The Detroit People Mover: celebrating 35 years in operation
The Detroit People Mover (DPM) is a 2.94-mile (4.73 km) elevated automated people mover system in Detroit, Michigan, United States and can reach a top speed of 56 miles per hour. DPM officially opened to the public on July 31, 1987, with a fleet of 11 fully automated vehicles, which deploy in two-car trains and transport riders through downtown Detroit’s central business district.
The system is based on the original SelTrac™ IS technology with Vehicle Control Centre (VCC), Station Controller (STC) and System Management Centre (SMC) subsystem upgrades implemented in 2004. There are 13 stations, with trains that originally ran counter-clockwise. Historically, the People Mover has changed direction twice: clockwise in 2008, following a rail replacement while optimizing popular trip times and back to counter-clockwise in early 2020, allowing the fleet’s steel wheels to maintain an even wear pattern on the rails. According to the officials, the full route takes approximately 15 minutes. There are five trains on the guideway during peak hours, and according to riders, the longest wait time expected is under four minutes.
The experience for riders is undeniably the most remarkable asset offered when commuting with the DPM. Indeed, each station has attractive, public artworks that can be studied, photographed and touched up close. Commissioned from regional, national and international artists to celebrate urban life and valued at approximately $2 million dollars (US), many of the works feature mosaic tiles – with every presentation capable of withstanding Detroit’s seasonal temperature changes.
The People Mover reached a ridership of over 2 million riders in 2018 and was shut down in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There was a mix of riders before the pandemic: about (44%) riding for entertainment and tourism, followed closely by office worker commuters (37.1%) in the downtown area. Others included social riders for sporting and special events, residents and seniors, and a small percentage for other downtown business.
The People Mover is safe, secure and convenient with traffic-free, panoramic views and practical fun for the entire family. Riders also use the system for downtown activities, sightseeing (unobstructed sights of Windsor, Ontario, and the Detroit River) or traveling to work. From its elevated heights passengers can gaze at downtown life like a tourist, being eye-level with office workers in the financial district skyscrapers as well as posting a close-up picture of the engraving on the cornice of the Skillman Branch of the Detroit Public Library. This is by far the best way to see and travel throughout Downtown Detroit!
A station guide is available at each stop, featuring 28 pages of restaurants, retail, and attractions accessible from each People Mover station —evidence that the DPM has a role in Detroit’s economy. “It’s an amenity that works to benefit downtown and enhance the image of the region overall,” said Ericka Alexander, communications manager for the Detroit Transportation Corporation, the Detroit People Mover’s owner/operator).
All those great things combined, the 35 years of the Detroit People Mover’s iconic service to Southeast Michigan demonstrates the tireless effort of the contributors to this project in providing the best travel experience to its community and passengers.
Thank you to the teams involved and congratulations to DPM on reaching this milestone!