Frustration boils at public hearing for people who ride Detroit's buses a week before service cuts

DETROIT (WXYZ) - "We came to the meeting so we could speak up and express ourselves, but we never got that chance," said Charlene Broadus who rides DDOT buses.

And it's what the City of Detroit considers a "public hearing" that is also sparking outrage among some citizens who ride the city's buses.

On Friday, bus riders had hoped to be able to talk to city officials about their concerns over the drastic cuts in service, but instead each person was only able to sit down with a court reporter to document their comments. People were also given large sheets of paper to write down their concerns.

"They're only doing this meeting to look good. This isn't about the people right here," said Cassandra Emerson who spoke with tears in her eyes.

The changes to DDOT that take effect March 3 include discontinuing all bus service from 1:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. and eliminating weekend service on some routes.

When Action News asked City of Detroit spokesperson Naomi Patton for any response to the anger and concerns expressed Friday over the changes in bus service, she declined to comment.

Patton did say how the public hearing was organized was proper.