The greater Baltimore region has more than 6,000 household that lack either a car or access to mass transit services, according to a report released Thursday by the Brookings Institution.

That number is overshadowed by the more than 114,000 regional households that own no vehicles but do have access to transit. That puts the region at 94.6 percent coverage for zero-vehicle households -- coming in 20th out of 100 metropolitan areas around the country.

The Baltimore numbers do show a significant gap between the city and the suburbs in transit access for such households, most with low family incomes. While the city has 100 percent transit coverage, according to Brookings, 85.1 percent of no-vehicle households in the suburbs have such access.

When it comes to providing no-vehicle households with access to jobs, the region doesn't fare as well.  The report days Baltimore provides 42 percent of no-vehicle households with access to jobs -- ranking 32nd out of 100. Of those households, 50.3 percent are in the city and 23.7 percent in the  suburbs.

Continue reading "Region has 6,000+ with no car, no transit access" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 10:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Baltimore Metro, City bus service, Light rail, Local bus lines, MTA, MTA bus system, On the roads
        

Every time there's a major night event downtown, it seems the Maryland Transit Administration and civic leaders urge people to use rail transit to get there and get home.

Maybe that's working on the Metro. Seldom does Getting There hear complaints from that system. But the light rail system is a different story. Any time there's a big night event -- such as Wednesday's U2 concert at M&T Bank Stadium -- and we start getting emails like this from Sarah LW:

A tip - MTA has once again dropped the ball.  I'm standing on the light
rail northbound platform outside of M&T Bank stadium, still waiting to
board a train, with hundreds of other concertgoers.  There was one
northbound train shortly after 11:00 pm, and one right before midnight.
 Southbound service fared slightly better, though there are still people
waiting there as well.

Continue reading "Why can't light rail handle big night events?" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 4:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: Light rail
        

A light rail train was heading north on Howard Street in downtown Baltimore when it made a stop on the right side between Lexington and Saratoga. Dozens of passengers disembarked, and the vast majority of them crossed over the street in the middle of the block, just behind the train.

This may not be strictly legal but it is human nature. No amount of legislating or fulminating or lecturing will stop it. Rich or poor, black or white, male or female, young or old -- it seems we all want to get from Point A to Point B by taking a straight line.

My question for the city Department of Transportation is this: Given that this is how pedestrians react to this configuration of transit and street, why not create a crosswalk at the point where they are going to cross anyway? Even when pedestrians are in the wrong, drivers are obligated to avoid hitting them anyway, so why not provide that extra measure of protection to people on foot?

Here's a modest suggestion: Have one of those sharp traffic engineers with the department follow the light rail through town and chart where the passengers are crossing. Then design measures to protect them. It's not as if Howard Street was intended to be a fast-moving street for drivers.

Yes, the city could wait for a fatality. Or, at the risk of sounding unoriginal, it could "do it now."

Posted by Michael Dresser at 12:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
        

Jason Ewell, manager of program services at the National Federation of the Blind, has discovered a glitch in the Maryland Transit Administration's phone service listings for MARC trains. It appears the MTA might not have updated its information when it changed its schedule on the Penn Line earlier this year.

Here's Ewell's account:

Just letting you know that nearly two months after the change in the MARC train schedule, the MTA telephone system has still not been updated. The light rail schedule also does not work properly and hasn't for many months. Is there any way you could ask MTA officials why they can't make these simple fixes to their system? I have complained several times to the MTA call center employees, but of course all they can do is pass the complaints along.

Continue reading "Did MTA update its MARC phone line?" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 4:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Light rail, MARC train, MTA
        

It was Gov. William Donald Schaefer who brought the light rail system to Baltimore, so perhaps he can be forgiven if he delays it a bit Monday.

The Maryland Transit  Administration says that the planned "final tour" for Schaefer before he lies in state at City Hall starting Monday evening could cause some temporary delays in light rail service, as well as on local and commuter buses, between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

The tour will take Schaefer's body from his childhood home in West Baltimore to many sites associated with his career -- including Lexington Market, Camden yards, the Hippodrome, Harborplace, Fells Point and Little Italy.

