DETROIT – Getting to school — and after-school activities — just got easier for thousands of Detroit families.
Mayor Mary Sheffield announced a new transportation pilot called Ride to Rise, which provides free rides on public bus lines for all Detroit K-12 students, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The mayor first introduced the initiative during her State of the City address last week.
For Pershing High School senior Mac Sconi, the change is immediate.
“It’s way less stressful for anyone who has to get to school on time,” Sconi said.
Sconi said he previously raised transportation concerns directly with Sheffield during a visit to Pershing’s campus a few months ago — particularly how access to reliable transportation can affect safety and attendance.
“Transportation is one of the biggest reasons why attendance could fall short, or people coming to school on time for academic excellence,” he said.
While the City of Detroit doesn’t run the school district, Sheffield said the city worked closely with DPSCD to create the pilot.
“The program goals, number 1 are to reduce absenteeism,” Sheffield said. “The second goal, of course, is to connect students to opportunity.”
City leaders say easier transportation can help students get not only to class, but also to after-school programs, libraries, community centers, and internships.
Student Katelynn Tyner, who regularly rides DDOT, said the pilot could eliminate a recurring burden.
“I would love to not have to pay money to get on the bus,” Tyner said. “And I would also love not having to go to the office every 30 or 31 days asking for a bus pass.”
Under the Ride to Rise pilot, students attending public, private, or charter schools in Detroit can ride by simply showing a valid school-issued ID.
DPSCD estimates that about 14,000 high school students rely on city buses.
Pershing High School’s Principal, Bryant Tipton, said transportation has been one of the most common reasons students give when they miss school — and this program gives schools a clearer answer.
“A lot of our students said we don’t have transportation,” Tipton said. “But with this, we could say, hey, you’ve got your ID, get on the bus, and we’ll see you when you get here.”
DPSCD currently spends about $700,000 on student bus passes. For now, the city is covering the cost for this six-month pilot.
City leaders hope the Detroit City Council will adopt an ordinance to continue the program after data is collected. Meanwhile, district leaders say they’ll explore reinvesting any savings into student programming if the pilot becomes permanent.