Public Hearing for Proposed DDOT Service Changes Effective January 22, 2024

10:17PM Nov 16, 2023

Speakers:

Keywords:

ddot

jefferson

service

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trips

drivers

frequency

comments

bus

routes

january

detroit

minutes

amenities

shelters

dexter

number

record

renard

stop

start winning fourth service changes. It's five o'clock. We're gonna give everybody a few more minutes and as our custom start right at 505 So we'll be ready to go at 505 for the public hearing, January service changes Thank you

Recording in Progress

All right, good evening, everyone. It's 505 Thank you all for joining us tonight for our public hearing on the proposed January service changes before we begin, I'd like to emphasize the purpose of this meeting and briefly go over our meeting rules. This is Kristin from the marketing team, facilitating the meeting tonight. This is not a regular community input meeting however, so we are limiting comments and responses to those that involve the January service changes only. Everyone will have an opportunity to provide their input following the presentation. There will be a two minute time limit and please note that you will be muted once we have announced that your time is up Please also remember that your comments tonight are for public record and DDOT will not be able to respond immediately after each comment. If you have a non service change related comment, you can always send that to the email DDOT comments at Detroit mi.gov And I'll share all the ways that you can make a comment regarding service changes at the end of this presentation. As always, no personal attacks or foul language will be tolerated either verbally or in the chat. I'm going to begin the presentation

just a few items of housekeeping permission and reminders. Permission to record by participating in this Zoom meeting you are granting permission for your name, image likeness and as well as audio and video to be used by DDOT. Mute is automatically set to On you will need to unmute yourself before you make a comment or ask a question. Please mute yourself following your comments. Raise hand to request a comment chat for questions or comments. Special Instructions for those using the dial in feature only or due to the limits of the Zoom platform some features may not be available to those using the dial and only phone option. For full functionality we do suggest you participate using a video connection if possible. dial star nine if you are using the dial and only phone option to serve as the raise hand feature. A q&a is for asking questions and this presentation will be available for review later at Detroit mi.gov forward slash deedat. Just as a reminder, unmute your audio. You can enable your camera, state your name and state your name and organization and mute your audio when you're done. The agenda for tonight DDOT is proposing to increase service frequency on Route nine Jefferson and add supplemental trips. On several other routes in January 2024. In tonight's public hearing, we will provide details on the proposed changes. We will outline the plans for the Jefferson BRT pilot and will ask for feedback during the public comment section. As a reminder, with this public hearing all your public comments will be recorded and we will not be able to make an immediate response to any of your to your concerns or questions. But if time allows during the official public comment period DDOT staff may be able to address some of your comments I would like to now turn it over to Steve Patrick, our executive manager of service development and scheduling.

