Detroit Department of Transportation officials have been found to have abused their authority by shielding employees from disciplinary action for disrupting bus service due to a "romantic interaction" between two colleagues. According to an investigation by the Detroit Office of Inspector General, Senior Transportation Service Inspector Andre Reece and bus driver Dayna Ruff engaged in "inappropriate intimate behavior," falsely reported mechanical problems, and left a bus running and unattended, causing major service delays.
The investigation found that Reece and Ruff's actions resulted in a 115-minute disruption to services and a waste of city resources on May 6. Just two weeks later, the pair again met repeatedly along Ruff's route and abandoned a running bus, prompting additional delays. Despite classifying this behavior as a Class IV offense, which is the most serious category under DDOT's disciplinary system, Superintendent of Operations Howard Bragg III issued only five-day suspensions.
The OIG found that Bragg failed to conduct a proper investigation before issuing discipline, despite having access to surveillance video that documented the misconduct. The report also concluded that Reece and Ruff failed to disclose their romantic relationship, as required by a city executive order governing supervisor-subordinate relationships, and that DDOT and human resources officials failed to properly review or complete the required disclosure forms.
The investigation found broader systemic problems inside DDOT, concluding that "disciplinary practices employed by DDOT's Operations Management Team are not compliant or consistent with the disciplinary policies mandated by the 2008 DDOT Employee Handbook." This is particularly troubling in a city like Detroit, where public transportation plays a critical role for residents who rely heavily on buses to get to work, school, medical appointments, and childcare.
The OIG recommended additional discipline for Reece and Ruff, punishment for Bragg and Assistant Director of Operations Andre Mallett, and significant reforms to ensure future investigations are thorough, transparent, and consistent with written policy. The report concluded that DDOT should create a system of procedures to allow more oversight over the review and issuing of discipline to ensure that discipline is proportionate to the offense and all policies are followed.
The lenient discipline issued by Bragg and Mallett has raised questions about accountability within the department, particularly in light of the city's reliance on public transportation. The OIG's findings have significant implications for the future of DDOT, highlighting the need for reforms that prioritize transparency, consistency, and oversight to ensure that public trust is maintained.
The investigation found that Reece and Ruff's actions resulted in a 115-minute disruption to services and a waste of city resources on May 6. Just two weeks later, the pair again met repeatedly along Ruff's route and abandoned a running bus, prompting additional delays. Despite classifying this behavior as a Class IV offense, which is the most serious category under DDOT's disciplinary system, Superintendent of Operations Howard Bragg III issued only five-day suspensions.
The OIG found that Bragg failed to conduct a proper investigation before issuing discipline, despite having access to surveillance video that documented the misconduct. The report also concluded that Reece and Ruff failed to disclose their romantic relationship, as required by a city executive order governing supervisor-subordinate relationships, and that DDOT and human resources officials failed to properly review or complete the required disclosure forms.
The investigation found broader systemic problems inside DDOT, concluding that "disciplinary practices employed by DDOT's Operations Management Team are not compliant or consistent with the disciplinary policies mandated by the 2008 DDOT Employee Handbook." This is particularly troubling in a city like Detroit, where public transportation plays a critical role for residents who rely heavily on buses to get to work, school, medical appointments, and childcare.
The OIG recommended additional discipline for Reece and Ruff, punishment for Bragg and Assistant Director of Operations Andre Mallett, and significant reforms to ensure future investigations are thorough, transparent, and consistent with written policy. The report concluded that DDOT should create a system of procedures to allow more oversight over the review and issuing of discipline to ensure that discipline is proportionate to the offense and all policies are followed.
The lenient discipline issued by Bragg and Mallett has raised questions about accountability within the department, particularly in light of the city's reliance on public transportation. The OIG's findings have significant implications for the future of DDOT, highlighting the need for reforms that prioritize transparency, consistency, and oversight to ensure that public trust is maintained.
the detroit dept of transportation is totally botched 
i mean what's up with their investigation procedures? a 5-day suspension for all that romantic shenanigans and leaving a bus unattended? like, hello! they literally shut down whole routes for over an hour! 
and to make matters worse, bragg and mallett get a slap on the wrist too... 
it's just not right. and what really gets my goat is that it's all because of some poor oversight 
from HR and supervisors who failed to follow proper procedures 
. we need real change here, folks!
I'm like, totally shocked by this news. Like, how can you let this kind of thing happen in a department that's supposed to be keeping the city running smoothly? 
These two colleagues were like, playing hooky and causing major delays on public transportation because they couldn't keep their hands to themselves 
. And to make matters worse, their boss doesn't even take disciplinary action until it's been investigated by someone else 
. It just shows how broken the system is right now. We need some serious reforms in place ASAP 
so that this kind of thing never happens again. I mean, who wants to pay for public transportation if they know their drivers are gonna be more worried about their love lives than getting the job done on time? 
This just shows how much accountability we really need in government. 
ugh what's up with these people lol? senior inspectors gettin all cozy w/ their coworkers on the clock & then tryin to cover it up 
seriously tho, 5 day suspensions for that kinda shenanigans is straight whack. DDOT needs some major shake-up ASAP. all those delayed buses and wasted resources cuz of these two lovebirds 
this is crazy! can u believe 2 ppl in a position of power r gettin away with all this? it's like they think they're above the law or somethin 
. it's like they're more worried about savin their own skins than doin what's right for the city and its ppl 
! Can you believe these two were allowed to just get away with disrupting bus service like that? I mean, a 115-minute delay is huge, especially in a city where people rely on buses for their daily lives 
.
. And what's with the lack of transparency from DDOT? They should be all about being transparent and consistent in their disciplinary practices 
.
. I hope DDOT takes this seriously and makes some reforms to ensure accountability and transparency 
. We deserve better! 
. It's hilarious how they managed to get away with it for two whole weeks 
.
.
. Let's hope the OIG's recommendations are taken seriously and that DDOT gets its act together! 