Detroit Department of Transportation Earns Federal Grant

Washington, DC - Congressman John Conyers congratulated the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) today after the Federal Transit Administration announced it had awarded the department $970,874 in bus funds toward the renovation of two DDOT maintenance garages.

"It's absolutely essential that we invest in our public transportation system," Conyers said. "If we're serious about improving mass transit, these renovations are the logical next steps."

The grant comes at a time of budget difficulty for the DDOT, which announced in February that it had been forced to make service cuts because of budgetary constraints. In efforts to maintain a balanced budget in the city of Detroit, transportation cuts forced the elimination of seven routes from the bus line and the laying off of 83 drivers.

"This transportation grant brings funding to Detroit's mass-transit system at a time when they are most needed." Conyers said. "I'm proud to have helped bring these funds to the Detroit."

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Conyers' district is among eight Congressional districts affected by the grant.

The grant specifically changes language in the FY 2005 Appropriations Act to allow the DDOT to use FY 2004 bus funds toward the renovation of the Shoemaker and Coolidge garages. The Shoemaker site, which currently handles about 175 buses, will be equipped to manage a fleet of up to 520 city buses after extensive reconstruction.

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