Transportation Riders United (TRU)

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Wednesday, September 23, 2009
DDOT service cuts go into effect this Saturday (9/26)

As announced two weeks ago, DDOT is making major cuts in bus service. The cuts are not as severe as originally proposed - most weekend service is maintained and fewer routes are eliminated.

These cuts go into effect this Saturday, Sept. 26, including:

#20 Grand Belt and #24 Holbrook routes will be eliminated
Weekend service will be eliminated on #36 Oakland and #40 Russell
Sunday service will be eliminated on #47 Tireman
Late night and early morning service will be eliminated on a dozen routes
Wait times will be increased on dozens of routes

They also made a few positive changes:

#25 Jefferson will soon be available 24-hours a day
Frequency will increase and wait times will decrease on the #14 Crosstown, #16 Dexter, #17 Eight Mile, and several other routes

While bus cuts are always hard, we are glad that they did not axe broad swaths of service, like all Sunday service or all overnight service. The service changes are instead primarily based on the service standards that DDOT approved last year.

Our biggest concern is that this not occur again next year or five years down the road. Detroit cannot handle further cuts to bus service. We need to be investing in transit! As long as bus service is funded out of the Detroit city budget, these types of cuts will be a real threat. That is why we need a dedicated funding source for transit in Detroit!