Okay, thank you very much, Christine. And so as you mentioned this is we're going to talk about the January proposed service changes and give a little preview of the of the bus rapid transit amenities that are that are planned for Jefferson. So first of all schedule changes and supportive of bus rapid transit service pilot on Jefferson. So we're going to implement a schedule that would match the the bus rapid transit frequency from Detroit reimagined those of you who participated might recall that there were eight car doors that were designated for enhanced service, including Jefferson. So this is the first one that were enhancing. So daytime frequency would be increased to every 10 minutes on weekdays. Currently, it's 15 and every 15 minutes or a week weekends. It's currently about 30. So and then, capital projects to provide bus rapid transit elements and features on Jefferson will follow later in 2024. Okay, next slide, please. So, here's a little sketch of what we might be looking forward to on Jefferson. So originally before 2018 There were just it was just a regular street with two curves, current bus stops, and three lanes of traffic plus turning lanes. Currently, there's a bike lane. If you look at panel number two there's a bike lane with the bus is still pull all the way over to the curb in order to stop. So if you look at panel number three that shows an example of a temporary bus, boarding an island looks like it's made from a rubbery material. And it's what this does is it allows the bus to stay in the same lane and without having to merge in and out of the traffic. So that helps make the service a little bit faster and then the permanent feature would be a concrete boring island with the amenities on the island. If you look at number three, the shelters still on the curb, and if you look at number four, the shelter is on the island. And that's actually a picture of a boarding island on McNichols in Detroit. So so this is what we might be looking forward to, you know, as some as Jefferson comes together, and we and we put these capital projects in place with the cooperation of the Department of Public Works, and next slide, please. Okay, so Jefferson would be enhanced character on Jefferson would be the entire length of the route from Rosa Parks down Jeffers since you all to road and as I mentioned, it's one of eight cars are selected for enhanced BRT quality service and deeds that reimagined it's a city jurisdiction. So we can do this project together with the DPW without having to go through the state or the county or other jurisdictions. So it's and also the city has identified this jurisdiction for long term streetscape and multimodal investments. And it's also a regional corridor there are a small number of commute trips on smart that use Jefferson during peak periods. I think it's about two in the morning and two in the afternoon. So, so we're going to increase the frequency that's our plan that we're bringing you today is to increase the frequency and then layer on the amenities to improve the customer experience. Future infrastructure changes to increase the speed and have fewer, fewer conflicts with traffic will be coordinated with the DPW streetscape class. And next slide please. So as we mentioned, this looks like the slide we had a little while ago so 10 minute, daytime shows and weekdays currently 1515 minute detox terms or weekends, currently 30 So introduction of BRT features and amenities. So as we saw in the full panel drawing, temporary bus stop islands will eliminate the need for the bus to change lanes, and to merge in and out of traffic, bus stop consolidations. And also, a more consistent quarter mile spacing would help to speed the service and then eventually permanent boarding islands in coordination with the GP who improvements new and improved shelters with information displays in selected locations and connection corner improvements at major transfer intersections. Next slide please. So other changes, we have planned in the January schedule is 16 Dexter. Now those of you who ride it will recall that a while back we decided to make all the trips visit both the Greenfield branch and the outer drive branch. But in doing so we had to change the frequency from every 20 minutes to every 22 minutes on weekdays. So in order to bring it back to 20 minutes. We're going to have to add a bus and that's what we're doing. So this will be the weekday. Daytime service that now runs it every 22 minutes. What would be back to every 20 minutes and the 18 Frankel route. We will begin the 45 minute frequency at the start of the weekday service instead of after eight in the morning, which is the case right now. So right now it's once an hour and then after eight o'clock, it becomes every 45 minutes. So we would extend that 45 minute frequency back by pulling out that third bus up earlier in the day, earlier in the morning. And that way it can cover the morning peak period with a 45 minute frequency and is there another side okay, so and then we're adding peak periods supplemental trips on these a routes. So most of these trips are timed with the with the larger schools they were along the routes to to help carry the passenger load on certain trips that might be carry the heavier loads during the during the commute time. And and then the next slide please. So these if you're not familiar with all those routes are in the city. This shows Jefferson and and then all the other routes that we mentioned that are having the supplemental trips and Frankel and Dexter. So all those routes are shown on this map. And we'll leave it up for a few seconds for you to look at it and then we can advance the slide again

okay, and back to Christian.

Thank you, Steve. We're moving on. to public comment portion of the meeting now I'll go over the guidelines. You can provide your public comment verbally tonight so that it will be recorded into public record. You must state and spell your name for the record before providing your comment. You will be given two minutes and if you would like to make a comment after today, you have until December 15 2023 provide comments by email to d dot comments at Detroit mi.gov by US Postal Service to public comments for proposed January 2020 for service changes. Detroit Department of Transportation 100 Mack Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48201. And if you have questions you can call 313933 1300 Our customer service

and I believe just give me one minute to get situated.

Sir, I believe we can start calling on commenters. I have the time clock are first commenter, hand raised is Renard please remember to state and spell your name for the record and keep the comments to the January service changes.

