The Detroit Bus Company, a private operator, is offering $5 door-to-door service in inner Detroit. So far, the service only operated from 6:00 pm to 2:00 am on Fridays and Saturday nights, but if this is successful, it will no doubt expand.
Service area for Detroit Bus’ door-to-door operation.
Within a certain operating area, the company will pick you up at your door in a biodiesel-fueled bus and take you where you want to go. Outside this operating area, the company has some specific stops it will make.
“It’s time this city had a transit system to be proud of,” says the company. The Antiplanner agrees and sends best wishes to this new venture.
Excellent, this is exactly what we need in the US.
But question, isn’t the public transit agency usually the only one allowed to run buses? How did the private company get around this?
Surely the taxi union will shut this enterprise down.
We used to have this service in my college town. It was affectionately called the “Drunk Bus.”
Way cool, Dude! For me, the best part is that they’re using refurbed school buses: none of those 15 pax tin-roof death vans used by transit agencies. Love the paint and the hype http://thedetroitbus.com/private-rentals/
Wishing them not only success, but emulation in every city on Earth that has ‘public’ transit.
Dave Brough Reply:
October 22nd, 2012 at 1:46 pm
And to think, it was started and ‘self-funded’ by a 25-year-old kid!
I wonder how long drinks on the bus will last.
The Antiplanner Reply:
October 23rd, 2012 at 8:52 am
Since it is supposed to be a party bus, I suspect for as long as the bus lasts.
bennett Reply:
October 23rd, 2012 at 9:13 am
I wonder if they have extra pathogen kits on the bus as vomit is going to be an issue.