About DDOT
History
The Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) was established as a municipally owned and operated transportation system under the Detroit City Charter - Detroit City Code Reference 7-1401. As Detroit celebrates its 300th Birthday during year 2001, DDOT marked its 79th anniversary of providing public transportation to city of Detroit residents.
The City of Detroit, through the Department of Street Railways (D.S.R.), began operating public transportation services during the early 1920's. In 1937, to increase the flexibility of transit services within the City, bus service began to be substituted for streetcars. Eventually, streetcar service was phased out in 1956.
Today, under the authority of the 1997 Detroit City Charter, DDOT is the largest bus transit carrier in Michigan. It is responsible for operating transportation equipment (including scheduling of service, performing necessary maintenance and repairs to buses and service vehicles) and maintaining, replacing and repairing all DDOT properties, including buildings, structures, systems and bus shelters.
