Detroit Department of Transportation
ParentCity of Detroit
Founded1922
Headquarters1301 E Warren Avenue
Service areaDetroit and select surrounding cities
Service typeBus
Paratransit
Routes37
HubsRosa Parks Transit Center
State Fair Transit Center
Fleet323
Daily ridership37,100 (weekdays, Q3 2023)[1]
Annual ridership9,425,700 (2022)[2]
Fuel typeDiesel
Electric
OperatorCity of Detroit
DirectorG. Michael Staley (interim)
Websitedetroitmi.gov/ddot

The Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) (pronounced DEE-dot) 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 2022, the system had a ridership of 9,425,700, or about 37,100 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2023.

History

Department of Street Railways

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.[3] 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.[4] 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.[5]

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.[6]

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.[7][8] 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.[9] 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.[10] MV Transportation's contract was extended for another two years on August 12, 2014.[11]

On January 23, 2016, DDOT reintroduced 24-hour service on three principal routes along with other smaller service changes.[12]

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.[13]

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.[14] The Council rejected a prior plan, which called for the historic building's demolition.[15] 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.[16][17][18] Construction began on the new permanent transit center in May 2023, with completion expected in summer 2024.[19][20][21]

"Reimagined" network overhaul

In the summer of 2022, DDOT announced DDOT Reimagined, a plan 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.[22][23]

In Spring 2023, DDOT launched the second phase of Reimagined, which included a draft of the planned redesign.[22] The plan would upgrade every route in the system to run at least every 30 minutes, with many routes seeing 15-minute headways. Six routes – 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, & 10 – are 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.[24]

To achieve this plan, three of the system's least-used routes – 12, 40, & 46 – are slated 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 is a proposed extension of route 17 into Livonia, a community which opts out of the suburban SMART system. A new route is also proposed, planned to run along the Detroit River, connecting Belle Isle with the Gordie Howe International Bridge.[24]

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 is currently conducting 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.[23]

In August 2023, DDOT's director, C. Mikel Oglesby, resigned. G. Michael Staley, previously DDOT's paratransit manager, was appointed by Mayor Mike Duggan to replace Oglesby in an interim capacity.[25]

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 neighboring suburban communities, including Dearborn, Harper Woods, Livonia, Redford, River Rouge, and Southfield.[26][27]

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.[28] Routes 3-8, 10, 16 and 17 have 24/7 service.[13]

Current routes

All termini are in Detroit unless otherwise noted.

# Name Termini Frequency (min) Notes
Mon-Fri Sat Sun
1 Vernor Rosa Parks Transit Center Michigan + Schaefer, Dearborn 30 30 60
2 Michigan Rosa Parks Transit Center Fairlane Town Center, Dearborn 30 60 60
3 Grand River Jefferson + Beaubien Grand River + 7 Mile 20 30 30
4 Woodward Woodward + Larned State Fair Transit Center 20 20 20
5 Van Dyke/Lafayette Rosa Parks Transit Center Bel Air Center 30 30 60
6 Gratiot 3rd + Michigan Gratiot + 8 Mile 20 30 25
7 Seven Mile Moross + Mack Meijer Old Redford 20 30 30
8 Warren Moross + Mack Warren + Telegraph 30 40 60
9 Jefferson Rosa Parks Transit Center Jefferson + Alter Rd, Grosse Pointe Park 15 30 35
10 Greenfield Fairlane Town Center, Dearborn Northland, Southfield 20 30 30 Overnight service ends at Michigan/Greenfield
11 Clairmount Warren + Conner Fort + Clark 60 - -
12 Conant Belle Isle State Fair Transit Center 60 60 60
13 Conner Jefferson + St. Jean Bel Air Center 60 60 60
15 Chicago/Davison McNichols + Joseph Campau Plymouth + Burt 60 60 60 Truncated to Woodward/Manchester on weekends
16 Dexter Rosa Parks Transit Center Northland, Southfield 20 30 30
17 Eight Mile Moross + Mack 7 Mile + Grand River 20-30 30 30
18 Fenkell Rosa Parks Transit Center Fenkell + Telegraph 60 60 60
19 Fort Rosa Parks Transit Center Fort + W Outer Dr 60 60 60
23 Hamilton-John R Rosa Parks Transit Center 8 Mile + Woodward 60 60 60
27 Joy Rosa Parks Transit Center Telegraph + W Chicago,