Hi, my name is Renard Kruszewski. I'm a resident of the city of Detroit and represent the insurance people's platform transit justice team. For the record my name is spelled r e n A R D, and let my last name is spelled and bear with me here m o n SMSC. C as in cat C as in Zebra you NSK I want it to be as a representative transit team to say that these changes in January while are encouraging and it sounds like this is part of the first part of the DDOT reimagined being implemented. We want DDOT to continue to be very vocal and transparent with the public as they continue to implement DDOT reimagined. And I do think that the changes on to Jefferson and especially with Dexter which I personally use are helpful. I don't see how the Finkle bus beginning 45 minute frequency at the start a weekday. Then after 8am is going to be helpful when the Finkle bus doesn't show up in the first part of the schedule anyway in his late so I'm not sure how that's going to work out. So of course I want to speak in support of the peak period trips for the routes three 713 1518 2760 and 67 Those are some neglected routes. However, I just want to be on record to say this too. I don't see how any of these time frequencies are going to be promised when you're short over 100 drivers. And what is changing between now and December that we probably don't know about that you're able to promise this frequency. I'm not sure if this is a good timing for this because I'm earlier this year, you guaranteed Dexter 20 minute I had ways and you couldn't even accomplish that. So my question is how are you going to be able to accomplish these service changes for January when you don't have enough drivers? And I just don't understand that. And then what the deficit number nine what the? I really think those changes are positive. But I just want to bring attention to these bus islands in the double lane bike lanes. I see cars driving through those. So we need to consider the safety of our passengers in this system. Thank you.

Thank you, Renard. Mr. Cunningham. Yours is the next hand up

Hello, can you hear me

barely can you maybe speak up a little

I just took it off of Bluetooth. Am I better? That

is better. Go ahead and state and spell your name and then we'll get the countdown clock going. Thank you. Brother

Cunningham's C as in cat use the umbrella N as in Nancy. Nancy is in as in Nancy GeoJSON. guy he has in house as an apple Amazon man. I want to be in agreement with Mr. Mr. Penske. Renard and y'all know drivers promises this is a good time to do this. I'm out in the field all over the city. These improvements are greatly needed. But you don't have the bus drivers right now. How was it possible? I'm done

okay, thank you sir.

Lucas le sechi. years is the next hand up.

I have ever there. I'm Luca Sasaki. I'm a resident of Farmington Hills and a regular deedat writer that's spelled l u k eight SLASECKI. And began I'd like to express my support for these service improvements will absolutely be helpful to have these additional frequencies. You have a couple of concerns for one. The bulk of what was said about peak period additional trips. I think that wording is sort of vague and doesn't really accurately describe what's being done here. Peak period additional trips on evergreen could mean it's being bumped up to every 20 minutes or every 15 minutes, even every 10 at certain times. But you just say we're throwing more buses at this route doesn't really give us most much information about when or how many or what impact that's going to have on service. I'd like to echo as well the concerns of the prior two commenters that we don't really have much of an assurance that you will be able to fulfill these changes since you're already struggling with the operator shortage to fulfill the service you're already promising. If you're able to make this work in practice, it will absolutely be great. But it's going to be concerning if you're delivering if you're promising additional service that you're not able to deliver on. And my final concern that I'd like to raise is as much as the Jefferson amenities will be nice. I feel like it may be better to prioritize restoring basic amenities to other places rather than improving amenities that already exist on Jefferson. Probably more than half of DDOT stops are not accessible to disabled riders which is a massive problem that needs to be addressed and isn't sufficiently being addressed. Greenfield most of the stops don't have benches or shelters. basic amenities to some places need to be addressed before really good amenities. Become a priority. Thank you for your time. Thank you

