Freelancer Aaron Mondry took a month to accept a wacky assignment from Model D's managing editor.
Aaron Mondry: "I made approximately 52 loops and 'traveled''150 miles." (Twitter photo)
"What the hell, why not?" the writer says near the start of his 2,700-word chronicle of a long day looping around downtown's 13 People Mover stations. "I found the absurdity of the story compelling."
The repetitive rider boarded at 6:30 a.m. and stayed "for over 17 hours, minus occasional breaks to eat, relieve myself and stretch out on platforms."
Assuming a conservative 14 hours actually on the DPM, I made approximately 52 loops and "traveled" 150 miles. . . .
Some interesting things did happen during my interminable ride.
For instance, he chatted up a regular named Scott who commutes from Riverfront Towers to the Compuware Building.
He and his wife bought a condo at Riverfront Towers in part because of the DPM, which he rides to work every day. Many times he's the only person on the train. "Some days I'd think the People Mover was built only for me," said Scott.
At night, Mondry saw "a couple at the end of the train [who] were practically fucking with their clothes on."
Greektown passengers "were the most annoying, either drunk or loud or both."
These are among other observations by the 29-year-old University of Michigan graduate ('06):
► 1. Quick pace: With five trains during peak hours, "the longest you should theoretically ever have to wait is four minutes."
► 2. Bargain fare: "When asked why he liked the DPM so much, [a rider] replied: 'You can't get anything for 75 cents anymore.' "
► 3. Worst riders: "Riders being transported to and from Greektown were the most annoying, either drunk or loud or both."
► 4 Runners-up: A legal services coordinator "told me the train would be perfect if not for the drunk suburbanites who ruin the riding experience during Tiger and Red Wings game days."
► 5. Dizzyness: "This is an actual issue. I guess I'm one of the lucky people immune to DPM-motion sickness."
► 6. Main takeaway: "Sure, it doesn't contribute meaningfully to the local economy or anyone's transit needs. But as an oddity, a pure riding experience, a way for tourists or even long-time residents to experience downtown, we should embrace it. The DPM, like many things in Detroit, is an emblem of missed opportunity. But it is also part of our city's fabric, something to be defiantly proud of."
-- Alan Stamm
