DDOT welcomes 30 new bus drivers, gets closer to city’s goal

DDOT kicks off 2024 with 30 new bus drivers

This graduating class of new bus operators is the largest in recent years.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - The Detroit Department of Transportation welcomed 30 new bus operators during graduation day on Friday – marking the largest class in recent years.

The new members bring the total to just under 400 active bus drivers. It is another step towards improving transportation services in the city – as DDOT announced a pay bump for drivers on Thursday, along with a new incentive that rewards good attendance.

"DDOT continues to hire additional operators to reach its target of 600, including another graduating class of nearly 60 new drivers next month," according to a city news release.

DDOT's Interim Executive Director Michael Staley said he expects at least 30 new bus drivers a month going forward to get to where they need to be.

Under the new plan, which the Detroit City Council still has to sign off on, drivers could make up to $25.61 per hour. All drivers will see an immediate $3 increase to their hourly wage, bringing the starting pay for new drivers up to $19.15 an hour.

"I think it's a huge impact, not only on recruitment, but also on retaining good employees," Staley said.

Currently, the DDOT "system as a whole operates somewhere in the neighborhood of 65-69% on-time," Staley added. However, DDOT wants their buses to run promptly 85% of the time.

"(The) system comes down to drivers, vehicles, a good schedule and well-executed dispatch – and without a sufficient number of mechanics, (we) can't put enough vehicles on the street," Staley said.

Passengers can expect buses to run more regularly on key routes like Nine Jefferson and 16 Dexter. DDOT plans to add new shelters and improve route management overall.