Grant to help city expand water taxi service
The mystery of that $1.59 million federal stimulus grant for a Baltimore ferry project has been solved. It's actually going to pay for an expansion of the city's commuter water taxi service.
Since May, Baltimore has been offering a free commuter service from Fells Point to Locust Point. According to Jamie Kendrick, the deputy director of the Baltimore Transportation Department, the grant money will allow the city to buy three new boats and add a second route from Canton to Locust Point.
Comments
So this service has existed since May and most people, including the Baltimore Sun's transportation reporter don't know about it. Why doesn't Baltimore advertise this more? Except for the original press release and recent articles about the stimulus money, I can't find anything online.
Also, the Charm City Circulator starts in "late summer", its now mid-July and the best they have as a start dat eis late summer? And, to top it off, while searching the Baltimore City transportation page, they still list DASH buses, when did that service stop?
The Water Taxi and the Charm City Circulator are both great things for the city, but they need to be better advertised. Get them their own website, get them on Google Transit and get them linked from MTA's website.
Baltimore, you have a great service, now GET THE WORD OUT!
Posted by: Richard | July 15, 2009 9:42 AM
You can check out www.yournameyourride.com to learn more about the Circulator, but I agree that
a) that site is horribly named, especially after the Circulator naming competition is over, and
b) it has not been advertised well enough at all.
Google Transit and the MTA website link are KEY, I agree.
They also need to get some advertising along the routes. Maybe put the route signs in with "Coming Late Summer" taped over them?
Posted by: blarg | July 15, 2009 1:28 PM