rich 1.0 Action Network https://actionnetwork.org <link href='https://actionnetwork.org/css/style-embed-v3.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' /><script src='https://actionnetwork.org/widgets/v6/letter/detroitbuses?format=js&source=widget'></script><div id='can-letter-area-detroitbuses' style='width: 100%'><!-- this div is the target for our HTML insertion --></div> Transportation Riders United (TRU) https://actionnetwork.org/groups/transportation-riders-united-tru https://can2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/letters/photos/000/260/312/normal/ddot-operator.png Thousands of Detroiters rely on the bus every day to get to work, school, and other destinations. But the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) is currently running only two-thirds of already limited pre-pandemic bus service - less than any other major city in the country. In fact, there's only one frequent (every 15 minute) bus route - Woodward - in the entire City, down from six pre-pandemic. In many neighborhoods, bus routes now run only once an hour throughout the day. Why? DDOT can’t recruit or retain enough drivers. The Department is short about 100 drivers, out of 500. The staffing crisis is no surprise, considering that pay starts at just $15/hour - less than many fast food workers earn. Detroit police just got a sizable raise. So did the Mayor & City Council. Tell Council we can't leave riders and drivers behind. Council must bring back the bus service that thousands of Detroiters rely on, by paying our bus drivers the living wage they deserve. To make that possible, in the City's fiscal year 2024 budget, Council must substantially increase the portion of the City's General Fund that goes to DDOT operations, to at least $80 million. By way of comparison, the Detroit Police Department receives more than $300 million annually from the General Fund, and Council is currently debating a proposal to award more than $800 million in new tax incentives for downtown development projects. https://actionnetwork.org/letters/detroitbuses