Sun photo/Kim Hairston                     

Ed Cohen, past president of the Transit Riders Action Council and a vigilant watchdog when it comes to the Maryland Transit Administration, called to report severe overcrowding on the Metro subway on Saturdays since the MTA began running trains at 20-minute intervals instead of the previous 15-minute headways.

Cohen (above) said  that after making the change recently, the MTA continued to run two-car trains -- which became jam-packed as the numbers of rider per train swelled.

Now the MTA has reversed course. An agency spokesperson said MTA personnel noticed the same thing and decided to go to four-cars trains on weekends to alleviate the crowding. She said the new policy was in place last weekend.

The spokesperson said the MTA will run six-car trains Saturday because of the Baltimore marathon but will go back to four-car trains Sunday when the Ravens play.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 5:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Baltimore Metro
        

I just stumbled across the Transport Politic blog, which gives some extensive coverage to a recent proposal to advance the proposed Yellow Line from Towson to Columbia ahead of an extension of the Green Line.

I share the concerns that light rail to Columbia may be too slow to compete with autos. The public transit solution I'd suggest for Columbia is an express bus between the BWI Business District Light Rail station and Columbia Town Center. I don't see that it would kill the 310 or 320 commuter  bus routes, as one reader suggested, though it might lead to their being reconfigured. I see the express bus serving a much broader group of riders with seven-day-a-week service that would extend the existing light rail without the expense of an actual rail line.

Any thoughts?

Posted by Michael Dresser at 4:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)
        

Dave Murphy has an insightful article on the Greater Greatter Washington blog criticizing the Central Maryland Transportation Alliance's call to jump the Towson-Columbia Yellow Line ahead of a northeastern extension of the existing Metro subway (Green Line).

Briefly, Murphy questions the usefulness of the southern part of the proposed Yellow Line between Columbia and BWI. As much as I like the idea of rail  transit serving my neighborhood -- not that I'd still be mobile by the time it's built -- he might have a point there. Columbia could probably be served faster and more economically with the creation of an express bus route between the BWI Business District light rail station and Columbia Town Center. That would be about a 30-minute run on Route 100. If the light rail and bus schedules were properly synchronized, that could be a robust transit alternative that wouldn't have to wait decades to become a reality.

Howard Transit's Silver Line already makes the BWI-Columbia run but its many stops make for a long, long trip. An express version of that route would increase the usefulness of the entire system.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 11:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Baltimore Metro, Light rail, Local bus lines, MTA bus system
        

The Maryland Transit Administration is still seeking about 250 volunteers  to help test its new MTA CharmCard, what it calls a “smart” fare card that it hopes will expedite the fare collection process. The MTA plans to introduce the cards in a movfe that would finally match a  technology that has been familiar on the Washington Metro system for years.

The folks the  MTA is looking for are full-fare cash customers who ride Metro Subway more than other MTA services and who will agree to purchase your fares during the test period from a ticket vending machine at a Metro Subway station Ticket Vending Machine. Riders on senior or disability fares and  Commuter Choice Maryland voucher recipients are not eligible to participate in the initial field test. MTA spokeswoman Jawauna Greene said about 250 of the 500 volunteers originally sought have signed up.

Would-be participants can sign up electronically by clicking this link.

The test will run 60 days (Oct. 1 – Nov. 30). At the end of the test period, participants must return their cards to  the MTA Transit Store  at 6 St. Paul St. Volunteers will receive a free January 2010  monthly pass as a bonus.

UPDATE: In response to a reader's question, no, the CharmCard will not be interoperable with Washington Metro trains and buses during the beta test. But the two systems' cards  are expected to be compatible once CharmCard (hate that name) is in full operation.

By the way, this test does mean the MTA is pushing back full introduction of the card its earlier goal of October to the beginning of the year, Greene acknowledged. Better they get it right, I suppose.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 4:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)
        

Jed Weeks, a frequent poster to this blog, is keeping a close eye on the workings of Baltimore's Metro, which is seldom seen by many of us. Here's his observation:

 I've noticed recently that MTA is running two-car trains on the weekends. This is combined with the increased 20 minute headway due to track work, according to the website. I don't see it as a problem really, because the system is so deserted on the weekends, but operators have yet to choose a method of stopping at stations. Some trains are stopping mid platform, and others are pulling to the end of the platform, causing confusion for riders.
 
On the DC Metro, 4 and 6 car trains pull to the end of the platform, and announce this somewhat frequently (though the announcements are somewhat confusing). Perhaps MTA should do the same here?

