D-DOT Route #93
| GRATIOT-MICHIGAN |
In 1992, DDOT management announced that the following eight bus routes; Baker, Gratiot, Jefferson,
Joy Rd., Michigan, Oakland, Vernor and Woodward, would no longer terminate downtown, but would
now be combined to form four new routes. These lines were to provide DDOT passengers with non-stop
"through–routing" service in-and-out of the downtown area.
Effective Saturday, September 5, 1992, DDOT routes #34 Gratiot and #37 Michigan were combined
and through-routed out of downtown. This new combined service would be known as Route #93
GRATIOT-MICHIGAN. This would mark the third time that these two routes were combined. The first
time was under the DSR in November, 1950, when PCC streetcars operated along both lines, and then
again in June, 1973, when both routes were combined under the DSR, and continued a few years under
DDOT as route #34 Michigan-Gratiot.
The new Gratiot-Michigan line operated from Ford Rouge (Miller Road) Gate #2 on the west end, to the
Eastland Shopping Center on the east, although some Gratiot service terminated and looped downtown.
But despite the numerous problems encountered during the mid-seventies after combining service on
these same two bus lines, DDOT management was determined to implement this on an even larger scale.
Consequently, numerous service delays were encountered with the operation of these new lines being
assigned to two separate terminals. Unpredictable coach and manpower shortages, compounded with a
lack of communication between the terminal locations, resulted in numerous sporadic gaps within the
service.
However, this combined routing arrangement didn't last long. The service was discontinued, for the most
part, after DDOT and SMART joined forces in a cooperative (albeit short–lived) route swapping project.
Effective on Saturday, June 25, 1994, SMART took over operation
Joy Rd., Michigan, Oakland, Vernor and Woodward, would no longer terminate downtown, but would
now be combined to form four new routes. These lines were to provide DDOT passengers with non-stop
"through–routing" service in-and-out of the downtown area.
Effective Saturday, September 5, 1992, DDOT routes #34 Gratiot and #37 Michigan were combined
and through-routed out of downtown. This new combined service would be known as Route #93
GRATIOT-MICHIGAN. This would mark the third time that these two routes were combined. The first
time was under the DSR in November, 1950, when PCC streetcars operated along both lines, and then
again in June, 1973, when both routes were combined under the DSR, and continued a few years under
DDOT as route #34 Michigan-Gratiot.
The new Gratiot-Michigan line operated from Ford Rouge (Miller Road) Gate #2 on the west end, to the
Eastland Shopping Center on the east, although some Gratiot service terminated and looped downtown.
But despite the numerous problems encountered during the mid-seventies after combining service on
these same two bus lines, DDOT management was determined to implement this on an even larger scale.
Consequently, numerous service delays were encountered with the operation of these new lines being
assigned to two separate terminals. Unpredictable coach and manpower shortages, compounded with a
lack of communication between the terminal locations, resulted in numerous sporadic gaps within the
service.
However, this combined routing arrangement didn't last long. The service was discontinued, for the most
part, after DDOT and SMART joined forces in a cooperative (albeit short–lived) route swapping project.
Effective on Saturday, June 25, 1994, SMART took over operation
| The above route map displays DDOT Route #93 Gratiot-Michigan during its nearly two years of operation. |
of DDOT's Michigan and Jefferson routes. As a
result, the combined #93 Gratiot–Michigan and
#97 Woodward–Jefferson routes were separated.
The cooperative agreement between DDOT and
SMART was canceled after just nine months, after
SMART began campaigning to institute a suburban
transit tax to only support suburban bus service.
Effective Saturday, April 1, 1995, DDOT took back
the operation of its #25 E. Jefferson and #37
Michigan routes, while SMART resumed operation
of its routes along Fort Street and John R., which
had been operated by DDOT during the route
swapping project. After the termination of the
agreement with SMART, the two line were never
rejoined and have since remained separate.
result, the combined #93 Gratiot–Michigan and
#97 Woodward–Jefferson routes were separated.
The cooperative agreement between DDOT and
SMART was canceled after just nine months, after
SMART began campaigning to institute a suburban
transit tax to only support suburban bus service.
Effective Saturday, April 1, 1995, DDOT took back
the operation of its #25 E. Jefferson and #37
Michigan routes, while SMART resumed operation
of its routes along Fort Street and John R., which
had been operated by DDOT during the route
swapping project. After the termination of the
agreement with SMART, the two line were never
rejoined and have since remained separate.
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| © 2007 (PAGE LAST MODIFIED ON 8-25-07) |
| (January 1, 1994 Gratiot–Michigan D-DOT Transfer courtesy of the Stan Sycko Transfer Collection) |
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Route operated under D-DOT