“Lochness” is DBC’s 24-passenger school bus. (Courtesy of DBC)
When you think of transit, you probably think of public transportation, subsidized by the government in some way or another. The Detroit Bus Company is a little different.
The city of Detroit has a public bus system, but it’s not in the best shape. It also has an automated people mover system, but it only goes in one direction around a portion of downtown.
“Silver Bullet” is the company’s largest bus. (Courtesy of DBC)
That’s where the Detroit Bus Company comes in. Andy Didorosi, the company’s president and founder, wants to fill
the holes that exist in the city’s transit services while also working to bring more people into the city. And he’s doing that using tricked-out, bio-fuled buses.
DBC’s website explains that the company was born in 2012 when a light rail project planned for Detroit’s infamous Woodward Avenue was declared dead. Though that project was resuscitated and could be completed as soon as 2016, the bus company lives on, and seems to be doing pretty well.
“Blue” is a former transit bus. (Courtesy of DBC)
The business can be basically divided into three different types of services:
- Public: With the help of a private foundation, DBC’s Youth Transit Alliance offers free rides for students
to after school programs in the Southwest part of the city as well as the Chadsey-Condon neighborhood. DBC also partnered with the Detroit Department of Transportation to pilot The Hotline, a regional express bus line between the city, Royal Oak (a popular, urban suburb) and Detroit Metro Airport. They’re still working on rolling The Hotline on a regular basis. - Rental: The company charters out its awesome vehicles for events and other private functions. Customers get their own personal dispatcher, and they can even track their bus on a smartphone app.
- Tours: The company offers a plethora of tours, from history excursions to bar crawls. Their tour guides can talk about everything from craft beer to urban agriculture.
“Bettis” is the company’s flagship bus — their first bus ever. (Courtesy of DBC)
And, it turns out they’re hiring. So, whether you’re interested in being a tour guide, driver, office employee or a mechanic, you should definitely check out their jobs listing.
Also, check out the awesome video about DBC below.