Detroit bus cuts carry perils

[TransitMirror]

Bing's plan to limit service foretells widespread community impact

I'm only "guesstimating," but I think Mayor Dave Bing will discover he's grabbed a tiger by the tail when it comes to Detroit bus riders.

Starting Monday, city officials will hold a series of public meetings on the possibility of ending Detroit Department of Transportation bus service on Sundays and Saturday nights and eliminating more than a dozen routes by the end of next month.

The mayor is trying to stave off financial ruin in Detroit, looking to reduce costs any way he can, including layoffs and pay cuts. According to Bing, without serious changes the city will be out of money by October.

The problem is bus service is the main means of transportation for thousands of Detroiters who use it to reach their jobs, for shopping, errands and medical appointments.

See more at:

http://www.detnews.com/article/20090821/OPINION03/908210354/1409/METRO