Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said Monday that the city finally has what it needs for a “complete rebuild” of its struggling bus system.
The latest boosts for the Detroit Department of Transportation come from the federal and state governments. Duggan said grants from the Trump and Biden administrations have allowed it to buy 129 new buses, representing more than 40% of Detroit’s entire fleet.
And new funding from a state transportation package means both bus drivers and mechanics will get much-needed raises. That means it’s getting easier for the city to hire drivers, Duggan said, and should also make it easier to deal with a chronic backlog of repairs.
Detroit is also nearly finished rebuilding the Coolidge bus terminal. The original terminal was destroyed by fire in 2011, but a newly renovated version should be operational by April 2026.
“We are going to bring in brand-new buses into a brand-new terminal complex with fairly paid drivers, fairly paid mechanics, in a new system,” Duggan said.
Detroit Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield also lauded the union leaders, workers, and others who make Detroit’s bus system run.
“We are going into a new year with a new mayor, with new buses, pay higher wages. And there's so much enhancement to the system,” Sheffield said. “And so I could not be more proud to step into the mayor's office with such a strong foundation.”