I ran this by MTA spokeswoman Jawauna Greene, who responded without delay:

Each station has designated stops depending on the size of the train. The platforms are approximately 450 feet which is the length of a 6 car train. The stop locations, which are marked in the track bed, have been set so that a train berth or stops an equal distance from the front and rear of the platform. The only one that is different is Lexington Market where the two car marker is set between the escalators because this is area where most customers wait for the train.

When operating in Automatic Train Operations, the operator programs the length of his train into the train's system. The train's system reads the information from the track circuits which indicates the stopping location in the station.
In manual mode the operator stops the train at the proper car marker.
Essentially, the stop locations can vary. Operators always try to make sure they don't inconvenience the riders.

The operative word, it seems, is "try."

 

:

Posted by Michael Dresser at 2:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Baltimore Metro
        

By Michael Dresser

Maryland’s acting transportation chief, citing concerns about privacy, has pulled back an internal proposal to use listening devices on its buses and trains for recording conversations of passengers and employees.

The Maryland Transit Administration had been considering adopting a system that would allow it to conduct audio surveillance similar to that in several other large American cities.

The idea was first reported late last week by the Maryland Politics Watch blog, which reported that the MTA’s top official had requested an opinion from the Attorney General’s Office on the legality of such surveillance.

After inquiries from The Sun Monday, acting Secretary Beverly Swaim-Staley ordered the request withdrawn.

 "It certainly should have been vetted at the department level and it was not," she said. "We have not weighed the issues we should weigh before making a decision like this."

Swaim-Staley said she would review whether the state would move forward with such a program.

"Any privacy matters are of the ultimate importance," said Swaim-Staley. "They’re the ultimate test of people’s trust in government."

 The request to the attorney general had sought legal guidance on whether using such equipment would violate Maryland’s anti-wiretapping law.

Continue reading "Transportation chief reins in audio surveillance idea" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 8:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Update: Maryland Transportation Administration Acting Secretary Beverly Swaim-Staley said Monday evening that she has withdrawn the following request to the attorney general for a legal opinion, saying the matter should have been reviewed at the department  level before the MTA sought legal advice.

Swaim-Staley took the action after the following was reported here early Monday.

The MTA is considering installing audio surveillance equipment on its buses and trains to record conversations of passengers and employees, according to a letter sent by the MTA's top official to the state Attorney General's Office.

The letter, reported by the Maryland Politics Watch blog, seeks legal guidance on whether installing such equipment would violate Maryland's anti-wiretapping law. In his letter, MTA Administrator Paul J. Wiedefeld notes that the MTA already uses video cameras for security aboard its vehicles.

"As part of MTA's ongoing efforts to deter criminal activity and mitigate other dangerous situations on board its vehicles, Agency management has considered adding audio recording equipment to the video recording technology now  in use throughout its fleet," Wiedefeld wrote.

According to the administrator, the MTA staff decided the idea raised legal issues and decided to send a letter seeking an opinion from the attorney general on whether such electronic eavesdropping  would be legal and, if so, under which circumstances.

Whether legal or not, the notion didn't play well with Paul Gordon, who broke the story on the Montgomery County-based blog.

"Personally, I find the idea of the state recording people’s conversations on public transportation creepy, something I would expect from the old Soviet Union," Gordon wrote.

I was reminded this weekend during a trip to Artscape on light rail that  one of the chief sources of amusement aboard public transit are the too-loud and uninhibited conversations of fellow passengers. It would be a shame if riders were cowed into silence by the fear that someone in authority was recording their descriptions of their wild weekends.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 11:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
        

SUN EXCLUSIVE:

The Maryland Transit Administration has adopted a zero-tolerance policy under which any operator found to have been using a cell phone or text-messaging device on the job will be fired even if it is a first offense.
The MTA took the action shortly after the Washington Metro system announced a similar change Thursday morning in which it scrapped a three-strikes-and-you’re-out policy and said it would fire violators outright.
The decision by Administrator Paul J. Wiedefeld came about an hour after The Sun inquired about the MTA’s policy in light of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Administration’s announcement. At first, the MTA said it was sticking by its policy that it “can” fire violators. Under the new policy, the MTA says it  “will”fire operators who text or use cell phones while at the controls.

Continue reading "MTA falls in line with WMATA cell/text policy" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 11:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Baltimore Metro, Light rail, Local bus lines, MTA bus system
        

In response to Washington Metro announcement noted below, I asked Maryland Transit Administration Jawauna Greene what is the MTA's policy on cell phone use or texting by operators.

