Surprise! MARC performance isn't so bad
The most recent numbers for MARC on-time performance are looking a lot better than they were last year. As of April 25, according to the Maryland Transit Administration, the Penn Line's OTP year to date is 93 percent. That's despite one of the most radical schedule changes in MARC history.
Meanwhile the Camden Line as at 90 percent year to date and the Brunswick Line at 89 percent. That might be short of stellar but it doesn't stink -- at least compared with where MARC was not too long ago.
Of course the real test will be how MARC performs during the hot summer months, which in the mid-Atlantic means May to September. That's been MARC's downfall before.
Comments
2 of the 3 warm days in the past week don't bode well for the really hot days of summer. The Penn schedule changes (more frequent, shorter trains) were supposed to fix this. Time will tell over the next few months.
I also wonder how much they game the on-time ratings. Every MARC online platform has a different definition of late.
Is anything less than 15 minutes on-time like one standard has it? Is the rating only based on when it gets to the terminus and not on the intermediate stations?
Posted by: Jeff | April 26, 2011 10:54 PM
I agree that the numbers don't "stink" and I been spared many of the delay headaches which I am very thankful for.
However, it must be noted that the Penn line percentages are only being calculated from the start of the new schedule 3/14 and NOT the entire year.
Also, despite these high 80/90 overall numbers, the Brunswick line has an evening train with a YTD percent of 81; Camden line 82; and Penn line 61.
Posted by: Colleen T. | April 27, 2011 9:32 AM
I'm curious to know if MARC considers when the train pulls 25 feet out of Union Station and stops for 10 minutes an "on-time departure." I'm guessing they do.
Overall, I suppose this is good news. Now all they need to do is provide training to the conductors on how to open doors on the Penn linen when the train stops. Oh, yeah, and open doors on the side of the train facing the platform, not an oncoming 180 mph Acela train.
Posted by: Kevin | April 28, 2011 12:32 PM