moross + Mack 7 Mile + Grand River Template:Cvt 20 30 30
18 Fenkell Rosa Parks Transit Center Fenkell + Telegraph Template:Cvt (detour) 40 45 60
19 Fort Rosa Parks Transit Center Fort + W Outer Dr Template:Cvt 60 60 60
23 Hamilton-John R Rosa Parks Transit Center 8 Mile + Woodward Template:Cvt 45-60 60 60
27 Joy Rosa Parks Transit Center Telegraph + W Chicago,

Redford

Template:Cvt 50 50 50
29 Linwood Rosa Parks Transit Center University of Detroit Mercy Template:Cvt 50 50 50
30 Livernois Jefferson + Brennan Jason Hargrove Transit Center Template:Cvt 40–60 60 60
31 Mack Rosa Parks Transit Center Moross + Mack Template:Cvt 20-30 30 60
32 McNichols Moross + Mack McNichols + Telegraph Template:Cvt 30-40 60 60 Truncated to Old Redford Meijer on weekends
38 Plymouth Gratiot + French Schoolcraft + Middlebelt,Livonia Template:Cvt 60 60 60
39 Puritan Woodward + Manchester Southfield Fwy + Fenkell Template:Cvt 60 60 60
40 Russell Rosa Parks Transit Center E Outer Dr + Van Dyke Template:Cvt 50-70 - -
41 Schaefer W Jefferson + Brennan 8 Mile + Schaefer Template:Cvt 60 60 60
42 Mid-City Loop Clockwise loop through Woodward & Mack, Woodward & Manchester Template:Cvt 60 60 60
43 Schoolcraft Woodward + Manchester, Highland Park Telegraph + W Chicago, Redford Template:Cvt 60 60 60
46 Southfield Fairlane Town Center, Dearborn Northland, Southfield Template:Convert 60 - - Weekday peak only
47 Tireman Mack + John R River Rouge Park Template:Convert 50 - -
52 Chene Rosa Parks Transit Center Nevada + Van Dyke Template:Convert 60 60 60
54 Wyoming Jefferson + West End Jason Hargrove Transit Center Template:Convert 60 60 60
60 Evergreen Fairlane Town Center, Dearborn 10 Mile + Evergreen,Southfield Template:Convert 30 30 60
67 Cadillac-Harper Rosa Parks Transit Center Moross + Mack Template:Convert 60 60 60
68 Chalmers Jefferson + St. Jean 8 Mile + Schoenherr Template:Convert 60 60 60

Paratransit

Along with fixed-route bus service, DDOT also offers MetroLift, an on-demand paratransit service. MetroLift service is operated by four private contractors: Moe Transportation, Big Star Transit, Checker Cab Company, and Delray United Action Council.[30]

Detroit Downtown Trolley

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File:Detroit Downtown Trolley on Jefferson Avenue, May 1991.jpg
An ex-Lisbon streetcar on Jefferson Avenue in 1991

The Detroit Downtown Trolley (originally the Detroit Citizens' Railway) was a heritage trolley built in 1976 as a U.S. Bicentennial project.[31] The trolley ran over a one-mile L-shaped route from Grand Circus Park to near the Renaissance Center, via Washington Boulevard and Jefferson Avenue, using narrow-gauge trams acquired from municipal rail services outside the U.S. Most of the Detroit cars that saw service from 1976 to 2003 had been acquired from Lisbon, Portugal.[32] Many Detroiters old enough to remember streetcar service from before 1956 were delighted with the nod to nostalgia that the service represented, but lack of business activity in downtown Detroit meant that ridership of the Downtown Trolley never became more than a novelty and declined to only about 3000 per year in the late 1990s; service was suspended in June 2003.[33][34]

Fares

Since 2019, DDOT, SMART, and the QLine have had a unified fare payment system, Dart.[35][36] Dart passes are available as digital passes through the Token Transit app, or as physical passes, which can be purchased from SMART's ticket offices in downtown Detroit and Royal Oak, the Rosa Parks Transit Center, SMART's online store, and select local businesses.[37] 4-hour and 24-hour passes can be purchased with cash onboard buses.

Standard Fares

Type Fare 24-Hour Pass
Regular $2 $5
Student $0.50 $2
Senior/Disabled^
Medicare Cardholder^^
Children under Template:Convert with adult (limit 3) Free

^To receive discounted fares, seniors (age 65+) and disabled passengers must present either DDOT Special Fares ID card or state ID with visual impairment designation.

^^Medicare cardholders pay same rates as children 6–17, seniors at least 65 & disabled.