The MTA said street closures along the route could cause delays.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 4:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Light rail
        

The Maryland Transit Administration has resumed normal operations on its light rail service after an incident in which an SUV slid off the Jones Falls Expressway and landed near the tracks in the vicinity of Northern Parkway.

MTA spokesman David Clark landed on its roof near the tracks between the Cold Spring Lane and Mount Washington stations just south of Northern Parkway. He said no trains were damaged by the crash, though service was briefly interrupted so police could complete rescue operations. For a time, the trains operated on a single track at reduced speeds around the crash site.

Clark said he had no information  on the condition of any occupants of the SUV. H said the crash was being handled by the Baltimore Police Department rather than the MTA police.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 6:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Light rail
        

The Maryland Transit Administration is working to get its light rail system back on schedule after an open circuit-breaker stopped service to the northern end of the line.

 MTA spokesman Terry Owens said the problem started about 9:30 a.m. when the circuit-breaker problem was detected at the Pepper Road substation. He said a crew was dispatched and fixed the circuit breaker at 9:58 a.m. During that time, service from Pepper Road north to to Hunt Valley was interrupted, Owens said.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Light rail
        

Lateness was the No. 1 concern of riders on the Maryland Transit Administration's local bus system and Metro subway -- whether they were satisfied with the service or not --  according to a survey conducted by the Central Maryland Transportation Alliance.

The group's interim  report on the first three months of its "Rate Your Ride" survey found that Metro customers are significantly more pleased with their service than bus riders. On a scale in which a 1 indicated excellence and a 4 "major problems," riders rated the Metro 2.0 and the bus service 2.8.

The alliance received more than 4,000 responses to its survey via its web page and text messages. While  it sought responses from riders of all the MTA's  services, the group said it did not have enough responses from riders of MARC commuter trains, the light rail system and Mobility cabs and vans to include them in their results in the interim report.

Continue reading "Bus, Metro riders' top gripe is on-time performance" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 12:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (13)
        

The Maryland Transit Administration says it is providing only limited local bus service this morning because many streets remain impassable. Meanwhile the light rail system is experiencing 30-minute delays in trains from the southern ends of the system at BWI Airport and Cromwell Station.

 Here's the word on the buses:

 Local Bus Emergency News & Service Update

Last updated: January 27, 8:25 AM MTA local bus is operating with limited service. Customers should expect major delays. As roads become more accessible, additional routes will be added.

 The following routes are open: 1, 3, 5, 7, 8,10,13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 23, 29, 33, 35, 40, 44, 48, 52,53, 54, 56, 57, 77

Posted by Michael Dresser at 8:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Baltimore Metro, City bus service, Light rail, Local bus lines, MTA, MTA bus system
        

The Maryland Transit Administration has suspended local bus service and expects it to resume at 5 a.m. Thursday. It has canceled all commuter bus services provided by contractors Thursday.

The agency said service on the light rail line is running 30 minutes late and is not stopping at the Woodberry station. It said the Metro has been running on schedule.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 11:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Chikwe Njoku wrote in with an inquiry about the Maryland Transit Administration's Transit Link Cards. Thanks to Terry Owens, spokesmam for the MTA, for providing a timely answer.

I have a MARC  TLC Monthly that I use to travel to/from DC. It is very useful since you can also use it on Metro Bus or Metro Rail once you get to DC. Like the Metro Fare Cards they often fail.. and then become a "flash card" that you show upon entering/exiting the station.
 
I have also used the fare card to ride both the Light Rail and MTA Bus at certain times between Camden and Penn Stations as needed. I have noticed that both the fare inspectors and drivers are becoming increasingly perplexed by the MARC TLC Monthly.  Many stare at it in amazement and one driver told me its not valid on the MTA Bus. I tried to explain to her what I thought the policy was and she said " There isn't anything about MTA Buses/Light Rail on here...." I was stunned... after I examined the card.. I realized she was correct unless the policy has changed?
 

Continue reading "MTA: Cards are good (even if drivers are clueless)" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 2:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Baltimore Metro, City bus service, Light rail, MARC train, MTA
        

Light rail service to Hunt Valley has been restored and trains are now running north of Timonium for the first time since Tuesday.

