The Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) has confirmed that Interim-Executive Director Michael Staley is set to step down from his post at the end of December. After serving two years with the department, Staley is credited with significant improvements within the city's paratransit system, which, before his tenure, was inundated with customer complaints and poor service performance. According to a report by the Detroit Free Press, the system has seen on-time performance surge to 97%, while paratransit usage has increased by 25%.
Staley, intending to return to his consulting business, spearheaded a range of enhancements in DDOT. His departure, announced after Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan detailed his planning director's exit just two weeks prior, signifies yet another change in the city's leadership. In spite of stepping down, Staley is optimistic about the future, stating, "I am excited to see the changes that will take place at DDOT over the next 12 months. DDOT will become the public transportation system that our customers expect and deserve," in a release mentioned by the City of Detroit's official news update.
During his administration, DDOT achieved considerable growth. More than 250,000 passengers per week are utilizing the service, with Staley at the helm. This marked a notable increase in bus service availability, which saw a 20% jump in the number of buses running daily. Additionally, in a solid push for transportation modernization, the city managed to secure a substantial $30 million federal grant aimed at purchasing 21 new hybrid coaches alongside Detroit's first-ever four hydrogen fuel cell coaches. In light of these accomplishments, Mayor Duggan shared his appreciation for Staley's work, saying, "DDOT is providing better service to its customers today thanks to Michael’s efforts, particularly our most vulnerable residents who rely on our improved paratransit service," as he told the Detroit Free Press.
Replacing the role left vacant by the previous director Mike Oglesby with Staley, his efforts also culminated in the opening of the Jason Hargrove Transit Center at State Fairgrounds. Representing more than a mere addition to the city's transport facilities, the new transit center, which has adapted from the former State Fair Dairy Cattle Barn, adds a vital indoor link for DDOT and SMART transit users, particularly on the city's north side. Mayor Duggan, before Christmas, assured the public that a successor to Staley would be named, striving to maintain the momentum of recent improvements within the city's transit system.
