Detroit, Michigan Starting Monday, January 22, 2024, the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) has buses running more often on the 9-Jefferson route, and they’re also adding more buses to some other routes. This decision was made possible thanks to the hiring of new bus drivers following a city’s decision to raise salary and offer higher bonuses to employees.
More drivers are joining the Detroit Department of Transportation
Just this month, Detroit Department of Transportation trained 30 new drivers and are teaching 115 more. Detroit Mayor, Mike Duggan, said that these drivers will get paid $3 more per hour for the start, and their maximum possible wage is also higher.
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Plus, they’re going to get a bigger bonus for showing up to work regularly – now it’s $1500 every three months instead of the $1000 it used to be. This decision to pay more, made on January 16, 2024, has made even more people want to work for DDOT.
The 9-Jefferson bus, which is the first of its kind in a new speedy bus service project, will now come every 10 minutes on weekdays and every 15 minutes on weekends during the day. To make these buses faster and better, the Detroit Department of Transportation is planning some more stuff for Jefferson Avenue:
- Temporary bus stops in the middle of the road, so buses don’t have to weave in and out of traffic
- Fewer bus stops, but spaced evenly so the bus can move faster
- Permanent places to get on the bus, built along with other street improvements
- Better bus shelters with screens showing info, but only at some stops
- Better spots to switch from one bus to another at busy intersections
More buses on other Detroit Department of Transportation routes
The Detroit Department of Transportation is also increasing the number of buses on the 16-Dexter and 18-Fenkell routes, and during busy times, they’ll add more buses to several other routes too.
3- Grand River
13- Conner
15- Chicago/Davison
19- Fort
7- Seven Mile
27- Joy
60- Evergreen
67- Cadillac/Harper
Bigger salary, more drivers expected
The City of Detroit is committed to providing the best possible bus service to local residents. This commitment means more frequent buses and adding new routes. To make this possible, the city has increased salaries and bonuses, making the bus driver positions more appealing to potential candidates. This results in more applicants.
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If you are interested in learning more about the available positions, please visit https://detroitmi.gov/departments/detroit-department-transportation.