According to Greene, while the MTA forbids cell phone use or text-messaging while operating one of its vehicles, it does not have a "zero-tolerance" policy. Noting that the MTA has a union contract to consider, Greene said the MTA's policy is that if an investigation shows an operator did use a cell  phone or text-messaging device while in charge of a vehicle, management "can" terminate that employee.

There's a world of difference between "can fire" and "will fire," and if texting or cell phone use is found to have any connection with Sunday's fatal light rail accident, I suspect that will change in a hurry.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 10:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Baltimore Metro
        

Here's a little unsolicited advice for the Maryland Transit Administration: Ban the word "minor" from your web site and communications with customers.

 No "minor" delays. No "minor" disruptions. No "minor" trouble. To the customers affected by delays, disruptions and other troubles, noting is more infuriating than to hear their problems dismissed as minor.

The word also often turns out to be wrong, as it did on the MARC Penn Line Wednesday morning. It was bad enough that one of the trains took 3 1/2 hours to get from Baltimore to Washington. Riders found it especially galling to see that the MTA was characterizing the delays as "minor."

So let the edict go out: The MTA may have delays, disruptions and troubles, but the minors are in Salisbury, Bowie and Frederick.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 8:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Every once and a while I get an email that displays uncommon good sense in the face of nonsense. This, from Terry Shepard of Baltimore, is one of them. After passing  along some compliments that are too extravagant to inflict on readers, Shepard writes concerning the June 22 Metro crash that killed nine in Washington:

The Sun and other papers continue to run follow-up stories on it and that is understandable.  What is less explicable is the employment of this accident by some to spread fear of and opposition to public transit.  Auto commuters say "See, that's why I don't ride transit" and even the Sun ran one of its reader polls on whether this would make people less likely to do so. 

Meanwhile, a June 30 story in the Sun reports on "a tractor-trailer that plowed into stalled cars in a turnpike accident that killed 10 people" and no one is running polls or saying "See, that's why I don't drive on the highway."  (I realize that crash was in Oklahoma, but you get the point.)

This despite the fact, reported in a June 24 story in the Sun, that:  "According to the National Safety Council, the number of accident fatalities per vehicle miles traveled is about 14 times worse for passenger cars than trains and subways. Only transit buses are considered safer."

Perhaps you could repeat those statistics and interview a psychologist who works on transportation as to why people refuse to accept this (beyond the obvious answer that many Americans reject facts that suggest they should get out of their cars and ride on public transit with people they don't know.)

As you know and have argued, more and better mass transit are both possible and absolutely vital if we are to avoid killing our environment, our cities and ourselves.  Americans must get past their unreasoning fear of transit and you can help them do it:

I have to disagree, Terry. If anyone, you are the one that can help them do it. And just have. Thanks.

I don't think you need a psychologist to explain what's at  work: Transit is unfamiliar to most middle-class, auto-oriented Americans. Cars are something they encounter every day. That  which is unfamiliar is more scary than what is familiar, even when the familiar is demonstrably more dangerous. Transit also involves contact with unfamiliar people.

The point on the poll is well-taken. It should be noted that it comes with the disclaimer: "results not scientific." Still, it is encouraging that only 17 percent answered yes. And I'm going to venture an unscientific guess that those most of those folks don't ride transit now.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

A Maryland Transit Administration official said early Wednesday morning that Baltimore's Metro subway had passed reliability tests on its control and collision prevention system.

Conducted in the aftermath of the fatal June 22 crash of two Washington Metro trains, MTA testing engineer John Forbes said a third night of so-called "integrity tests" was completed about 3:30 a.m. and the examination had found "no anomalies whatsoever" in the speed controls on one of the two tracks from Johns Hopkins Hospital to Owings Mills.

Forbes said the other track was found to have no speed control problems the previous night, while a test of the Metro's collision avoidance system last week also uncovered no malfunctions.

Posted by Maryann James at 8:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

According to the Maryland Transit Administration, there has never been a only one fatal crash involving an employee or a passenger on its Metro subway in nearly 26 years of operation.

That contrasts with the record of Washington's Metro system, which after Monday's crash that killed nine has at least 17 fatalities on its record since opening in 1976. (Both totals exclude suicides by jumping on the tracks.)

 Admittedly, Washington's system is much larger than Baltimore's one-line wonder, but zero one is still zero zero and 17 is still 17.