Redford

60 60 60
29 Linwood Rosa Parks Transit Center University of Detroit Mercy 60 60 60
30 Livernois Jefferson + Brennan State Fair Transit Center 60 60 60
31 Mack Rosa Parks Transit Center Moross + Mack 30 30 60
32 McNichols Moross + Mack McNichols + Telegraph 30-40 60 60 truncated to Old Redford Meijer on weekends

truncated to Cadieux/Mack on Sundays

38 Plymouth Gratiot + French Schoolcraft + Middlebelt,Livonia 60 60 60
39 Puritan W Jefferson + Brennan Southfield Fwy + Fenkell 60 60 60
40 Russell Rosa Parks Transit Center E Outer Dr + Van Dyke 60 - -
41 Schaefer W Jefferson + Brennan 8 Mile + Schaefer 60 60 60
42 Mid-City Loop Clockwise loop through Woodward & Mack, Woodward & Manchester 60 60 60
43 Schoolcraft Woodward + Manchester, Highland Park Telegraph + W Chicago, Redford 60 60 60
46 Southfield Fairlane Town Center, Dearborn Northland, Southfield 60 - - Weekday peak only
47 Tireman Mack + John R River Rouge Park 50 - - Weekday peak only
52 Chene Rosa Parks Transit Center Nevada + Van Dyke 60 60 60
54 Wyoming Jefferson + West End State Fair Transit Center 60 60 60
60 Evergreen Fairlane Town Center, Dearborn 10 Mile + Evergreen,Southfield 30 30 60
67 Cadillac-Harper Rosa Parks Transit Center Moross + Mack 60 60 60
68 Chalmers Jefferson + St. Jean 8 Mile + Schoenherr 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.[29]

Detroit Downtown Trolley

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.[30] 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.[31] 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.[32][33]

Fares

Since 2019, DDOT, SMART, and the QLine have had a unified fare payment system, Dart.[34][35] 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.[36] 4-hour and 24-hour passes can be purchased with cash onboard buses.

Standard Fares

TypeFare24-Hour Pass
Regular $2 $5
Student $0.50 $2
Senior/Disabled^
Medicare Cardholder^^
Children under 44 inches (110 cm) 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

2012 Gillig Low Floor
2015 XD60, rewrapped in the 2017-18 livery like many of DDOT's 2014-15 Xcelsiors

Current fleet

2021 ZX5
DDOT fleet as of June 2023[37][38]
Fleet Series YearMakeModelLengthCapacityPropulsionEngineQuantity
1201–1242 2012 Gillig Low Floor 40 39 Diesel Cummins ISL942
1243–1246 2012Diesel ElectricCummins ISB6.74
1400–1430 2014New FlyerXD404140DieselCummins ISL931
1500–1508
1519–1538
2015 29
1509–1518 2015XDE40Diesel ElectricCummins ISB6.710
1539–1548 2015XD6060.860DieselCummins ISL910
1700–1728 2017XD404140DieselCummins L929
1800–1829 201830
1900–1924 201925
1960–1964 2019XD6060.860DieselCummins L95
2000–2025 2020XD404140DieselCummins L926
2100e–2103e 2021 Proterra ZX5 40 40 Battery Electric Proterra ProDrive 4
2200–2237 2022 New Flyer XD40 41 40 Diesel Cummins L9 28
2300–2309 2023 10

Retired fleet

[39]

