(CBS-DETROIT) — It’s one of the best ways to get around the city, and it runs nonstop until Thanksgiving evening at 7 p.m.
After months of being closed for track maintenance, the Detroit People Mover is back up and running and ready to welcome people, especially during the American Thanksgiving Parade.
“It’s very nostalgic for me because I’m used to coming here as a kid, and now that I have my own family, it’s a really good bond that we have,” said Darnell Albert, a 25-year-old father of two.
It’s a free, quick and festive way to bond with family, and that’s exactly what the Alberts did on Wednesday.
“Just so they know where they come from,” Albert said. “They can see how beautiful the city is and feel more comfortable being here and experiencing the city of Detroit.”
The Alberts are Detroiters through and through and love riding the People Mover and seeing what the city has to offer.
Darnell Albert said it’s a rite of passage.
“To me it’s family,” he said. “If you just want to see the sights of Detroit or the riverwalk, this is a very good place to see the great sights of Detroit.”
Robert Cramer, chief executive of Detroit Transportation Corp., says ridership has increased more than 100% since rides became free.
“What’s always interesting to me is when people come to visit from out of town or out of country who have never been to Detroit or never been on the People Mover, and often you hear from them that they are surprised with how beautiful and the views are so amazing, so it’s always great to hear that, but actually we have a lot of positivity, not just about the system, but about all the great things happening in the city,” said Cramer.
The People Mover will be a sure way to enjoy all that downtown has to offer for Thanksgiving and the holidays.
On Thursday, the Grand Circus Park station will be handing out free cocoa and hand warmers from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. in preparation for the American Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Jordan Burrows