Maryland Transit Administration spokesman David Clark said full service on the light rail line resumed at 1:15 p.m. after testing showed the repairs on the overhead power lines and signal system at the Warren Road crossing had been successful.

Service was interrupted there early Tuesday morning when a salt truck that had not lowered its bed hit the catenary wire, bringing it down and damaging the signaling system.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 1:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Light rail
        

The Maryland Transit Administration has powered up the overhead electric lines that were damaged early Tuesday and if test show it works, service could be restored to the northern end of the line before this afternoon's rush hour.

MTA spokesman David Clark said the agency will soon run a test train through the Warren Road crossing, where a salt truck that had not lowered its bed brought down catenary wires and damaged the signaling system. If the systems function properly, light rail service to Hunt Valley could be restored this afternoon, he said.

Since Tuesday, trains have been stopping at Timonium and a bus bridge has carried passengers to the station north of there.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 11:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Light rail
        

Light rail service is expected to be curtailed north of Timonium through Thursday's morning rush hour after a truck driver's error tore down the wires that power the trains.

An MTA spokesman said a bus bridge is maintaining service to Hunt Valley as crews work to repair the damage caused when a salt truck driver under contract to Baltimore County went through the Warren Road crossing without lowering the bed on the truck. According to the Baltimore County police, the call came in at 1:09 a.m., shortly after the service was shut down for the night. 

"The truck really ripped things up," said the  MTA's David Clark. He said the MTA had a bus bridge in place in time for Wednesday's morning commute.

A spokeswoman for the Baltimore County Police Department identified the driver as Arnold Criss, 29, of Aberdeen. She said no charged have been filed.

Clark said he doesn't know whether the MTA would seek to recover damages from the contractor. "Right now they''re just trying to get it fixed,"  he  said.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 2:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Light rail
        

The Maryland Transit Administration said that on Monday it will roll out a version of its CharmCard fare collection system that will reflect the discounts available to seniors.

The new, bright orange CharmCard for Seniors will be available to riders over 65, charging them the reduced fares already available for older MTA customers.

The original CharmCard, introduced last year, offered  automated fare collection using a plastic card with an embedded microchip that stores and spends the monetary value  the customer adds to the card. But at the time of its launch, the system was unable to account for senior fares.

The new senior card is intended to remedy that omission. It can be used on MTA local buses, the Baltimore subway and light rail, as well as Washington-area buses and that city's Metro. It is not accepted on MARC trains, where the ticketing is integrated into the Amtrak system.

According to the MTA, customers can carry up to a $200 balance on their cards at any time. It said the cards will be registered so that value is protected in case the card is lost, damaged or stolen. Seniors are eligible for such discounts as 55 cents  for a regular one-way fare, compared to the standard $1.60, and $1.20 for a day  pass, compared with $3.50 for other riders.

The reduced-fare senior cards  willl be available at  the  MTA certification office at 6 St. Paul St. in downtown Baltimore. A valid Photo ID will  be required to  prove eligibility. The cost of the senior  card is $2, but it comes pre-loaded with that amount in transit fares.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 4:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Baltimore Metro, Light rail, Local bus lines, MTA, MTA bus system
        

Baltimore County slipped from fourth to a tie for fifth place in Maryland in the percentage of workers who use public transit to get to work, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The bureau's 2005-2009 American Community Survey shows that fast-growing Charles County jumped past Baltimore County to come in No. 4 among Maryland jurisdictions in transit use. Transit use there more than doubled from 2.4 percent in the 2000 Census to 6.2 percent in the more recent survey -- likely  reflecting a sharp increase in the number of commuter buses serving the Southern Maryland County.

Baltimore County, meanwhile, slipped from 4 percent transit use in the 2000 Census to 3.9 percent in the survey. That put it in a tie with Howard County, where transit use grew from 2.5 percent in 2000. Baltimore County, parts of which are served by the Maryland Transit Administration, is the largest jurisdiction in the state without a locally operated bus system.

The same survey showed that Maryland ranks fifth among the states -- or sixth if the District of Columbia is included -- in transit use at 8.7 percent of the population. In 2000, the state's percentage stood at 7.2 percent.