2010 D40LF
YearMakeModelLengthCapacityPropulsionEngineFleet SeriesQuantityRetired
1975GM CoachNew Look4036DieselDetroit Diesel 6V-71300111986
1975GM CoachNew Look3033DieselGMC D-478 Toro-Flow II3002-300651986
1975GM CoachNew Look4048DieselDetroit Diesel 6V-711001–11481481996
1975AM General Corp.Metropolitan Series4049DieselDetroit Diesel 6V-711201–1251511986
1978GM CoachRTS-II4047DieselDetroit Diesel 8V-71N1300–1369701993
1978GM CoachRTS-II4043DieselDetroit Diesel 8V-71N1370L-1410L411997
1979GM CoachRTS-II4046DieselDetroit Diesel 8V-71N1501L-1605L1051999
1979GM CoachRTS-II3536DieselDetroit Diesel 8V-71N1701L-1717L171997
1980GM CoachRTS-II4041-46DieselDetroit Diesel 8V-71N1801L-1874L741999
1981Bus Industries of America Inc.Orion II21.926DieselDetroit Diesel Allison 8.2 Liter "Fuel Pincher"001-00221997
1985GM CoachNew Look4048DieselDetroit Diesel 6V-712521-2534141986
1987GM of CanadaGMC Classic4047-49DieselDetroit Diesel 6V-71N1900–19991002002
1989Motor Coach IndustriesMCI Classic4051DieselDetroit Diesel 8V-92TA2000–2084852003
1989Neoplan USAAN4606065DieselDetroit Diesel 6V-92TA8900-8913142002
1992New FlyerD40HF4045DieselDetroit Diesel 8V-923000-31201212005
1995Nova BusRTS 064043DieselDetroit Diesel Series 503200-3232332008
1996Goshen CoachMB19FD3019DieselCummins 5.9L B-Series3300-3328292001
1996Nova BusRTS 064043DieselDetroit Diesel Series 503500-35991002012
1997Nova BusRTS 064043DieselDetroit Diesel Series 503250-3282332012
1996–97Nova BusRTS 064043DieselDetroit Diesel Series 503600-3617182012
1997Nova BusRTS 064039DieselDetroit Diesel Series 503290-3299102010
1998Chance Bus CorpCNG-282827CNGCummins 5.9L B-Series4000-400342004
1998Chance Bus CorpCNG-282827CNGCummins 5.9L B-Series4004-4013102004
2000Chance Bus CorpCNG-282827CNGCummins 5.9L B-Series4014-4024112004
2001Nova BusRTS 064043DieselDetroit Diesel Series 503700-37991002015
2001-02Nova BusRTS 064043DieselDetroit Diesel Series 503800-3859602015
2003New FlyerD40LF4039DieselDetroit Diesel Series 503900-3959602019
2004New FlyerD40LF4039DieselDetroit Diesel Series 503975-3989152016–17
2005New FlyerD40LF4039DieselCummins ISL-054100-42201212020
2010 New Flyer D40LF 40 39 Diesel Cummins ISL-07 1001-1050 50 2022-23

