Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) officials hope a recently updated tracking system will help keep city buses on schedule. Over the past 45 days, DDOT made sure all buses have a working automated vehicle tracking system, Chief Executive Ron Freeland said Monday morning.
The tracking system will be able to calculate the time of arrival of buses.
The announcement came during a press conference at the Rosa Parks Transit Center where Freeland outlined the bus system’s 415 plan to increase service to four of its busiest lines. “We want the service to be so dependable, so reliable that our passengers actually want to use — that is choose to use — our service because it’s that convenient,” Freeland said.
About half of the city’s buses had the tracking system installed about 10 years ago, but it was rarely maintained. Now, the updated tracking system is on all buses, so dispatchers and road supervisors can see if buses are showing up on time.
Since DDOT began working with an outside management group, buses are arriving on time 15 percent more often and breaking down 25 percent less, Freeland said.
By Josh Katzenstein, Detroit News