Continue reading "Census shows transit lags in Baltimore County" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 2:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Baltimore Metro, Light rail, Local bus lines, MARC train, MTA, MTA bus system
        

A tax break for MARC and other  transit riders that had been imperiled in earlier versions of the tax bill making its way through appears to have a good chance of staying alive -- at least for another year.

Paul Dean, director of government relations for the American Public Transit Association, said the version of the tax bill the Senate voted on today includes a continuation of the benefit at its current level. Without the provision, the benefit would be cut roughly in half as of Jan. 1.

The benefit allows transit riders to pay up to $230 in transit fares each month with pre-taxed dollars. That amount was raised from $120 in President Obama's 2009 stimulus bill, but that provision had been on the chopping block until House and Senate negotiators agreed to write a one-year extension in the bill continuing the tax cuts implementred under President George W. Bush, Dean said.

Continue reading "Tax break for transit commuters extended in bill" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 4:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

This just in from the MTA:

Light Rail Customers are advised that the Ticket Vending Machines at Falls Road Light Rail will be out of order from November 19 until the evening of Monday, November 22. We recommend that our riders purchase and board at an alternate location. Otherwise, you may board at Falls Road and then purchase ticket at the next stop. We apologize for any inconvenience.

This is nonsense and the MTA ought to know better. Fare inspectors should be instructed that if they encounter a passenger wiithout a  ticket, to ask where the rider boarded. If the rider says Falls Road, the MTA should concede the free ride. No passenger who boarded in good faith  should be expected to get off at the next stop, purchase a ticket while the train leaves, and wait for the next train.

It's the MTA that's responsible for the condition of the machines -- not the riders.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 4:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Light rail
        

Yesterday we recounted the  story of Bernard and Maria Smith and the hoops they had to jump through at the Maryland Transit Administration to resolve a problem of a defective CharmCard.

Today we can report that the problem has been resolved, though it took the Smiths three trips downtown to accomplish that. Here's the word from MTA spokesman Terry Owens:

Thank you for the opportunity to investigate and respond to a complaint about an inoperative CharmCard and MTA’s response.  Since hearing from you we did confirm that Mrs. Smith’s CharmCard is defective, and today she picked up a new card with its full value along with an apology for her wasted time.  Interestingly, there are currently 4,000 cards in operation and this is the very first report we have received about a defective card.

Continue reading "Mrs. Smith gets her CharmCard fixed" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 5:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

The American Publiic Transit Association estimates that a typical commuter to downtown Baltimore could save $9,549 a year by taking bus or rail to work and jettisoning a car.

Now APTA is a trade group and lobbying arm of the nation's transit agencies, so the fact the organization has come up with a large number for Baltimore and other cities is hardly a surprise. (New York tops that list at $13,962 a year.) But for certain commuters who would like to cut household expenses, the Baltimore number might be worth considering. That's $796 a month, if APTA's calaculations are valid.

Here's APTA's explanation of its methodology:

Continue reading "Transit savings in Baltimore put at $9,549 a year" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
        

This week's election provided mixed news for supporters of expansion of Maryland's transit system -- positive at the local level but foreboding on the national scene.

The big local story was Gov. Martin O'Malley defeat of former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich  Jr. in a contest that pitted two very different views of public transit.  Ehrlich prmoised to scuttle Baltimore's Red Line and the Washington suburban Purple Line as light rail projects if elected. His stance in favor of a bus alternative was a turn-off to influential players in Montgomery and Prince Georges' counties -- as reflected in the Greater Washington Board of Trade's endorsement of O'Malley. His numbers in the Washington suburbs would have been anemic anyway, but his stance on the Purple Line deepened his problems. 

Ehrlich's Red Line position might have won him a few stray votes in Canton, but there are no signs it helped him much in the Baltimore area.

Continue reading "Election provides mixed news for transit projects" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 11:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

JIn a recent email, Jerry McCann of Lutherville raised some interesting points about how the MTA's new CharmCard works  on the light rail. We posted it on this blog.

