Advocates question Detroit paratransit contracts with Transdev - Axios DetroitLog InLog InAxios Detroit is an Axios company.

Advocates question Detroit paratransit contracts

Public commenters wait to speak at City Council's public health and safety committee meeting yesterday. Photo: Annalise Frank/Axios The Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) says it will deliver on its promise of improving service for residents with disabilities, despite continuing to work with Transdev. Driving the news: Users of Detroit's federally mandated paratransit service have called for DDOT to leave Transdev behind, and advocates were originally told DDOT was "removing Transdev," Richard Clay, a board member with the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) of Michigan, tells Axios. But contracts under the new plan still feature the company. The latest: Detroit transit executive director Mikel Oglesby summarized DDOT's strategy for City Council members yesterday. The two proposed five-year contracts with Transdev and subcontractors ($49.2 million) and People's Express ($15.9 million) require Council approval. Oglesby said Transdev and People's Express were the only two companies that "made it through" Detroit's request for contract proposals. What they're saying: The new plan is "not good enough," Stephen Handschu, a committee head for NFB Detroit, tells Axios. "We still don't know what the hell this is, really. Whether (the city is) taking over totally, fully, all-controlling," Clay told Axios after yesterday's meeting.For example, handle employee training, which advocates say has been inadequate in the past. Between the lines: DDOT says it's delivering on its promise to fix performance by bringing management — including customer service, ride scheduling, eligibility and contractor oversight — in-house."I can assure you … what the people wanted is going to happen," Oglesby said. "The word 'Transdev' is concerning to a lot of people, but the function is different." What's next: City Council plans to discuss the contracts in committee Monday. Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.

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