Fleet

File:DDOT 2012 Gillig Low Floor 1218.jpg
2012 Gillig Low Floor
File:DDOT 2015 New Flyer XD60 1544.jpg
2015 XD60, rewrapped in the 2017-18 livery like many of DDOT's 2014-15 Xcelsiors

Current fleet

File:DDOT 2021 Proterra ZX5 2101e.jpg
2021 ZX5
DDOT fleet as of June 2023[38][39]
Fleet Series Year Make Model Length Capacity Propulsion Engine Quantity
1201–1242 2012 Gillig Low Floor 40 39 Diesel Cummins ISL9 42
1243–1246 2012 Diesel Electric Cummins ISL9 4
1400–1430 2014 New Flyer XD40 41 40 Diesel Cummins ISL9 31
1500–1508
1519–1538 		2015 29
1509–1518 2015 XDE40 Diesel Electric Cummins ISL9 10
1539–1548 2015 XD60 60.8 60 Diesel Cummins ISL9 10
1700–1728 2017 XD40 41 40 Diesel Cummins L9 29
1800–1829 2018 30
1900–1924 2019 25
1960–1964 2019 XD60 60.8 60 Diesel Cummins L9 5
2000–2025 2020 XD40 41 40 Diesel Cummins L9 26
2100e–2103e 2021 Proterra ZX5 40 40 Battery Electric Proterra ProDrive 4
2200–2237 2022 New Flyer XD40 41 40 Diesel Cummins L9 38
2300–2309 2023 10

Retired fleet

[40]

File:DDOT 2010 New Flyer D40LF 1005.jpg
2010 D40LF
Year Make Model Length Capacity Propulsion Engine Fleet Series Quantity Retired
1975 GM Coach New Look 40 36 Diesel Detroit Diesel 6V-71 3001 1 1986
1975 GM Coach New Look 30 33 Diesel GMC D-478 Toro-Flow II 3002-3006 5 1986
1975 GM Coach New Look 40 48 Diesel Detroit Diesel 6V-71 1001–1148 148 1996
1975 AM General Corp. Metropolitan Series 40 49 Diesel Detroit Diesel 6V-71 1201–1251 51 1986
1978 GM Coach RTS-II 40 47 Diesel Detroit Diesel 8V-71N 1300–1369 70 1993
1978 GM Coach RTS-II 40 43 Diesel Detroit Diesel 8V-71N 1370L-1410L 41 1997
1979 GM Coach RTS-II 40 46 Diesel Detroit Diesel 8V-71N 1501L-1605L 105 1999
1979 GM Coach RTS-II 35 36 Diesel Detroit Diesel 8V-71N 1701L-1717L 17 1997
1980 GM Coach RTS-II 40 41-46 Diesel Detroit Diesel 8V-71N 1801L-1874L 74 1999
1981 Bus Industries of America Inc. Orion II 21.9 26 Diesel Detroit Diesel Allison 8.2 Liter "Fuel Pincher" 001-002 2 1997
1985 GM Coach New Look 40 48 Diesel Detroit Diesel 6V-71 2521-2534 14 1986
1987 GM of Canada GMC Classic 40 47-49 Diesel Detroit Diesel 6V-71N 1900–1999 100 2002
1989 Motor Coach Industries MCI Classic 40 51 Diesel Detroit Diesel 8V-92TA 2000–2084 85 2003
1989 Neoplan USA AN460 60 65 Diesel Detroit Diesel 6V-92TA 8900-8913 14 2002
1992 New Flyer D40HF 40 45 Diesel Detroit Diesel 8V-92 3000-3120 121 2005
1995 Nova Bus RTS 06 40 43 Diesel Detroit Diesel Series 50 3200-3232 33 2008
1996 Goshen Coach MB19FD 30 19 Diesel Cummins B5.9 3300-3328 29 2001
1996 Nova Bus RTS 06 40 43 Diesel Detroit Diesel Series 50 3500-3599 100 2012
1997 Nova Bus RTS 06 40 43 Diesel Detroit Diesel Series 50 3250-3282 33 2012
1996–97 Nova Bus RTS 06 40 43 Diesel Detroit Diesel Series 50 3600-3617 18 2012
1997 Nova Bus RTS 06 40 39 Diesel Detroit Diesel Series 50 3290-3299 10 2010
1998 Chance Bus Corp CNG-28 28 27 CNG Cummins B5.9G 4000-4003 4 2004
1998 Chance Bus Corp CNG-28 28 27 CNG Cummins B5.9G 4004-4013 10 2004
2000 Chance Bus Corp CNG-28 28 27 CNG Cummins B5.9G 4014-4024 11 2004
2001 Nova Bus RTS 06 40 43 Diesel Detroit Diesel Series 50 EGR 3700-3799 100 2015
2002 Nova Bus RTS 06 40 43 Diesel Detroit Diesel Series 50 EGR 3800-3859 60 2015
2003 New Flyer D40LF 40 39 Diesel Detroit Diesel Series 50 EGR 3900-3959 60 2019
2004 New Flyer D40LF 40 39 Diesel Detroit Diesel Series 50 EGR 3975-3989 15 2016–17
2005 New Flyer D40LF 40 39 Diesel Cummins ISL 4100-4220 121 2020
2010 New Flyer D40LF 40 39 Diesel Cummins ISL9 1001-1050 50 2022-23

Labor relations

DDOT's bus operators are represented by Amalgamated Transit Union Local 26,[41] and mechanics are represented by AFSCME Local 312.[42]

See also

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References

Template:Reflist

External links

Template:Sister project

Template:Michigan public transit

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