Now  MTA spokesman David Clark has replied on behalf of the agency. Here's what he had to say:

Machines at the Lexington Market Northbound Light Rail Station are temporarily unable to accept CharmCards due to underground utility problems.  Additional notices placed on the TVM’s inform patrons that the machines currently accept “Cash Only” and CharmCard access will be available soon at that location. 

Continue reading "MTA: CharmCard a work in progress" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 6:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
        

This just in from the MTA website:

Based on card sales and fare purchases, MTA’s new CharmCard has been positively
received by full-fare customers.  The reduced-fare CharmCard for seniors is in the final stages of development, and is scheduled to be available in early 2011. 
When the Senior CharmCard is available the MTA will provide purchase information
at the MTA Reduced Fare Certification Office, at the Transit Store, on transit vehicles, and through direct mail.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 6:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Baltimore Metro, City bus service, Light rail, Local bus lines, MARC train, MTA bus system, WMATA/D.C. Metro
        

One of the charms of the Baltimore Marathon, beside the creative way it tests drivers' ability to cope with street closings, is the effect it has on public transit.

According to the Maryland Transit Administration. 24 of its local bus routes will be altered Saturday as a result of road closings associated with the marathon and its companion Baltimore Running Festival. Just put it down to the price you pay to live in a great American city rather than Palookaville.

The MTA said service would be affected on bus Routes No. 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10-13, 15, 19-23, 27, 29, 35, 36, 40, 48, 64, 91 and 98. Details can be found  at the MTA website.

Continue reading "Marathon to alter 24 bus routes" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 3:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Baltimore Metro, City bus service, Light rail, MTA, MTA bus system, On the roads
        

The Maryland Transit Administration's new CharmCard represents a significant advance for the agency, but light rail rider Jerry McCann of Lutherville hasn't found it all to be smooth riding. From what I've seen from my few rides on the light rail since the card's introduction, McCann makes some valid points -- especially about the problems in buying a round-trip ticket.

I thought you might want to hear from an early Charm Card adopter about how it works.  It's OK but less than charming.

The actual technology of the card itself seems to work well but there are some important information gaps in the literature that comes with the card and on the smartrip.com website about how to use it on the Light Rail.  It's important to keep in mind that Light Rail users have been trained to be ready to have their paper tickets and passes periodically inspected by uniformed "Fare Inspectors".  Within this context its important that MTA make sure Charm Card users know that they no longer need a paper ticket or pass on the Light Rail.  Fare Inspectors now carry a Charm Card scanner box that verifies that a rider has used the card to pay an appropriate fare.

Continue reading "CharmCard shows lack of charm on light rail" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 12:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Light rail
        

The State Highway Administration has announced it will launch a free. round-the-clock "511" telephone service to provide real-time traffic information to travelers in the state.

The new system, provided by Televent of Rockville, under a five-year contract with the state worth $4.7 million, will start up in fall 2011, according to Gov. Martin O'Malley.

The SHA wil manage the statewide service, under which the contractor will collect traffic information from a variety of sources and provide it to travelers who place calls to 511. The informatiion will also be  made available through social network operators and a website. The 511 system is later expected to add a personalized service that will alert subscribers to traffic conditions via text messaging.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 11:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

State Comptroller Peter Franchot reaffirmed his support for construction of two light rail lines as he accused a Washington newspaper of distorting his position after he questioned the costs of a contract for engineering on the projects.

Franchot released a statement Thuesday in which he said he felt compelled to respond to a Washington Examiner that he called a "gross misrepresentation of my longtime position" on the Purple Line in the Washington suburbs. The comptroller said he fully supports construction of the 16-mile light rail lline from New Carrollton to Bethesda, as well as the east-west Red Line in Baltimore.

The Examiner, in an stricle that bore  the online headline "Franchot swings at Purple Line," interpreted the comptroller's remarks as a criticism of the cost of the projects themselves.

Continue reading "Franchot blasts report, reaffirms transit support" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 12:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: For policy wonks only, Light rail, MTA, Red Line
        

Today is Day No. 2 of the Maryland Transit Administration's full-fledge venture into the brave new world of electronic fare collection -- and as far as this occasional rider is concerned the results have been mixed.

