| MEYERS-NORTHLAWN |
D.S.R. Route #63
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Information for the above article compiled from route data
supplied by various Jack E. Schramm Motor Coach Age
magazine articles on DSR bus routes, including "Detroit's
DSR, Part 3" (May–June 1993 edition), and from a 1974
DDOT Meyers-Northlawn timetable copy, courtesy of Ken
Schramm. Additional information obtained from 1972 and
1980 DDOT Service Maps already in the author's
possession. The 1977 Meyers-Northlawn transfer courtesy
of the Stan Sycko Transit Collection.
supplied by various Jack E. Schramm Motor Coach Age
magazine articles on DSR bus routes, including "Detroit's
DSR, Part 3" (May–June 1993 edition), and from a 1974
DDOT Meyers-Northlawn timetable copy, courtesy of Ken
Schramm. Additional information obtained from 1972 and
1980 DDOT Service Maps already in the author's
possession. The 1977 Meyers-Northlawn transfer courtesy
of the Stan Sycko Transit Collection.
| D-DOT Route #33 |
The former DSR/DDOT Meyers-Northlawn route was a
light service bus route formed by the DSR during the early
1970s, basically as a result of protests from neighborhood
residents along the Northlawn portion of the route whose
bus service had recently been discontinued.
This new route was formed by combining the former route #63
Meyers (which began operations back in 1927), with route #69
Northlawn (which began operating as a separate bus route back
in 1949, but as a smaller shuttle route in 1951).
During the early seventies, construction would begin along the
west-side of Detroit on the new Jeffries (I-96) Freeway, which,
as to be expected, would result in a number of residential streets
no longer being through streets across the newly constructed ex-
pressway. Two such streets, Northlawn and Cloverlawn, serv-
ed as the main roadways for the Northlawn bus route. The new
freeway would result in the already short route—which was about
1.8-miles long one way—now having to be split in half.
Consequently, due to the construction of the Jeffries Freeway,
the DSR announced that the #69 Northlawn bus route would
be discontinued permanently—-effective Monday, June 7, 1971.
This decision was followed by angry protests from residents along
the small route, who petitioned the DSR to restore their service.
After freeway construction was completed in that area, the DSR
restored the service, effective on Monday, September 25, 1972.
To resolve the issue of access across the freeway, the route had
to be rerouted one-half mile to the east across the freeway along
Fullerton, traveling via Fullerton, Ewald Circle and Davison.
However, shortly afterward, DSR management announced that
the Northlawn route would be combined with the 4-½ mile long
Meyers route, which was located one-half mile to the west of the
route's north end. The routes were combined by using Wyoming
and Lyndon streets.
Effective on June 15, 1973, the new route #63 Meyers-Northlawn began operations. Service operated during peak
hours, Mondays thru Fridays, with 30-minute headways. Only the Northlawn Shuttle portion operated on Saturdays.
Shortly after DDOT took-over DSR operations in 1974, new route numbers were assigned to all lines, with the Meyers-
Northlawn line becoming route #33 Meyers-Northlawn.
By the mid-eighties, service had been reduced to 60-minute headways, with no service on Saturdays. It was becoming
evident that the eventual cancellation of the service was inevitable. Service on the line was later discontinued by DDOT,
coinciding with a number of other DDOT route eliminations scheduled to take effect on Tuesday, September 6, 1988—
the date that the department implemented its most significant route changes since World War-II. The actual last day of
service on the #33 Meyers-Northlawn line was Friday, September 2, 1988.
hours, Mondays thru Fridays, with 30-minute headways. Only the Northlawn Shuttle portion operated on Saturdays.
Shortly after DDOT took-over DSR operations in 1974, new route numbers were assigned to all lines, with the Meyers-
Northlawn line becoming route #33 Meyers-Northlawn.
By the mid-eighties, service had been reduced to 60-minute headways, with no service on Saturdays. It was becoming
evident that the eventual cancellation of the service was inevitable. Service on the line was later discontinued by DDOT,
coinciding with a number of other DDOT route eliminations scheduled to take effect on Tuesday, September 6, 1988—
the date that the department implemented its most significant route changes since World War-II. The actual last day of
service on the #33 Meyers-Northlawn line was Friday, September 2, 1988.
| A 1984 DDOT pocket-schedule timetable card for the former Route #33 Meyers-Northlawn. To compare with 1974 timetable headways click-on image above. (courtesy S. Sycko Collection) |
| A D-DOT issued Meyers-Northland 5¢ transfer. (1977) |