Dec 12, 2022 - News

Motor City Transit: Maintaining paratransit services

Joe Guillen

Mayor Mike Duggan announces new paratransit contracts. — Mayor Mike Duggan and transportation director Mikel Oglesby, right, announce new paratransit contracts. Photo: City of Detroit/Flickr

Using emergency powers that get around the reaches of City Council, Mayor Mike Duggan approved a package of contracts last week to maintain transportation services for the disabled community.

Why it matters: The Federal Transit Administration warned the city that it could lose federal funding and face other consequences if paratransit services were reduced in January — the expected outcome after Council rejected a contract with Transdev, the administration's highly criticized selected provider.

About 1,000 local riders with disabilities rely on these services daily.

What happened: Duggan approved four six-month contracts to ensure rides remain available.

The unilateral approval mechanism is available for emergency situations, according to the city.
Six-month costs will rise from $4.7 million under the rejected contract to $5.8 million for the new emergency contracts.

What they're saying: "I don't have any excuse for the poor performance in the past. We are completely changing the system so we're taking responsibility at DDOT for the quality of paratransit rides in the future," Duggan said last week.

Between the lines: The four transit providers under the new contracts are:

Moe Transportation
Big Star Transit
Checker Cab Company
Delray United Action Council

How it works: People with disabilities can call 313-208-7363 for a ride.

City employees now screen calls for eligibility and handle customer service, dispatch and scheduling.

What's next: The city will start looking for a long-term paratransit service provider in January.

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Motor City Transit: Maintaining paratransit services

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