One day after my SmartTrip card  -- the Washington Metro card that's now supposed  to be interchangeable with Baltimore' CharmCard -- was rejected at the Lexington Market Metro Station, it failed to work  again today at the North Linthicum light rail station.

When I touched the card to the screen on the ticket vending machine, up came the same old light rail ticket menu giving the option of  cash or credit card. It did not seem to want to debit a round-trip fare.

After puzzling it over a bit, I heard a train come chugging into the station. I would  have made a credit card purchase, but that would have caused me too miss the train and be late for an appointment. (The immutable law  of light rail seems to be that the train always comes into the station just as you're fumbling with the ticket machine.)

I must admit that rather than be late for an event, I jumped on the train without having my payment accepted --  figuring that if a fare inspector came by I would explain the failure of the system to read my SmartTrip card. Perhaps fortunately, no  inspector came by before I got off at Camden Yards.

Continue reading "MTA electronic fare system shows new glitch" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 11:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Light rail
        

The chief of the Maryland Transit Administration says the launch Tuesday of the system's new CharmCard electronic payment system is just the first step in an effort to streamline the use of transportation services in the Baltimore region.

MTA Administrator Ralign T. Wells said at a news conference at the Charles Center Metro Station that  “nothing is  off the table” in terms of future applications of the new “smart cards, which now can be used to pay fares on local buses, the Metro and the light rail system.

“We’re open to anything that will allow more accessibility to various transportation modes,” Wells said at the long-awaited CharmCard, which has been more  than a decade in development.

Continue reading "CharmCard "a first step," MTA chief says" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 12:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

The Maryland Transit Administration will trot out all the details of its new CharmCard, an electronic fare payment system, at a news conference Tuesday morning. But MTA spokesman gave Getting There readers a preview by explaining how it will work on the light rail system.

According to Owens, it will be a paper-less system for card users. You get to the fare machine, flash your card for the electronic reader, it debits your fare and you board the train. Fare inspectors will be equipped with electronic devices that can tell whether you have paid by scanning your CharmCard (or SmartTrip card, for those who elect to use the version issued by the Washington Metro system). Just show your card, instead of your ticket, to the inspector.

Owens  also said MTA buses, the  Metro and light rail will start accepting SmartTrip  cards Tuesday -- the same day the MTA's  long-awaited CharmCards go on sale.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 6:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Light rail
        

After more than a decade of development, the Maryland Transit Administration plans to launch its often-delayed electronic fare payment system Tuesday -- giving rider the option of using a plastic card to use the Metro, light rail and local buses.

MTA spokesman Terrry Owens called the introduction of what will be known as the CharmCard a "huge step forward" for the agency. He said it will be "one of the largest integrated transit  fare payment systems in the  nation."

Continue reading "MTA smart card coming Tuesday" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 2:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

In a previous posting, readers questioned why the MTA's light rail system takes so long to move crowds out of Camden Yards after Ravens games. We put that question to MTA spokesman Terry Owens, who provided the following reply:

MTA records show no problems with service August 28th. Our passengers should know that extra measures are taken to handle the 8-10,000 customers who use light rail for Ravens games.  Depending on the availability of cars we try to make every train a three car train, and add fill in trains when possible.

Despite the limits imposed by the number of available tracks and cars, light rail platforms are usually clear in less than an hour following Ravens games. 
Large crowds can affect schedules. That?s because it takes longer to fill the train and off load passengers when large crowds are involved. Our goal is always to move passengers as quickly and safely as possible.  Like everyone we look forward to a great season with the Ravens.

What we have here is a clear disconnect of expectations. Riders look at a 45-minute delay in getting a train after a game and think "it took forever to get a train." The MTA sees the platforms cleared within an hour and pats itself oon the back for doing a good job.

Continue reading "MTA defends light rail handling of Ravens crowds" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 10:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Light rail
        

Alexander Pyles, a student in former Sun editor Sandy Banisky's class at the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism in College Park. has written a perceptive article about how the Orioles' 13-year slide into perennial loser status has affected the Maryland Transit  Administration's light rail system.

