Detroit's bus system in Detroit has been shameful and inadequate for years. Things are improving, but the city isn't there yet.
In a Detroit Free Press guest column, Councilman Scott Benson writes about the improvements in recent years and a bigger upgrade that will come with a proposed fare hike from $1.50 to $2:
City of Detroit photoOn Monday morning, the Detroit City Council will hear from Detroiters during a public hearing as we discuss a proposed fare rightsizing, which will overhaul DDOT’s current operating and fare structure, making riding our buses more efficient, convenient and cost effective.
This plan changes the base fare from $1.50 to $2; however, seniors and disabled riders will not see an increase. Additionally, students and Medicare recipients will actually see a reduction in cost to one standard reduced fare of $0.50, a reduction of 33%.
We’ve heard from hundreds of riders who say they would willingly pay the extra 50 cents if the buses just ran on time. Well, they’ll get much more for that extra 50 cents.
For an additional 50 cents, we will reduce the number of different bus passes from the more than 25 we currently have, to six; add daily and weekly passes which don’t currently exist; and eliminate transfer tickets, allowing riders to transfer freely from bus to bus, and bus system to bus system, at no additional charge for four hours.
Other service improvements:
► New fares buy ride time — not individual trips — offering unlimited rides of four hours.
► Eliminating transfers and transfer fees, allowing riders to move from one bus to another.
► Switching from “period passes” to a “rolling pass” that only activates after the first use.
► A new partnership between DDOT and SMART to provide regional passes that will be interchangeable without a “top-up fee.”
► Swipe cards for faster boarding.
