Detroit transit advocates are claiming an incremental victory for the city’s bus system despite failing to secure the full funding they sought for 2025-26. 

Mayor Mike Duggan signed the $3 billion budget on Wednesday after it was authorized by the City Council on Monday. The spending plan includes a $20 million increase for the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT), $209 million total, plus $2.7 million in surplus funding from the previous fiscal year.

Activists with Transportation Riders United and the Detroit People’s Platform rallied to “double DDOT” funding in the next five years. They urged the City Council to start by adding $16 million to Duggan’s $20 million budget increase for the department. It didn’t happen, but Joel Batterman, campaigns manager for TRU, said there’s still room to celebrate.

“While we didn’t get the additional $16 million we wanted from council, we believe our advocacy helped spur the $20 million boost to DDOT funding in the mayor’s budget proposal,” Batterman said. “We’ll be back next year, aiming to build on this year’s progress and win the transit system that Detroiters deserve.”

DDOT Director Robert Cramer said the full DDOT budget will help cover quarterly increases in service improvements, offer free rides on election days, hire more drivers and mechanics, replace and expand bus shelters, and widen the availability of paratransit service for residents with disabilities. Surplus funding includes $2 million to install additional bus shelters, $673,000 to replace 50 bus seats, and $50,000 to study the city’s paratransit service. 

“I really think the residents are going to see the changes in the experience and the service, based on the investments already in the $20 million,” Cramer said during an April 3 budget hearing.

Duggan administration officials said the extra $16 million couldn’t be used to put more buses on the street because buses take two years to be delivered and DDOT lacked a plan for the funding. 

“The key to this is the new buses,” Duggan said during his budget presentation in February. “We have bought 45 new buses, they are scheduled to start coming in late summer through the end of 2025. This is going to allow us to put the service on the road. Today, we are running 178 buses a day. When all the buses come in, we’ll be running 220 a day.” 

During an April 3 budget hearing, Cramer said the administration’s planned $20 million is “an incredible show of support already.” 

“I’ve got to balance how far we can push with what we can realistically implement, and really making sure as we’re doing these improvements we’re able to maintain a level of reliability and quality along the way,” Cramer said.

Council Member Gabriela Santiago-Romero, who sponsored the $16 million request, noted that Detroiters came out in numbers to secure a larger investment in DDOT during public hearings. She does not have a car, relying on the transit system and a vehicle provided by the city to get around, and said the service must improve for users. 

“Every single resident that was here asked us to invest in DDOT,” she said on April 3. “One of the No. 1 issues is transit. I think the idea is that if we invest more in DDOT, we’re able to provide more. The issue is we need to do more.”

Santiago-Romero pulled the request after hearing Cramer’s testimony, saying the administration had made it clear that the council “can’t do much more for DDOT.” 

“We’re going to have to continue to have these conversations, be honest with the public about where we are and go to the state and counties to have them invest,” she said. “Across the board, transportation is what’s needed for here and connectivity. We have Detroiters working in the suburbs and vice versa. I know we’ve invested a lot, but the public is asking us to do more.” 

Council President Mary Sheffield said she heard “constant” calls from residents to add bus shelters. She said the planned budget increase was significant, but Detroit needs help from the state and federal government to provide further funding. DDOT is monitoring for possible disruptions in federal support under the Trump administration. 

Shelter shortage

Santiago-Romero said that DDOT needs a comprehensive plan to increase the number of shelters. 

Out of 5,091 bus stops across Detroit, 228 have shelters (5%) and only 77 bus stops  – or 1.5% – have benches. Transit advocates said the lack of shelters reflects a lack of institutional funding. 

The lack of shelters is a particular frustration for transit activist and taxi cab driver Michael Cunningham II, who organizes bus ride-alongs with elected officials and collects donations for hand warmers and bus tickets. Cunningham has countless stories of residents, including seniors and people with disabilities, exposed to harsh weather conditions while waiting for the bus.

“We need shelter and benches,” Cunningham said. “When there’s a will, there is a way, but it’s often only for the gentrifiers. With new people coming in, we’re leaving Black folks who take the bus on the back burner and I’m tired of it.” 

DDOT is in the process of adding 60 new shelters this year.

