MTA chief answers MARC rider's questions
Sun photo/Barbara Haddock Taylor
A few weeks ago this blog reported how MARC rider Melissa Schober wrote to Maryland Transit Administration chief Ralign T. Wells (above) about her experiences on one terrible night on the Penn Line, only to receive in return a form letter addressing the horrors of another night on the MARC. Meanwhile, the reply sent under Wells' name blew off the pertinent questions she had about the MTA's contract with Amtrak to operate the Penn Line.
After the mistake was called to Wells' attention, he called Schober to apologize and later followed up with a written reply. To me, it looks like a good recovery and a candid assessment of the pros and cons of seeking another operator. What do MARC riders think?
Dear Ms. Schober:
Again, please accept my sincere apologies for my earlier reply to you which was entirely inappropriate and which did not respond in any way to the complaints you set forth in your June 25, 2010 email to me. You had taken the time to contact me with your concerns and your message deserved my full attention and consideration. I take full responsibility for this error.
With regard to the series of delays which occurred on June 22, I deeply regret the inconvenience that you experienced. MARC Train 428 sustained a loss of power and Amtrak’s decision was to return to the station and transfer all passengers to Train 534. Amtrak tried to take as many passengers as possible although, as you have noted, this train was severely overcrowded. Unfortunately, we do not have spare equipment that can be used to provide service when a train is delayed or canceled due to a mechanical problem. The MTA’s entire available fleet consists of 124 cars with 108 cars, or 87 percent of the fleet, needed for daily operation. The balance of the fleet is unavailable on any given day because those cars are undergoing mandatory inspections or repairs.
Our operating contract with Amtrak expires on June 30, 2013. One of the options available to the MTA is to bid out operation of the service on the Penn Line to a third party. This option may allow us to impose stronger performance criteria that are not currently part of our current contract. However, it is important to note that Amtrak owns and operates the tracks upon which the Penn Line operates and Amtrak would still perform the vehicle maintenance at its facilities. Consequently, we would still face many of the same challenges and risks that we face today. I can assure you we will consider very carefully both the opportunities and risks of a third party contract. I can appreciate your interest in commenting on contract negotiations should we decide to seek bids. I am supportive of providing this opportunity for riders to comment but it would need to take place in the context of a procurement process that is precisely prescribed by law and regulation.
The ancillary repairs contract to which you referred provides only for the maintenance of facilities, including stations, platforms and parking lots. The contractor will not be involved in the maintenance of MARC equipment such as cars and locomotives. Most maintenance of cars and locomotives is performed by Amtrak or CSX Transportation because MTA does not have its own shop where this work could take place.
Finally, the Joint Chairmen’s Report, adopted by the General Assembly as part of the Fiscal Year 2011 operating budget, requests a report from MTA by December 15, 2010 which details options as to how MTA could increase farebox recovery. Raising fares is, as you suggest, one option. Others could include measures to increase the efficiency of service. At this point we have just begun the process to draft a response, and we have not formulated any recommendations.
Again, I ask you to please accept my apology for my lack of attention to your June 25 message. If you have any further comments or questions, please contact me at 410-767-3945 or by email at rwells@mta.maryland.gov.
Sincerely,
Ralign T. Wells
Administrator
cc: Mr. John Hovatter, Director, MARC Train and Commuter Bus Services, MTA
