For our second challenge of the 2024-2025 program year, we partnered with the Detroit People Mover (DPM), an enhanced public transit service which provides transportation that affects not only the image of the city but also plays a role in the attraction of conventions and tourism, businesses and entertainment to downtown Detroit. Teams of Fellows created recommendations and tangible work products to build awareness about and increase new ridership by Detroit residents. Fellows worked alongside Detroit People Mover staff – Robert Cramer, Madonna VanFossen, Ericka Alexander, Tony Vinson, Chrishaun Stanton and Tiauna West – as well as engaged with stakeholders from across Detroit neighborhoods. Learn more about the project from the Fellow perspective!
Senior Ridership
The Detroit People Mover has experienced a new growth in total ridership, but with annual surveys, DPM realized that only 29% of riders are Detroit residents and 9% are ages 65+. In order to increase ridership and morale, this project allowed for expansive connections and deliberate designs for all demographics to reach the Detroit People Mover. We sat with seniors of diverse backgrounds and levels of experience with the people mover– most of them were Detroit residents. We asked questions that we hoped would invoke emotion and prompt seniors to share their personal experiences, so we could engage in empathy and understanding in order to better understand the DPM’s place in the Detroit landscape. We heard a plethora of themes, including visibility, legibility, connectivity, and most importantly nostalgia. A key quote we heard was from Cornelius Henry, who was there from the very beginning, said “People left Detroit and came back, but the People Mover was always there waiting for them. It was the dream of a younger generation who aged and now the downtown is finally coming back to life”.
Fellow Team (L to R): Dana Anderson, Kaden Yates, Kaleeyse Martinez, Zahra Basha, Lynne Abelgas (with stakeholder Brian Walker from Visit Detroit in the white hat and camo jacket)
After interviewing Detroit residents and identifying key themes, our group brainstormed many ideas and we have categorized them into 2 recommendations – internal and external deliverables. One key theme mentioned throughout the process is enhancing visibility, accessibility, and legibility. We chose to address this issue as a part of our internal deliverables. A main concern was difficulty in locating stops and stations. To address this, we propose larger signage and wayfinding solutions, with front-facing stop signs and window vinyl at each station, ensuring visibility for seniors and those with accessibility needs. We also recommend maintaining consistent, important information about DPM, like map routes and security measures, within all the cars at each station. Lastly, to increase awareness among seniors, we created a directory of senior gathering places and a strategic outreach plan to distribute information at trusted locations and increase the likelihood of engagement. The People Mover has long been a Detroit icon, and provides a valuable opportunity to use this to expand its reach. Revamping vintage advertisements to display across the city at other transit stops such as bus stops, Mogo stations, and the QLine. Finally, to attract senior residents downtown we recommend the Detroit People Mover partner with businesses to establish a Senior Discount Day Initiative.
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