MTA explains that annoying extra rail stop
A reader named Michael recently sent me this email about the Maryland Transit Administration's light rail service:
I recently read your complaint that the MTA doesn't explain the stop between North Ave and Woodberry, which is one of the most annoying aspects of my commute to the county from the city. They stop there so that MTA employees can board the train/switch shifts from the nearby office.
This is absolutely absurd. Half of the time the conductors are late and we are stopped for upwards of 5 minutes. The MTA should change the location of this (switch) to the North Avenue station, which has 3 platforms (thus avoiding back-ups for every train because one employee was late) and could attract more riders who would otherwise have missed their train.
Twice i have missed my transfer to the lightrail because the 13 bus was late and arrived at the platform only to see the train stopped ahead on the tracks for the above mentioned maneuver. Having the train stop in the middle of an empty stretch for 5-10 minutes so that employees can shave 50 yards off their walk is absurd.
MTA spokeswoman Jawauna Greene provided this answer:
Thanks for the chance to respond to your reader's question about trains stopping to change operators. The operator relief point is located at the Light Rail Division rather than a nearby station because reporting for duty is an important part of our safety procedures. When operators report for each shift they receive daily instructions, pick up portable radios and are observed by a supervisor to ensure they are fit for duty. If this took place at a station instead of the division these reporting activities would have to take place in the open which is not practical.
The North Avenue station may seem close to the division but it is actually close to 2/10's of a mile. It would take approximately 10 minutes for the operator to walk this distance, and because shifts begin and end at all times of day and night in all weather conditions MTA would have to safely transport operators back and forth.
When multiplied by the number of reliefs each year, the budget impact of a seemingly small change would be very significant. MTA makes every effort to minimize delay at the relief point, and in most cases it limited to the time it takes one operator to leave the cab and the replacement operator to enter the cab and get settled.
In some cases the train may be running slightly ahead of schedule, and so the train is held until it is back on schedule. Another cause of delay is that for one reason or another the relief operator is not available. In that case, the operator is instructed to continue after holding for five minutes, but this may mean the operator is entitled to a longer break later in his or her shift.
To reduce delays for riders MTA has recently begun limiting time at the relief point to three minutes. Hopefully your reader will notice the difference.
Comments
If walking 2/10 of a mile takes you 10 minutes, you are walking too slowly. In no realistic situation should this take more than 5, and probably 4.
Posted by: Mitch | October 29, 2009 3:52 PM
How come MTA didn't put the relief point and division office adjacent to the station? That would have been much more practical, but unfortunately too practical and smart for MTA to even have though about it.
Posted by: chris | October 29, 2009 9:34 PM
Please tell the MTA that this is still absurd. It may seem short when in reality, it is a short distance! 2/10 of a mile = short distance. Relief drivers who miss their transfer should be penalized; instead, the MTA penalizes the passengers.
Come on guys, think about this a little. I'm a huge public transit fan, but I can't defend you on this one.
Posted by: hmc | October 29, 2009 10:29 PM
Though I do feel it would be nicer if they'd switch at North Ave., I don't really mind the current transfer point. What really bugs the hell out of me is when the delay is longer than it really needs to be because the operators want to chit-chat and pal around for a few minutes, as if people don't have somewhere to be!
Posted by: Keith Gilmore | October 30, 2009 4:28 AM
You have got to be kidding me.
Either have them build a facility at the North Avenue stop or have the operators walk down to the North Avenue stop from the current facility. It's silly enough that this wasn't thought of in the first place. The MTA defending this nonsense is simply ridiculous. You exist to serve the public, not to make half of those riding the Light Rail wait because one tardy operator stayed out too late one night or left their lunch in the fridge and turned back home to get it.
Posted by: Patapsco Jones | October 30, 2009 9:42 AM
This is the ultimate affirmation of the laziness of our public employees. Picking up a radio and saying "hi" to your boss should hardly constitute delays for the customers of MTA Light Rail.
Posted by: andrew | October 30, 2009 3:48 PM
As Keith says, the most offensive part of this whole routine is when the new operator meanders onto the train, exchanges a protracted greeting with the old operator, and organizes his newspaper and two or three briefcases before even pretending to focus on the train's movement. A crew change shouldn't take time--the old crew member should walk off and the new one should get on. Although that ought to be done at a station, it would be tolerable at its present location if the crews showed any interest in efficiency. Instead, they typify the MTA's approach to the rider: everything else comes first.
Posted by: Saul Wilson | October 31, 2009 11:25 AM
On my way to the light rail to my job, I walk at least a quarter of a mile. I am a customer. Why can't the employees walk a fraction of that distance? or ride a bike? This is totally ridiculous. I'd also like to point out that in typical MTA fashion there is a huge parking lot at both the operations center and the North Avenue station... So the particularly lazy can even drive their cars back and forth!
Posted by: Michael Farley | November 1, 2009 2:14 PM
With plans for the red line, the public is hearing more and more about the need to design public transportation options that move swiftly. The light rail is slow all through downtown, and a slow crew change adds insult to tardiness. While we're at it, has anyone had to wait for the light rail in the wind and rain? The crew-change shelter provides wind protection for one operator. Passenger shelters provide no wind protection for dozens of passengers.
Posted by: S. Howard | November 2, 2009 10:14 AM
Seems like a trailer could be added to the North Ave site adjacent to the platform with minimal expense. If it is attached to the handicap accessible ramp, the operator can literally walk out of the train into the trailer to pick up their radios and to meet/greet their supervisor. Also.. it would provide an additional set of eyes at the north ave site as well. Another inexpensive alternative is to just let them drive an MTA car up to north ave and the relief driver takes it back after the transfer...seems like an easy fix to improve the efficiency of the transit system for the customers
Posted by: chikwe njoku | November 2, 2009 10:53 AM
An announcement that the crew change is occuring might also settle some folks. While many are aware of this occuring, some might be confused as to why a train has stopped for no apparent reason.
I don't mind the stop, and I certainly think building a new facility would be a waste, but they really should trim the fat with the crew change and focus on speeding it up.
Posted by: Jed | November 2, 2009 11:08 AM