D-DOT Route #53 + SMART Route #495
| WOODWARD-JOHN R. |
The former DDOT route #53 Woodward-John R. was one of the bus routes that resulted from a rather "short-lived"
cooperative route-swapping venture by DDOT and SMART, with a possible long-term goal of eventually merging both
transit systems. Beginning on Saturday, June 25, 1994, DDOT's recently combined #97 Woodward-Jefferson line
was discontinued after the Jefferson portion of that route was taken-over by SMART. At the same time, the SMART
route #495 John R. became a part of the DDOT route #53 Woodward line.
This resulted in the Woodward line having two northern branches to its route, separating at Woodward and McNichols.
One of the branches would continue along the regular Woodward route to the Michigan State Fairgrounds, located near
Woodward and Eight Mile, while the other operated via the SMART #495 John R. route to Oakland Mall, located near
Fourteen Mile and John R. The route destination signs on many of the DDOT buses were reprogrammed to display the
three-digit #495 route number, which was used on the Woodward coaches assigned to the John R. line.
Although things seemed positive at first, the history behind the demise of this joint venture is worth taking a look-back.
The following adds a bit of background information on the brief life of the Woodward-John R. bus line.
Shortly after becoming Detroit's new mayor in January, 1994, Dennis W. Archer attempted to spark a renewed interest in merging
the DDOT (city) and SMART (suburban) bus operations. As part of a pilot program, duplicate bus operations along East Jefferson,
Michigan, John R. and Fort would merge, with only one of the agencies providing service along each route. The SMART system
would operate all of the service along Michigan and Jefferson Avenues, while DDOT would operate all service along Fort Street
and John R.
The DDOT routes #25 E. Jefferson and #37 Michigan would be operated by the suburban SMART bus system, while SMART
routes #125 Fort Street-Detroit, #150 Taylor-Detroit (which also operated along Fort St) and the #495 John R. would now
be operated by DDOT.
It had been anticipated that merging the bus lines would save the systems money because service along those routes were virtually
duplicated by DDOT and SMART,...especially in the city of Detroit. According to then SMART interim general manager and deputy
Wayne County Executive Michael Duggan, " ...sometimes SMART and DDOT buses are traveling bumper to bumper up
Jefferson. We're paying for two sets of drivers, two sets of mechanics."
Local officials were also discussing plans for the possible merger of the DDOT and SMART maintenance facilities. If the pilot program
merging the routes proved successful, officials from both agencies next planned to fully merge the two operations. However, there
was a down side. Some off-peak suburban riders who used SMART "Limited" routes into Detroit found their lines were now local.
cooperative route-swapping venture by DDOT and SMART, with a possible long-term goal of eventually merging both
transit systems. Beginning on Saturday, June 25, 1994, DDOT's recently combined #97 Woodward-Jefferson line
was discontinued after the Jefferson portion of that route was taken-over by SMART. At the same time, the SMART
route #495 John R. became a part of the DDOT route #53 Woodward line.
This resulted in the Woodward line having two northern branches to its route, separating at Woodward and McNichols.
One of the branches would continue along the regular Woodward route to the Michigan State Fairgrounds, located near
Woodward and Eight Mile, while the other operated via the SMART #495 John R. route to Oakland Mall, located near
Fourteen Mile and John R. The route destination signs on many of the DDOT buses were reprogrammed to display the
three-digit #495 route number, which was used on the Woodward coaches assigned to the John R. line.
Although things seemed positive at first, the history behind the demise of this joint venture is worth taking a look-back.
The following adds a bit of background information on the brief life of the Woodward-John R. bus line.
Shortly after becoming Detroit's new mayor in January, 1994, Dennis W. Archer attempted to spark a renewed interest in merging
the DDOT (city) and SMART (suburban) bus operations. As part of a pilot program, duplicate bus operations along East Jefferson,
Michigan, John R. and Fort would merge, with only one of the agencies providing service along each route. The SMART system
would operate all of the service along Michigan and Jefferson Avenues, while DDOT would operate all service along Fort Street
and John R.
The DDOT routes #25 E. Jefferson and #37 Michigan would be operated by the suburban SMART bus system, while SMART
routes #125 Fort Street-Detroit, #150 Taylor-Detroit (which also operated along Fort St) and the #495 John R. would now
be operated by DDOT.
It had been anticipated that merging the bus lines would save the systems money because service along those routes were virtually
duplicated by DDOT and SMART,...especially in the city of Detroit. According to then SMART interim general manager and deputy
Wayne County Executive Michael Duggan, " ...sometimes SMART and DDOT buses are traveling bumper to bumper up
Jefferson. We're paying for two sets of drivers, two sets of mechanics."