For those who think the comparison is unfair to DC Metro, consider: Which transit system has the resources and cahet to attract the "best and brightest" in transit? Baltimore's system may be rinky-dink, but safe rinky-dink beats dangerous world-class.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Baltimore Metro
        

According to Maryland Transit Administration spokeswoman Jawauna Greene, the MTA has worked out an agreement with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Administration that would let holders of the soon-to-be-introduced MTA "smart cards" use them on the Washington Metro system and WMATA-operated buses.

WMATA users would also be able to use their SmarTrip cards on MTA buses, the Baltimore Mettro and the light rail (not MARC).

This makes so much sense it's a surprise it could actually happen.

These smart cards, which store value added in advance, make the experience of riding public transit much smoother. Users can eliminate much of the fumbling for change that complicates a simple bus or rail trip.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 1:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

I expected a lot of horror stories in response to my posing noting a curious absence of bad news out of the Maryland Transit Administration in recent weeks.

So far, not much, except for this account of a robbery on the subway from Alisa Bralove-Scherr of Owins Mills. I thought it was worth passing on as a cautionary tale.

For the record, people I trust have told me that crime on the Metro subway is  not all running rampant because tthere is extensive surveillance camera coverage. But, unlike in DC, there are times when you don't feel the comfort of being in a crowd in the Baltimore Metro.

I'm a state employee and I take the subway from Owings Mills to Charles Center everyday. On Wednesday I left early to go to a doctor's appointment.
 
It was about 3:30 in the afternoon when the train pulled into the Rogers Ave. station. The doors opened and the kid sitting in front of my grabbed my iPod out of my hand and took off.
 
I sprung up and immediately started chasing him and yelling for the police. I followed him down the escalator. He jumped the turnstyle; I didn't.
 
There was an MTA police officer standing there as he ran out of the station. She was very nice in taking the report but kept repeating that I should never use a cell phone or an iPod on the subway because this happens every day. The MTA employee working in the booth told me the same thing.
 
The officer also noted that she didn't even pay any attention when she heard me running and screaming after the kid because the kids do that all of the time.

It was strange because I had a funny feeling a little before the kid made his move. He and two boys who sat behind me had gotten on after I did. The two behind me were clearly trying to shock or upset me. They kept screaming at random trying to scare me. I wanted to make it look like it didn't bother me so I didn't do anything. I thought about putting the iPod away and even squeezed it a little tighter, but I didn't want to show fear.
 
I guess I should have.

The officer did say they would check the videotape from the train and from the station. Whether the cameras were actually working is a different story.
 
It's so frustrating sometimes to ride public transit in Baltimore. The DC metro is so different. I was down there on Sunday night and felt completely safe, even at 10 something at night. Yet I don't feel safe at all on the Baltimore subway in broad daylight

Posted by Michael Dresser at 10:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Baltimore Metro
        

There's something very strange going on at the Maryland Transit Administration: Nothing.

That's nothing as in no news. And there's no place where the axiom that no news is good news applies as much as at a public transit agency.

It's been about a month since I've received an email from a disgruntled MARC rider. If anybody's been getting beat up on city buses, it's certainly been kept quiet. When I've ridden the light rail, the ticket machines have been working. The Metro subway just  keeps rolling along with its usual boring efficiency. The MTA personnel I've dealt with have been courteous and professional.

What's going on here anyway? Is this turning into the Stepford Transit System? Whatever happened to the font of horror stories where Sun reporters have slaked their news thirst at for years? Is this a fluke or could it be that this agency isn't as screwed up as it used to be?

Continue reading "Dogs not barking at MTA" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 3:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Baltimore Metro, Light rail, Local bus lines, MARC train, MTA bus system, Red Line
        

The city Department of Transportation and the Maryland Transit Administration have weighed in with information on Preakness road closings and transit services.
The elimination of the service provided in the past from Mondawmin Mall and Poly/Western is the result of the same federal ruling that deep-sixed shuttle service to Orioles and Ravens games. The MTA is blameless in this case.

Transit

Metro: The Maryland Transit Administration will offer shuttle service between the West Rogers Avenue Metro station and Pimlico.

Light rail: The MTA will offer shuttle service between the West Cold Spring Lane light rail station and Pimlico.

Bus: The MTA will run additional buses as needed on Routes No. 27, 44, 91 and 54 serving Pimlico.

Park and ride: Under new federal rules, the MTA will not offer shuttle service between park-and-ride lots at Mondawmin and Poly/Western and Pimlico. Those who park at Mondawmin can take the Metro to Rogers Avenue and take the shuttle. Those who park at Poly/Western can walk to the Cold Spring light rail station and catch the shuttle.

