Response to Detroit bus system uses tracking for smoother operations, Detroit News, 06/17/2012
Opinion by Stephen Boyle
Tracking technology has been corroding on the buses, signals broadcast waiting to be heard. When buses arrive into the fleet they come with AVL equipment. DDOT has gone through maintenance to resurrect units to get them back online.
The elimination of buses and elongating of service times for route times outside "core hours" has wiped out jobs, placed people on dark streets walking miles home, and it isn't like they can call a taxi - doing that wipes out any income from a job.
The article mentions creating a phone app to know when the next bus is coming. This is great news - for those that have a smart phone! Phone technology when you have a basic job or searching for one isn't likely able to run Android/iPhone apps. It has to get down to text messages to serve basic needs foremost. Some still have a limit in number of text messages they can receive in a month. If you keep meeting a bar set too high you'll continue to claim to hit a mark, but fail to hear from those you missed.
The FTA requires filing an Equity Analysis before making major service changes or raising fares. Detroit Department of Transportation did NOT file an Equity Analysis BEFORE making changes. These changes were pushed on the people with a 10 day notice (receiving no fanfare by the press, this is NORMAL for the Detroit Press Secretary - they want nobody to know, nobody to show!). Public transportation is an area the City of Detroit has been getting a black eye in for decades. During these same years elected officials have used the law as a guide rather than the framework for how to operate, choosing to ignore the law when it doesn't fit their master plan created in closed door sessions with corporate executives. The people have largely not stepped up and filed ethics complaints, this has to stop now and people need to hold elected officials to an ethical standard that serves the PEOPLE, not the corporate interests intent on enslaving the people.
If all DDOT can serve is core hours then you serve those whom are working - you missed a segment of your target audience for Federal grant funding [Job Access / Reverse Commute Programs (Section 3037)]. Maybe if DDOT focused on abiding by the federal & state programs they would have more operating capital. The feds don't want to offer it because DDOT hasn't delivered in the programs as requested. Getting the AVL working is a REQUIREMENT for federal funding - there are MORE REQUIREMENTS.
Work on the basics please!!! The Envisurage contract was illegally created behind closed doors as a way for the Mayor to sell-out the city assets. The goal since last year was to move public transportation into privatized hands, which creates a question - will a private firm service the public needs - NOOO!! The Detroit Bus Company is an example, that fledgling bus system serves party people on the weekends, it isn't out to serve working people.
Once the people are out of the way city officials can interpret the rule of law as they would like and subject the people to that interpretation. This is how some of our law enforcement happens - the officer says "you can't do that", and most people comply with the request. Some people know their rights and question that authority knowing full well the officer is bluffing and expecting compliance.
From the preamble of the City Charter...
Opinion by Stephen Boyle
Tracking technology has been corroding on the buses, signals broadcast waiting to be heard. When buses arrive into the fleet they come with AVL equipment. DDOT has gone through maintenance to resurrect units to get them back online.
The elimination of buses and elongating of service times for route times outside "core hours" has wiped out jobs, placed people on dark streets walking miles home, and it isn't like they can call a taxi - doing that wipes out any income from a job.
The FTA requires filing an Equity Analysis before making major service changes or raising fares. Detroit Department of Transportation did NOT file an Equity Analysis BEFORE making changes. These changes were pushed on the people with a 10 day notice (receiving no fanfare by the press, this is NORMAL for the Detroit Press Secretary - they want nobody to know, nobody to show!). Public transportation is an area the City of Detroit has been getting a black eye in for decades. During these same years elected officials have used the law as a guide rather than the framework for how to operate, choosing to ignore the law when it doesn't fit their master plan created in closed door sessions with corporate executives. The people have largely not stepped up and filed ethics complaints, this has to stop now and people need to hold elected officials to an ethical standard that serves the PEOPLE, not the corporate interests intent on enslaving the people.
If all DDOT can serve is core hours then you serve those whom are working - you missed a segment of your target audience for Federal grant funding [Job Access / Reverse Commute Programs (Section 3037)]. Maybe if DDOT focused on abiding by the federal & state programs they would have more operating capital. The feds don't want to offer it because DDOT hasn't delivered in the programs as requested. Getting the AVL working is a REQUIREMENT for federal funding - there are MORE REQUIREMENTS.
Work on the basics please!!! The Envisurage contract was illegally created behind closed doors as a way for the Mayor to sell-out the city assets. The goal since last year was to move public transportation into privatized hands, which creates a question - will a private firm service the public needs - NOOO!! The Detroit Bus Company is an example, that fledgling bus system serves party people on the weekends, it isn't out to serve working people.
Once the people are out of the way city officials can interpret the rule of law as they would like and subject the people to that interpretation. This is how some of our law enforcement happens - the officer says "you can't do that", and most people comply with the request. Some people know their rights and question that authority knowing full well the officer is bluffing and expecting compliance.
From the preamble of the City Charter...
The people have a right to expect city government to provide for its residents, decent housing; job opportunities; reliable, convenient and comfortable transportation; recreational facilities and activities; cultural enrichment, including libraries and art and historical museums; clean air and waterways, safe drinking water and a sanitary, environmentally sound city.
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