Local officials were also discussing plans for the possible merger of the DDOT and SMART maintenance facilities. If the pilot program
merging the routes proved successful, officials from both agencies next planned to fully merge the two operations. However, there
was a down side. Some off-peak suburban riders who used SMART "Limited" routes into Detroit found their lines were now local.
Meanwhile, financial problems at SMART had been mounting,
and by the arrival of 1994 the agency had approached a $20
million deficit. This prompted the SMART Board to attempt
to seek a dedicated transit tax in 1995 to eliminate the debt
within five years. A 0.33-mil property tax would be asked of
suburban voters in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.
With a millage campaign now in motion to push support for a
suburban transit tax to support suburban bus service resulted
in angry responses from DDOT and city officials. The City had
agreed to the route merger plan only if a full–scale merger of
DDOT and SMART came next, which would have required a
higher-mil tri-county-wide property tax. Mayor Archer wanted
a larger 0.8-mil tax to be levied in both the city and suburbs
to support a merged system.
According to then DDOT Director Albert Martin, in a Detroit
Free Press article written during the time, "...DDOT (had)
lost 10,000 daily riders in the joint venture with
SMART. ....That translates into an expected loss of
nearly $700,000 in fare box revenue by June, the
end of the first year."
Because suburban officials decided to seek a tax to continue
financing a separate suburban bus system, DDOT decided to
discontinue its nine month long cooperative agreement with
SMART. Consequently, another attempt to merge the city
and suburban bus operations resulted in failure.
Effective Saturday, April 1, 1995, DDOT took back the
operation of its #25 E. Jefferson and #37 Michigan
routes, while SMART resumed operations of its routes
along Fort and the #495 John R. Interestingly, the
DDOT Jefferson and Woodward routes were never re-
joined after the joint venture with SMART failed.
and by the arrival of 1994 the agency had approached a $20
million deficit. This prompted the SMART Board to attempt
to seek a dedicated transit tax in 1995 to eliminate the debt
within five years. A 0.33-mil property tax would be asked of
suburban voters in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.
With a millage campaign now in motion to push support for a
suburban transit tax to support suburban bus service resulted
in angry responses from DDOT and city officials. The City had
agreed to the route merger plan only if a full–scale merger of
DDOT and SMART came next, which would have required a
higher-mil tri-county-wide property tax. Mayor Archer wanted
a larger 0.8-mil tax to be levied in both the city and suburbs
to support a merged system.
According to then DDOT Director Albert Martin, in a Detroit
Free Press article written during the time, "...DDOT (had)
lost 10,000 daily riders in the joint venture with
SMART. ....That translates into an expected loss of
nearly $700,000 in fare box revenue by June, the
end of the first year."
Because suburban officials decided to seek a tax to continue
financing a separate suburban bus system, DDOT decided to
discontinue its nine month long cooperative agreement with
SMART. Consequently, another attempt to merge the city
and suburban bus operations resulted in failure.
Effective Saturday, April 1, 1995, DDOT took back the
operation of its #25 E. Jefferson and #37 Michigan
routes, while SMART resumed operations of its routes
along Fort and the #495 John R. Interestingly, the
DDOT Jefferson and Woodward routes were never re-
joined after the joint venture with SMART failed.
| The above route map displays DDOT Route #53 Woodward-John R. during its few months of operation. |
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| © 2007 (PAGE LAST MODIFIED ON 9-08-07) |
FOOTNOTE: Although DDOT operations along John R. was discontinued on April 1, 1995, this would not be the
end of DDOT service along John R. Street. DDOT would later return to John R. at least two more times during the
upcoming years. This is looked at in detail in the article on the John R. Limited bus line.
Information for the above article was compiled from various Detroit newspapers articles courtesy of the Stan Sycko newspaper
collection, and from DDOT Route Update notices and bulletins archived in the author's collection. Additional information supplied
by SMART coach operator Antoine Tribble.
end of DDOT service along John R. Street. DDOT would later return to John R. at least two more times during the
upcoming years. This is looked at in detail in the article on the John R. Limited bus line.
Information for the above article was compiled from various Detroit newspapers articles courtesy of the Stan Sycko newspaper
collection, and from DDOT Route Update notices and bulletins archived in the author's collection. Additional information supplied
by SMART coach operator Antoine Tribble.
| (December 23, 1994 Woodward–John R D-DOT Transfer courtesy of the Stan Sycko Transfer Collection) |
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Route operated under D-DOT