Roads

The Baltimore Department of Transportation issued the following list of street closings and restrictions:

The following streets will be closed to through traffic:

• Saturday, May 16, 2009 – 6:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Southbound Jones Falls Expressway exit ramp to eastbound Northern
Parkway (Motorists will be redirected to the Cold Spring Lane exits)

• Cylburn Avenue from Northern Parkway to Greenspring Avenue

• Saturday, May 16, 2009 – 5:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Southbound Jones Falls Expressway exit ramp to westbound Northern
Parkway (Motorists will be redirected to the Cold Spring Lane exits)

• Westbound Northern Parkway will be closed from Falls Road to
Greenspring Avenue

The following special traffic modifications will be in effect:

Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 10:00 p.m. until Saturday, May 16, 2009 at 8:00
p.m.
Rogers Avenue – One-way westbound from Winner Avenue to Park Heights
Avenue
Winner Avenue – One-way northbound from Hayward Avenue to Rogers Ave

Manhattan Avenue – One-way eastbound from Winner Avenue to Pimlico Road

Whitney Avenue – One-way westbound from Pimlico Road to Key Avenue

Sulgrave Avenue – One-way westbound from Stuart Avenue to Highgate Avenue

Rockwood Avenue – One-way eastbound from Key Avenue to Berkeley Avenue

Simmonds Avenue – One-way southbound from Rockwood Avenue to Manhattan Avenue

Woodcrest Avenue – One-way northbound from Northern Parkway to Rockwood
Avenue

Merville Avenue – One-way southbound from Glen Avenue to Northern Parkway

Berkeley Avenue – One-way northbound from Whitney Avenue to Glen Avenue

Stuart Avenue – One-way northbound from Northern Parkway to Sulgrave
Avenue

Rusk Avenue – One-way southbound from Whitney Avenue to Northern Parkway

Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 10:00 p.m. until Saturday, May 16, 2009 at 9:00
p.m.

Rogers Avenue – Will be closed to vehicular traffic from Winner Avenue to
Northern Parkway

Saturday, May 16, 2009 from 7:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

Hayward Avenue – One-way eastbound from Park Heights Avenue to Winner
Avenue

Saturday, May 16, 2009 from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Pimlico Road – One-way northbound from Northern Parkway to Ken Oak Road

Posted by Michael Dresser at 1:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

This just in from the Downtown Partnership. It looks like a good weekend to use Light Rail or the Metro to get downtown.

 CONGESTION ALERT: Large events at First Mariner Arena and Camden Yards this Friday and Saturda

 Concurrent events at the First Mariner Arena and Camden Yards are expected to cause congestion Downtown on the evening of Friday, May 8 and Saturday, May 9. Acquire the Fire, a national tour for Christian youth, is expected to draw over 15,000 attendees to the First Mariner Arena on Friday night at 7 pm and Saturday at 9 am. There are also Orioles vs. Yankees games at Camden Yards on both Friday and Saturday evening starting at 7:05 pm.

 Expect heavy traffic Downtown Friday evening as well as throughout the day on Saturday. If you are planning on attending Acquire on Fire or the Orioles game, we highly encourage taking public transportation.

To avoid the congestion Downtown, please visit our alternative routes webpage at http://www.GetAroundDowntown.com for suggestions to Get Around Downtown.

When planning out your route, it should be noted that Lombard Street has been reopened to traffic. As always, visit http://www.GetAroundDowntown.com for updates and to sign up for congestion alerts.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 12:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Baltimore Metro, Light rail, MTA bus system, On the roads
        

Mitchell Walk, who works for Constellation Global Commodities Group, has had enough of long walks in the dark in a rather uninviting part of town.

He writes:

Since I've had absolutely zero luck in getting an answer from MTA, I hope you can help me out. I travel the Metro daily for my commute, which two nights a week has me taking the train back to Owings Mills from graduate school classes after 10:00 pm. Those nights I walk to the Lexington Market station from the south, meaning that I have to walk right past the long under construction "station enhancement" project blocking the south entrance to the station. This creates an extra block of walking in what is not exactly the best neighborhood in the city, and I'm anxious for the entrance to reopen.

Since little progress is ever visible, I've sent numerous emails to the MTA trying to get an idea of when the work is (or more likely, was) scheduled to be completed. Per usual for my questions to the MTA, I've received no response and was hoping that you could track down an answer for us Metro riders. Thanks!

Continue reading "Lexington Market Metro station woes drag on" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 7:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Baltimore Metro