Auburn Hills City Council is considering their "local transit options" which might include opting out of @smartbusorg.
More than a dozen people in attendance with no effort to provide any seating. Will be given 1 minute each to comment. Told to keep disturbances down.
Public comments have included @oaklandu students, former @AuburnHillsMI workers, nearby residents who use the AH buses, and people throughout the area concerned about maintaining essential transit services.
The new General Manager of @smartbusorg spoke briefly about their willingness to address the concerns from @AuburnHillsMI about slow bus maintenance and communications.
Here are the options they're considering:
Their cheapest option would cut all fixed route service and only provide paratransit M-F with just 5 vehicles.
Mayor complains that only a few hundred people ride fixed route and that Great Lakes Crossing said losing SMART would have "little to no impact." Robust debate.
Frustrating to hear a relatively supportive councilman say, "I'm lucky enough to not have to ride the bus. We got 4 or 5 cars." Right after explaining that his son loves riding transit in Boston and the Bay area.
Lots of debate but they don't seem to look at their own numbers - they can't save money without eliminating service for all non-disabled residents!
This is what their team recommends. Elimanate service for everyone but seniors and people with disabilities.
MTG RESULT: The @AuburnHillsMI City Council decided to direct their attorney to draft up ballot language to run their own 0.5 mil tax to run senior sevices - with the assumption they will OPT-OUT of SMART.

But the opt-out decision is not final.

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More from @DetroitTransit

Feb 7
@CityofDetroit Council is considering how to overhaul @rideDDOT paratransit service - the on-demand door-to-door transportation for people with disabilities and many seniors.

Lots of public comments in advance complaining of bad service and urgent need for change.

1/
@CityofDetroit @RideDDOT New proposal for paratransit service: that the City should manage everything except the actual operations - eligibility, customer service, scheduling, dispatching. They'd contract out the actual rides, but manage everything else.

2/
@CityofDetroit @RideDDOT Detroit pays the very lowest for paratransit service than nearly any other city.

TRU public comment pointed out: "You get what you pay for."

"You can't pay $1.99 and expect a steak dinner!"

"Detroit needs to DOUBLE funding of paratransit."

3/
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