Detroit Department of Transportation earns 'D' on report card for service

Transportation Riders United says only 67% of buses arrive on time

DETROIT – In the new Report Card on DDOT bus service released Tuesday by Transportation Riders United (TRU), DDOT earned the grade "D" for just 67% of buses arriving on-time during a recent week of on-the-ground observations. 

"It is outrageous that for riders working six days a week, DDOT would make them late twice every week – clearly unacceptable to any boss," said Megan Owens, TRU Executive Director. "How can people get ahead if they cannot get around?!"  

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This Report Card, entitled "Too Many Riders Left Behind: DDOT Still Failing to Provide Adequate Bus Service," is the third produced by TRU. In Fall 2011, DDOT earned an "F" with just 50 percent of buses departing within 5 minutes of their schedule. In Spring 2012, DDOT earned a "D-" with 63 percent on-time.  

While authors acknowledged some improvement, there continues to be insufficient bus service provided on an unreliable schedule, leaving far too many Detroiters stranded without real options.  The accompanying Faces of Transit features individual stories of Detroiters who have lost out on job opportunities and had other direct personal impacts caused by DDOT's failures. 

"After huge cuts in the amount of service provided and a supposed focus on on-time performance on major routes, it is especially disappointing to see so little improvement," said Ruth Johnson, TRU Assistant Director. "We demand that Mayor Bing not leave so many Detroiters behind any longer." 

TRU also shared the "Transit Bill of Rights" signed by thousands of Detroiters and others throughout the region.  It demands that the region's leaders provide "reliable, on-time service; efficient and well-managed service; good access to transit information; and public involvement in transit decision-making;" to ensure "a high quality transportation system."  

While TRU encourages all elected officials to ride the bus regularly, they invited officials on a special "Ride The Bus" day on November 30.  TRU's Assistant Director will personally escort members of the Bing Administration, Financial Advisory Board, and DDOT management through the city by bus.  State Senators Johnson and Casperson learned a great deal from a similar experience.  

Transportation Riders United (TRU) is a Detroit-based nonprofit founded in 1999 and dedicated to improving public transit throughout greater Detroit.