James sobolewski Here's is the next hand up

Hey, good evening. Can I be heard? Yes. Go ahead. My name is James subblock Husky SOP o l EWSKI. Resident of Detroit. I just would speak in support of the frequency improvements. I definitely share the concerns with the other commenters in that. It's very important to prioritize reliability in the schedule. So we need to make sure that what we're promising out there to the public is what's being delivered. And that comes with having the adequate number of drivers so I'm looking forward to you know, the promise has been made that January is going to be the day so I look forward to that. One specific note on Jefferson. So I commonly and I've observed a number of other writers doing this as well. The Maryland stuff that's actually past alter and gross point is a big transfer point between the deedat system and the smart system. I know I the diagram that was shown here looks like that's maintained and the bus will actually make that U turn where it has the layover on Jefferson and Maryland. But I would just like to be on the record saying that I'd like to see that transfer point and that stop at Maryland fee maintained so people that are either continuing on into the smart system or getting off in that gross point. Stop can continue to do that.

Thank you.

Great, thank you. Mr. shella. Yours is the next hand up

Good evening everyone. My name is Rochelle Stewart. Spelt our O C H E ll a steward Ste W AR T with the transit justice team. is greatly appreciated. The Grand River would have more routes and extra but we are at a time where it's wintertime and we really don't have enough shelters just protecting elderly in the ADA community that's out there. And even the students it's been said students are knocking on time, that revenue school on time people are losing jobs. Please if you're gonna put this into play, hopefully like everybody's saying we have enough drivers number one, which we don't have at this time. Hopefully by January we can but I can't see that happening in less than two months. But if it is possible, this will be something that will be greatly appreciated. The passengers needed they're waiting too long. Some of the other routes need to be updated and get more frequency to but the my time hopefully we can get all this done. The data promised a lot of things. This seemed like is kind of far stretched to happen in January, but I'm hoping they can and thank you for considering these routes to add more to it more frequency. But I'm gonna wait to see and please put some more shelters up because people are standing out there with no protection from the snow, the rain, the coldness of this winter.

you Alan Rossetto.

Okay, can you hear me?

I can hear you now. Go ahead. All right.

Thank you. My name is Alan Roseto. Let's aro S E as an Edward T as in Tom T as in Tom. Oh, I'm a handicapped individual that uses an electric wheelchair to travel around the city. And I've only been here for a couple of years. I spent most of my first couple of years in a nursing home doing rehabilitation and now I'm out and using DDOT services quite a bit. I was also using Metro lift quite a bit until my wheelchair was actually damaged by one of their drivers and I had to send it in and not have my chair for a full month while it was repaired. So I started using DDOT busing system. And I'm finding several issues with that. A lot of it is with the drivers themselves. They'll pull up to a stop, and they'll explain to me that their bus is too full. You can clearly see inside of the bus through the windows of the bus is half full less than half full. There may be people in the seats that are used for seniors and and handicapped equipment. And they actually get up and they'll lift the seats up for the driver and move to the back and the driver will still explain that as buses do full go sit down in his seat and drive away. This has happened on more than one occasion. I've also had issues where where the equipment didn't work properly, whether the driver was not using it correctly, or it was damaged in some way. I don't know. But the lift wouldn't come down and I wasn't able to get on the bus then I've missed six appointments doctor's appointments this year alone, because of drivers not wanting to pick me up or just driving right by me. Or because routes were cancelled because they didn't have a driver for that particular time frame. Beginning to get really frustrating I had a specialist for multiple sclerosis that I was supposed to see. And now I have to pay $75 If I want to get an appointment with that doctor because I missed the appointment that I had with

sorry, I'm sorry they get your two minute time limit

Are there any other any other hands Okay, Claire, you're next.

Hey guys, this I am clear Norfolk Boyd. First name C l a i r e. My last name is hyphenated. It's two words. No wack and ow a K hyphen B O ye D as in dog. Then I'll just say I agree with basically all the other commenters that are really excited to see new service. It was really great to hear the words service changes and read the announcement and go oh, oh, oh, it's the good guy and like it's awesome to see you grow. I share everyone else's concern about DDOT ability to run this service when there continues to be severely insufficient driver pay to have enough drivers to make the buses show up so that you know everyone else can get to their job. It's it's a long term thing and yeah, I'll also say just, again there. I see the changes you guys trying to make and the actions you try to take but there just seems to be really chronic problems with with the dad's treatment of wheelchair users whether it's even letting them on board as that comment or noted making sure that bus stops are not parked in I mean, just it Yeah. People who need transit the most need it to actually work and be accessible to them. So thanks as always for listening to us. And I guess I'll see you guys next year.

