Prior to 2009 there was 24 hour bus service rolling. However that year under Mayor Dave Bing, DDOT held hearings announcing it would remove 24 hour service. They also wanted to eliminate Sunday service. These decisions were done behind closed doors and the public resented it. Every meeting held had public outcry. I shot this playlist of videos on YouTube from August 25, 2009 - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAEA3265CBFC53188

Meetings at then recently completed Rosa Parks Transit center had over 100 requesting public comment, which were consistently opposed to shutting down 24 hour service or Sunday service. US Representative John Conyers was one of those speaking against shutting down services.

DDOT scheduling was cut back on many lines shutting down at 8pm and before on some east-west lines. Sunday and Saturday lead times were extended longer.

This crippling of transit continued through the municipal bankruptcy. As the city moved forward Mike Duggan, a former Wayne County Prosecutor that botched the Malice Green case, was made mayor in a hotly contested write-in campaign.

One of Duggan's promises was to bring Dan Dirks, the head of SMART bus service in the suburbs back to Detroit to head up a revitalization of DDOT. Dirks brought back 24 hour bus service on DDOT.