After a year of TRU and riders pushing for it, Mayor Duggan proposed an immediate raise to attract new bus drivers!
Sick of waiting around for no-show buses, TRU and other riders and transit supporters have been pushing Mayor Duggan to boost pay to make driving DDOT buses a more attractive job.
He finally listened! Thursday, January 4, Mayor Duggan proposed to increase DDOT driver pay by $3 per hour and to increase the attendance bonus by $2,000 per year. These very exciting steps that we at TRU applaud.
Time will tell whether this increase is sufficient to fill the many driver openings that have lead to the no-show bus crisis. This is a nearly 20% raise and will bring DDOT drivers to the same starting rate as SMART drivers. But SMART has a major driver shortage too and has said they’ll be increasing pay there too soon.
This is an amendment to the current ATU contract. It will still be renegotiated in July of 2025. An additional raise will probably be needed then too, especially if they haven’t made all the hires they need.
It is worth noting: DDOT has been working hard to boost hiring over recent months. They graduated a class of 30 new drivers on Friday, January 5, and hope to graduate another 45 next month. That’s real progress!
Bravo to everyone who helped make this happen!
Our work as Team Transit made this raise happen:
- Dozens of people joined our February and July rallies demanding this change.
- Dozens more spoke out at last year’s City Council meetings and at Mayor Duggan’s Community meetings.
- Hundreds more sent emails and made phone calls demanding competitive driver pay.
That’s all in addition to:
- Our Save Our Service report spotlighting this crisis
- And the many media stories we spurred
- Plus our work with the Michigan legislature to increase Local Bus Operating by $60 million in the FY2024 budget!
This fight is far from over
TRU will continue to work at all levels to keep attention on the driver shortage and push for policies that will bring about more and better public transit for our community.
TRU is only successful because of transit supporters like you joining TRU and taking action. Here are more ways you can help keep the pressure on decision-makers to fix public transit:
- Call the Mayor’s office at 313-224-3400 and thank the Mayor for boosting pay for drivers, even if it’s just a first step.
- Ask your state legislators what they’re doing to improve public transit. It’s quick and easy with our online email tool. You can also call or email your state representative and senator share why transit matters to you.
- Join our monthly volunteer meetings to explore more ways to get involved.
- Help TRU expand ongoing advocacy by becoming a sustaining member. Monthly giving is easy for you and helps TRU plan meaningful advocacy work. And you choose what level is right for you.
Thank you so very much as always for your input, attention, and support throughout the year.