DETROIT – On Monday, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced that all bus drivers within the Detroit Department of Transportation could earn up to $4,000 a year in bonuses. Drivers will have to meet a minimum attendance requirement to be eligible.
Duggan announced the proposal will be considered for approval by the city council this week. Drivers who meet the attendance milestones can earn $1,000 quarterly. The attendance requirement is 480 hours a quarter, and drivers can’t miss three scheduled shifts. Drivers can get a fresh start at the beginning of every quarter to qualify for the quarterly bonus.
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According to a press release, the incentive could cost up to $2 million. If approved, the initiative would start on July 1.
“We have worked to steadily increase the base pay for our bus drivers, who have been among our most important front-line workers since the start of the pandemic,” Duggan said. “This is one way we can thank them for their dedication and provide a real incentive for them to show up regularly for work, because the service our riders receive directly depends on them.”
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The press release states that with the new proposal, contracted drivers will also receive annual pay increases of 2.5% each year for four years.
“We felt that doing this on a quarterly basis, as opposed to an annual basis, was fair and made sense,” said Executive Director of Transit, Mikel Oglesby. “We understand that circumstances may arise that makes a driver ineligible for a bonus at some point, but we want them to know there is another opportunity just around the corner.”
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