Thank you. Just a gentle reminder that this is the public hearing for the January service changes. So let's keep the comments pertaining to that specifically and the next hand up is Lisa Franklin.

Yes, good evening. This is Lisa Franklin. Warriors on wheels is spelled Li SAFRANK Li N and I'm just really sorry that that happened to the gentleman who was a wheelchair user um, I see all of the changes that you all are proposing. And it seems like an awful lot of resources and money going into Jefferson which just travels down the waterfront and down Jefferson and I'd like to see more done to some of the routes that serve as they go down through the neighborhood Woodward, Dexter, Greenfield, all of those routes that need attention for the people in the neighborhoods. Now we've talked at length about training the drivers, and I think that some of those resources can go into making sure that the drivers understand the ridership and the needs of the ridership. There used to be a time where if a wheelchair user was left out at the bus stop that the driver was supposed to call into dispatch to let them know that a person that needs transportation and is a power wheelchair user manual wheelchair user on a walker or a cane and is left behind. Dispatch should know about that and departments should know about that. So again, those changes on Jefferson. I love to see any type of changes, but I think that some of those resources could be put into the neighborhoods. Thank you for the time and listening. Have a great evening everyone.

Thank you

call in user two, excuse me column user one. Yours is the next hand up

near me, yeah, yes, go ahead and remember to state your name for the record.

spell my name. I just have one question if you guys are making

a public hearing, man this is a public hearing for the January service changes. So we need you to go on the record and speak to the January post service changes please go ahead

Can you hear me?

Yeah, we can hear you now.

Yeah, because you keep muting me and I was trying to find some information out about the Dexter's Are you going to increase service or decrease service?

Can you hear me?

Yes, we need you to state and spell your name and this is a public comment for the proposed service changes we're not able to answer questions at this time.

Okay, well, I wanted questions. And under federal law, you don't have to give your name to ask questions at a public comment. That's not required by federal law.

Thank you, ma'am. The next hand up is Ms. Marguerite.

Yes. My name is

the good news. S E. Learning word

who like Nala

laying down nobody oh I'm joking.

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me have you resources then. Thank you

Thank you there any more hands anymore people they'd like to make a public comment on the January service changes

and I did answer a couple of questions in the chat that were asked during the by the participants so I hope it's helpful to define what is your supplemental trip and what we're proposing for the gesture wrap

okay. There are no other hands raised

well, here we go. Here's a new hand Mr. Tiller

I'm sorry. Excellent. Excellent. Okay. Give me one second. Okay, then Mr. Petrak? I think we are. We have everybody has had a chance to talk make their public comment.

Do we have any, any other any other comments

I'm going to put the slide up. Hopefully you can see it about how to make public comments in email by US Postal Service, and our customer service number and I'll leave this up for a few minutes if anybody wants to take down this info. And the comment period is open until December 15. Unless, Steve, you have anything else to say I think that closes the meeting in the public comment portion

but just to repeat what I put in the chat box, the extra proposal would be an improvement in frequency because where it's now 22 minutes would be going to every 20 minutes. And supplemental trips are individual trips that are inserted between the regular trips that are in the schedule. So they don't change the all day frequency but they do briefly provide an additional trip that's overlaid on top of the other trips.

Okay, thank you for clarifying. I do want to address one comment in the chat that no we will not be having a regular December community input meeting. The next community input meeting will be in January, whatever that third Thursday in January is, but I'll leave this information up if people want to make additional public comments by email or mail you can take down this information. And I think I think that closes the meeting then thank you very much for joining our public hearing.

recording stopped