We rode Detroit's QLINE after 1 year: What's different

Eric D. Lawrence | Detroit Free Press

Show Caption Hide Caption The Free Press' Great QLINE Race Six Free Press journalists used six modes of transportation to see who could get from downtown to midtown at the DIA and back.

Ask Matt Cullen to assess the QLINE as it closes out its first year of operations, and he offers a letter grade — a strong "B."

That factors in continuing stoppages, ridership dipping below projections once paid fares were instituted and an initial shortage of drivers. Wait times between trains are down to 10 minutes and the system is smoothing out, said Cullen, CEO of M-1 Rail, the nonprofit that operates the system.

Cullen bases his grade on a blending of two phases — the effort to launch the 3.3-mile Detroit streetcar line, which he gives an "A," and the operational side, which he gives a "C+" or "B-."

Those letter grades might come as a surprise to critics who point to the system's ridership dropping below projections during its first year. From November to March, average daily ridership was 2,700 after hitting 4,660 during the initial months when the weather was warmer and rides were free. Prior to launch, M-1 Rail had projected average ridership at 3,000-5,000 per day.

But Cullen wanted to look beyond ridership, which M-1 Rail says will improve, and he called the first year a "net positive for sure."

“I would say that we got off to a bit of a slow start relative to kind of our expectations of how it would go ... and then I think we had a lot of time when we needed to remember that it's been 60 years since the cars (had) to share the street with a streetcar and it took a while to figure that out," Cullen said. "It took a while for people to realize they couldn’t just double park and run in and get a quick latte."

Wait times between trains have improved from 19 minutes down to an average of 10, but problems with stoppages — 267 over the course of the year, according to a published report — have continued.

Cullen said the company hired to run the system, Transdev, which was asked for but did not provide a comment for this article, did not have enough resources, such as drivers, initially. He said M-1 Rail has been working with the vendor to boost performance. The biggest complaint has been streetcars not arriving as scheduled, something else officials say will be fixed.

Concerns about clogged traffic and improperly parked cars at Little Caesars Arena prompted the Michigan Department of Transportation to opt for a lane closure during events to keep the streetcar moving.

Read more:

Ready for the QLINE? Detroit's streetcar gets ready to debut

QLINE: Here's how it's doing after 1st year in service

That highlights one reason the streetcar is sometimes delayed — that it runs with traffic rather than in a dedicated lane on its route along Woodward Avenue from Congress to New Center. That's not something likely to be changed any time soon, so authorities have relied on enforcement to try to keep the tracks clear, issuing 425 tickets and towing 125 vehicles during the year.

Traffic on Woodward is a newer issue in a reviving Detroit, Cullen noted, signaling growth and interest in the area.

Not everyone, however, is a believer in the QLINE. When M-1 Rail spokesman Dan Lijana was quoted in Bridge Magazine as saying the system had demonstrated how a large-scale transit project could bring together the community, the North End Woodward Community Coalition lashed out.

"First of all really, this is NOT A TRANSIT vehicle. It is an economic development imposter (It's name says it all). Secondly, community, real community in Detroit, DIDN'T WANT THIS. And finally if he is speaking about the 'broader (community)' they are further away from together on the issue of regional transit than before," according to a Facebook post.

What's its purpose?

The differences reflect a debate about the QLINE's purpose. The $180-million-plus project, including roadwork, was built as a stand-alone system, although bike share stations as well as bus and People Mover stops are nearby, through a mix of foundation, private and public money. That debate was under way well before the system launched a year ago May 12, and focused on questions about whether the system is transit or an economic development tool.

QLINE boosters have long said it's both.

Megan Owens, executive director of the advocacy group Transportation Riders United, said that although initial ridership numbers were disappointing, warmer weather and increased reliability should help increase the QLINE's popularity.

"The QLINE is doing what it was designed by its funders to do: It has boosted development along the corridor and made downtown and Midtown more attractive to employees and visitors," Owens said. "I do believe Detroit is better off because the QLINE provides an easy way to get around without a car. A lot of people who wouldn't otherwise use transit are trying and enjoying the QLINE."

First-year difficulties could, however, have been anticipated. Before last year's launch, the Free Press spoke with Portland Streetcar Executive Director Dan Bower, who foreshadowed some of the criticism.

