DDOT adds 28 more new clean diesel coaches to fleet to offer better customer experience, higher environmental standards

DDOT adds 28 more new clean diesel coaches to fleet to offer better customer experience, higher environmental standards 

• Newer buses offer newer features including USB charging ports, video screens
• Transit system has lowered average age of its coaches to under 6 years
• 20 additional new coaches coming by early 2023, which will complete DDOT’s conversion to all newer model, more environmentally friendly buses
• DDOT looking for drivers, hosting several upcoming recruitment fairs

Detroit, MI – The Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) continues to expand and improve its fleet of buses with the recent addition of 28 new cleaner diesel-engine coaches, giving the transit system it’s youngest and most environmentally friendly fleet in its history. 

Here are the photos from today's event:

The 28 new 40-foot coaches, from bus manufacturer New Flyer, will use an environmentally friendly fuel blend of 20% biodiesel and standard diesel, known as “clean diesel.” The new coaches will allow for the decommissioning of 28 coaches added to the fleet in 2010, DDOT’s oldest buses still in active service. While the 2010 coaches also used “clean diesel,” engine technology has improved significantly so the new buses produce fewer emissions overall. 

With the addition of four pilot program electric buses to DDOT’s fleet in May, a total of 32 new coaches have been added to the fleet so far this year. Of the 292 coaches in active service, the 288 non-electric coaches use clean diesel technology as per the engine manufacturer and EPA standards. Per its fleet replacement plan, DDOT will add an additional 10 buses later this year and 10 more early next year. 

“We are committed to providing Detroit’s transit riders with safe, quality transportation, and that includes upgrading coaches when necessary,” says DDOT’s Executive Director of Transit Mikel Oglesby. “We are always happy when we can get more buses on the road to get Detroiters where they need to go. The fact that these buses use clean diesel, and are more friendly to the environment, is an added bonus.”  

Youngest DDOT fleet in decades

The addition of the new coaches brings the average age of the fleet down to 5.8 years, from 6.9 years before the new coaches came into active service. When Mayor Mike Duggan took office in 2014 and began systematically replacing aging buses, the average age of the fleet was nearly 10 years, just shy of the FTA retirement age of 12 years/500,000 miles.  

The new coaches will feature amenities for riders such as bicycle racks, video infotainment, and USB chargers, as well as protective barriers to offer the operators additional safety on their routes. The cost for each coach was approximately $515,000. 

DDOT recruiting new coach operators 

DDOT is hosting several job fairs to recruit new transit equipment operators (bus drivers), coach service attendants (bus cleaners), and auto mechanics.

In-person job fairs will be held:

• Tuesday, Aug. 9, until 2PM IN PERSON recruitment fair at DDOT Shoemaker terminal, located at 5149 St. Jean.
• Tuesday, Aug. 16, and Thursday, Sept. 15 from 10AM to 2PM.; VIRTUAL recruitment fairs - apply online to receive the invite to these virtual job fairs. More information can be found on the City of Detroit website or at detroitmi.gov/driveforddot.
• Tuesday, Sept. 13, from 10AM to 2PM, IN PERSON recruitment fair at DDOT Shoemaker terminal, located at 5149 St. Jean.