See also

References

  1. "Transit Ridership Report Third Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. November 30, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  2. "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2022" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  3. Houston, Kay (2000-01-17). "Clang, clang, clang went the trolley". The Detroit News. Gannett. Archived from the original on 2013-02-15.
  4. "Department of Street Railways (D.S.R.) 1941 Streetcar Route Map". detroittransithistory.info. Retrieved 2014-03-23.
  5. "A Brief Look-Back at Detroit's Transit History". detroittransithistory.info. Retrieved 2014-03-23.
  6. "DDOT Routes & Numbers". detroittransithistory.info. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  7. Kaffer, Nancy (5 January 2012). "Bing: Detroit won't run out of cash in April — thanks to cuts, more revenue". Crain's Detroit Business. Crain Communications. Archived from the original on May 17, 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. Bukowski, Diane (9 February 2012). "Bing to Slash Bus Routes, D-DOT Jobs Feb. 24; Contractor Gets Big $$$". Voice of Detroit. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  9. Phelps, Greenwood, Laura, Tom (3 March 2012). "Changes to Detroit bus service in effect". The Detroit News. Retrieved 4 March 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. "Mayor Duggan Names Dan Dirks as DDOT Director". City of Detroit Department of Communications and Creative Services. 9 January 2014. Archived from the original on 25 February 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
  11. "City of Detroit Extends Administrative Support Services Contract with MV Transportation". MV Transportation. Archived from the original on 11 November 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  12. "DDOT Service Change Proposal, January 2016" (PDF). Detroit Department of Transportation. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  13. 1 2 "New DDOT ConnectTen service to add 500 trips per week with 15-minute peak hour frequency, Wi-Fi". Detroit Department of Transportation. August 28, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  14. Afana, Dana. "Detroit City Council OKs new transit center at old State Fairgrounds site". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  15. Afana, Dana. "Fate of Detroit transit hub, historic buildings at former fairgrounds expected". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  16. "STATE FAIR TRANSIT CENTER CLOSURE & RELOCATION NOVEMBER 7, 2022". Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation. 2022-11-03. Archived from the original on 2022-12-04.
  17. Huffman, Bryce (2022-11-21). "Some bus riders left cold and confused by temporary State Fair transit hub". Bridge Detroit.
  18. "DDOT announces new transit hub location as work on new State Fair Transit Center continues". City of Detroit. 2022-11-04. Retrieved 2023-07-30.
  19. Lawrence, Eric D. (2023-05-03). "Detroit transit center construction underway at old state fairgrounds". Detroit Free Press. Gannett. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  20. Plaid, Andrea (2023-05-09). "Detroit State Fair Transit Center to Transform Transportation in the City". The Michigan Chronicle. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  21. Clarke, Megan; Woods, Kayla (2023-11-05). "An inside look at progress on Detroit's new State Fair Transit Center". WDIV. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  22. 1 2 Barrett, Malachi (2023-04-24). "Detroit Department of Transportation wants residents to help overhaul bus service through 'reimagined' plan". Bridge Detroit. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  23. 1 2 "DDOT Reimagined". Detroit Department of Transportation. 2023-04-24 via Internet Archive.
  24. 1 2 "DDOT Route Recommendations" (PDF). Detroit Department of Transportation. 2023-04-24.
  25. Afana, Dana (2023-08-22). "Detroit Department of Transportation director Mikel Oglesby resigns after 3 years". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2023-09-10.
  26. "System Map" (PDF). Detroit Department of Transportation. 2009-02-26. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-08.
  27. "System Map" (PDF). Detroit Department of Transportation. 2021-11-15.
  28. "Pocket Schedules". Detroit Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on 2011-09-16. Retrieved 2011-04-16.
  29. "DDOT Paratransit Service" (PDF). Detroit Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
  30. "Detroit Downtown Trolley". www.jtbell.net. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
  31. Thompson, Richard. "Portuguese Trams Imported by Gales Creek Enterprises (1974-1993)" (PDF). The Transfer. Vol. 25, no. 1. Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society. pp. 3–4.
  32. King, R.J. (2004-10-24). "Historic trolleys are history". The Detroit News via Seashore Trolley Museum.
  33. Gallagher, John (2003-10-31). "Near the end of the riderless line: Detroit plans to sell its 9 trolleys". Detroit Free Press via Seashore Trolley Museum.
  34. Lawrence, Eric D. (2019-04-17). "DDOT, SMART to launch unified payment system to cut hassle for Detroit bus riders". Detroit Free Press. Gannett. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  35. Lawrence, Eric D. (2019-08-20). "QLINE to join DDOT, SMART unified payment system beginning in October". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  36. "Buy Passes". Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  37. "Detroit Transit History Roster". detroittransithistory.info.
  38. "Detroit Department of Transportation". CPTDB Wiki. Canadian Public Transit Discussion Board. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  39. "Detroit Transit Info Retired Fleet". detroittransithistory.info.
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