“Streetcar systems are held to a pretty high standard in terms of being ... successful right out of the gate. I think what you see in most cities is that it takes a while for people to understand where it goes and how it fits into their life and how to use it,“ Bower said at the time. “Don’t rush to judgment. This is a long-term investment. You don’t build rail for today, you build it for tomorrow."

Robin Boyle, a professor of urban planning at Wayne State University, said ridership could be boosted by adding streetcars (currently the number stands at six with no plans for more). He based the idea on what he has seen elsewhere.

“If you use streetcars in other cities, particularly in other cities that have had them a long time, you stick your head out into traffic and see if it's coming. If you see it, you wait. If not, you walk,” Boyle said.

Boyle said for his personal needs, the QLINE is "phenomenal," because he's part of a small group of people whose transportation needs match the system's route. He can travel from his home in Birmingham, park in Midtown and use the streetcar to get downtown for meetings. Boyle also gets the senior citizen rate, paying only 75 cents for a three-hour pass (standard fare is $1.50).

The system's also good for Midtown's development picture, adding a major attraction to the area, he said.

But in looking at the system's impacts for the wider Detroit, Boyle said its benefits are less clear.

"To what extent is this adding ... accessibility to people in Detroit?" Boyle said he does not believe that it has so far because the system wasn't designed for that purpose, at least not at this stage.

Going for a ride

On Tuesday afternoon, a Free Press reporter rode the QLINE up and back from one end to the other, with a couple of stops along the way.

The train heading north from the Congress Street station rode along at a much faster clip than on previous trips, passing traffic at several spots. That train's message board correctly listed the stops, with former WDIV-TV (Channel 4) anchor Carmen Harlan's voice heard clearly over the speakers.

On a subsequent train, however, the wrong station name flashed as the train approached Grand Boulevard, and Harlan's voice was not heard. It's the kind of technical problem noted on previous rides.

The seasonal weather, with temperatures north of 70 degrees and clear skies, combined with Wayne State University commencement events, likely boosted the number of riders.

Those riders who spoke to the Free Press ranged from several taking their first trips on the streetcar — a Wixom man was riding with his family as part of his birthday celebration — to several who said they ride it occasionally.

Damien Cook, 25, of Detroit, who was sitting at the Baltimore Street station, said he's convinced the system has a bright future.

"I feel like when the area gets more bustling, it'll be more popular. I believe when they expand it, it'll show its potential," said Cook, noting that he plans to ride the streetcar more now that the weather has improved.

For Abdul Vaid, who owns Hilal Books and Imports in the strip of storefronts just south of Grand Boulevard and the northern end of the line, expansion is not something to consider "if nobody is riding it." Vaid, who has ridden the QLINE once, enjoyed the trip, but he does not see the system helping his business, which has improved since the launch but suffered as most stores in the area did during the road construction beforehand.

Sharil Roby, who owns Roby's Shoes with her husband, Jeff, a few doors away, had predicted before the launch that the streetcar would bring more customers. Now, those hopes for an influx of customers — several were in the store when the Free Press stopped by last week — rely on an expectation that more stores will eventually open in the area.

"I don't think it's lived up to the hype. I think it would live up to the hype if it went to 8 Mile," Roby said of the QLINE.

Expansion of the system has been a regular point of speculation for some time, whether north on Woodward or along other routes, such as Jefferson.

Cullen said he thinks it will happen eventually. To date, however, no specific plans have been unveiled. A $5.4-billion regional transit proposal under discussion through the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan does include funding for design and planning of streetcar service expansion.

The RTA had been expected to eventually assume control over the QLINE, but the failure of a millage vote in 2016 and uncertainty over the revised RTA proposal have complicated the picture.

The QLINE brought in less than $1 million with expenses of $5.8 million through April, and funding the difference relied on sponsorships, grants and fund-raising. The long-term picture is not clear to those outside the organization, although Cullen said it is expected to be a "very healthy system" with fund-raising envisioned to maintain operations through at least 2024. That date has fluctuated based on previous conversations with staff.

Other options could be employed if needed to fund the system, Cullen said, including setting up a tax increment financing district, additional fund-raising or revisiting naming rights. Naming rights for the entire system were purchased by Dan Gilbert's Quicken Loans for $5 million before the launch. Gilbert is vice chairman of the M-1 Rail board.

Cullen also predicted farebox revenue, which was at $417,050 through April, would improve, and he said M-1 Rail is working to arrange "substantial bulk ticketing to some of our major employers in the area," something that Cullen said is expected to happen but has not been finalized.

Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @_ericdlawrence.