District 5 will receive 20 bus shelters, the most of any council district, followed by 10 in District 2, nine in District 1, nine in District 4, five in District 6, and four in District 7. Council Member Scott Benson asked the administration to find $300,000 to add shelters in District 3. 

The department has funding to replace 50 shelters and add 50 new shelters next year. Cramer said selecting sites for bus shelters can be complicated because they must comply with federal Title VI accessibility requirements.

Cramer said DDOT will try to identify as many sites as possible, then seek funding for them over a longer period of time. 

“More shelters would be better because each is an opportunity for someone to have relief from heat, wind, rain and snow as they’re waiting for the bus,” Cramer said. “I plan to keep the council and the public informed as we make steps along the way. I won’t be afraid to point out the progress we’re making and when we get to the point where we need to do more.” 

Drivers, mechanics and upgrades

Cunningham said the funding increase is “better than nothing” but still “really disheartening,” given the amount of time and energy advocates put into the double DDOT campaign. He said city leaders have been forced to pay more attention to transit issues as a result of public organizing, however. 

“It has been growing and I don’t want the momentum to stop,” Cunningham said. “Hopefully, the people will stay encouraged and stay engaged.” 

Cunningham said he’s seen City Council members gain a deeper understanding of the bus system’s issues by riding with him. Council Member Fred Durhal III advocated for replacing cloth bus seats after seeing their condition on a ride along, Cunningham said. 

“There were a couple of nasty spots on the fabric and he never forgot that,” Cunningham said. “It was an impression in his mind that he wouldn’t have got from me coming down to the meetings and just talking.” 

The council also made several transit-related requests for the Duggan administration to fund if surplus revenue is found in the future. This includes working toward establishing a low-income fare discount or free ridership program and offering free rides to school-age children. The Detroit People Mover and QLINE are free thanks to sponsorships, and Cunningham said the city should find a sponsor to replace lost fare revenue. 

Most of DDOT’s funding comes from the city’s General Fund and grants from the state and federal government. Only $8 million in was collected in passenger fares for the 2024 fiscal year. DDOT is planning to upgrade its fare collection system this summer, a $15 million project. 

DDOT is making progress toward hiring 690 transit operators, which will help put more buses on the street and improve reliability. There were 509 bus drivers working as of March, up from 367 in 2023. 

Duggan said 63 more drivers and 24 more mechanics will be hired this year. Another 30 buses are expected to come next year.

“We will be running more bus service than before COVID hit,” Duggan said in February. “It’s been a long road back, but we have the right director at DDOT now and the right support.”  

A labor agreement with the Amalgamated Transit Union expires this summer, setting the stage for negotiations for a pay increase. 

DDOT is replacing the Coolidge terminal, where buses are repaired. A $160 million project, partly funded with state and federal grants, is halfway complete and expected to finish in 2026.

A $3 million renovation to Rosa Parks Transit Center is being planned, with a goal of improving comfort, safety and security. The City Council urged Duggan to put a community service coordinator at the Rosa Parks Transit Center to connect unhoused residents with resources.

The budget includes funding other service enhancements. DDOT will launch same-day paratransit service in the fourth quarter of this year, operating 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. This service is supported with a grant from the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan.

More Detroiters are using the service, and it’s becoming more reliable. Paratransit ridership increased by 20% annually, and could reach 385,000 trips in 2025. There are 27,000 registered users. On-time performance is near-perfect, reaching 99%, according to DDOT. 

DDOT is in the process of replacing diesel buses built in 2012 with hybrid buses. Last year, the department received a $35.9 million grant to buy 21 hybrid buses, four hydrogen buses and a hydrogen fueling station. Hybrid buses are expected to hit the streets in 2026, while the hydrogen buses are slated for 2027. 

On-board cameras are being added through a $6 million plan covered by federal and state funding. Budget documents show DDOT has “an unreliable system” of poorly maintained cameras, which leaves the city open to fraudulent personal injury lawsuits. Replacing cameras improves the city’s ability to resolve litigation pertaining to DDOT. 

DDOT’s budget also includes funding for the Detroit Transportation Corporation, which operates the People Mover. The state provided an $800,000 grant to study changes to the elevated fixed-rail loop, including adding or moving stops and expanding the track. The study is expected to start in April.