City of Detroit
Detroit is launching a new same-day transit service for people with disabilities.
The Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) is launching a new same-day paratransit service on Monday in an effort to improve access for residents with disabilities.
Dubbed “DDOT Now,” the service allows certified riders to schedule a trip as little as one hour in advance between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Previously, paratransit trips had to be scheduled at least a day ahead of time.
“Like anyone, paratransit users can have unexpected transportation needs arise and we want them to know DDOT will be there for them when they need us, even on short notice,” Robert Cramer, executive director of transit, said Friday.
The same-day trips cost $2.50 and cover the same service area as existing DDOT paratransit routes. Riders can request a trip by calling 313-570-6845 between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
The service is funded through a mix of local and federal dollars, and availability is limited.
More than 128,000 Detroiters — or one out of five residents — have at least one disability.
The launch comes after years of complaints from riders and disability advocates about missed pickups, long wait times, and poor customer service. In 2022, riders urged city council to reject a $50 million contract with Transdev, a French company they accused of hiring unsafe drivers and delivering substandard service. The contract was initially approved but then reversed after council members said the Duggan administration failed to provide viable alternatives.
Faced with a shutdown of paratransit in 2023, Mayor Mike Duggan declared a last-minute emergency and awarded short-term contracts to four local companies to keep the service running.
Since then, DDOT said it has improved performance significantly, hiring dozens of paratransit staff and requiring new vendors to meet on-time benchmarks. According to the department, each provider now achieves at least 98% on-time performance.
“The same-day service model will give our paratransit riders the freedom, independence and flexibility to get to wherever they need to go as quickly as one hour from scheduling their trip,” DeMarcus Garrett, interim executive director of DDOT’s paratransit division, said.
DDOT Now is available to all current and future eligible riders. Applications are available at detroitmi.gov.
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