The article, part of a 12-part project on the effects the Orioles' decline has had on Baltimore, reports that the system has fallen well short of expectations as the crowds that flooded Camden Yards in its early years have waned. It's a very readable series --  and well worth a couple of clicks.

The article does leave one key question unanswered: Is it asking too much of manager Buck Showalter to expect him to turn around the light rail system as well as the team?

Posted by Michael Dresser at 2:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Light rail
        

After nearly three weeks of total detachment from Maryland transportation issues, I returned from a European vacation today to be greeted by an Aug. 30 email from readers Sean Jester and Stuart Grey raising some very good questions about the Maryland Transit Administration's light rail system. Here's what Jester and Grey had to say:

I try to use the MTA to get downtown whenever possible. I've purchased the MTA season pass for all Ravens home games and overall I enjoy the freedom from having to drive downtown for sporting events and paying to park. I support the MTA in building the red line and hope that someday the LR and metro subway will be expanded to give Baltimore the comprehensive mass transit system it deserves.

But this last Saturday during the Ravens game two overall minor setbacks just reinforced my belief that the MTA still cannot provide efficient transportation to and from Ravens games.

Continue reading "Why can't light rail handle Ravens crowds?" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 12:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Light rail
        

Before a major public event in the Baltimore area, it's typical of the Maryland Transit Administration to send out a news release touting its services as the way to get there.

So it is with the Maryland State Fair, which begins Aug. 27 and runs through Sept. 6. The MTA just put out the word that light rail is the way to go to the event to Timonium Fairgrounds. (It also mentions the No. 8 and No. 9 buses, though light rail will certainly move a lot more people.)

The obligatory canned quote from the release either contains news or a fairly ridiculous blunder, since it's attributed to MTA chief Ralign T. Wells.

MTA offers a cool, comfortable way to focus on the fair and your family instead of dealing with traffic and parking.  For just $1.60, the MTA Day Pass will get you there relaxed and ready to enjoy good food, good times and great entertainment.

So the MTA has cut the cost of a day pass from $3.50 to the $1.60 cost of a one-way fare? Talk about burying the lead!  (Lower in the release, it mentions the cost of a day pass as $3.50, so I'm betting that's  the operative policy.)

Continue reading "MTA touts itself as the way to the state fair" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 11:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Light rail, MTA, MTA bus system
        

Has a four-vehicle crash closed the Jones Falls Expressway? Did a light rail train jump the tracks? Are hundreds of passengers stranded on a MARC train?

You can find out fast by receiving text message alerts from The Baltimore Sun's Breaking News Desk. Just click here to sign up to receive traffic alerts and other news as it happens. These are not routine announcements or advisories about everyday congestion but the type of major developments that can help commuters get to home or work faster.

There is no charge for the service from The Sun, though standard test-message charges from cell phone providers may apply.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 5:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

It was no accident that Gov. Martin O’Malley wore a purple tie to his campaign event in Silver Spring this morning.

The governor met with about two dozen small business owners and other voters at the Tastee Diner in this Montgomery County community to discuss his approach to transit issues -- and to underscore his support for a light rail project known as the Purple Line and the opposition of former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. to it.

While O’Malley launched no new verbal missiles at his prospective Republican opponent, he used the Purple Line issue to underscore a stark policy difference between the two.

Continue reading "O'Malley supports Purple Line, dodges on gas tax" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 2:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Ada Orie of Towson recently contacted this after having difficulty getting her complaints dealt with. Our public airing of her problems helped bring out action from the MTA, including a  call from Administrator Ralign T. Wells, who apparently did a good enough job of responding to her concerns that she sent this email:

I was born, raised and have lived in Maryland all my life. I have been a MTA customer for about 15 years. I want to talk to you about MTA service and second chances. I have traveled on the MTA bus, light rail, MARC train and metro subway. I will say although the service has not been perfect in the last 15 years, I will say I always got to my destination safely and I am appreciative the fares have stayed the same for the last few years despite the economic downturn. As we are ten years into a new millennium, we have a responsibility to usher in positive change. Let us do it by opening up the lines of communication between the MTA and its customers.

Continue reading "Bus rider urges: Give MTA a chance" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 3:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Continue reading "Where the light rail speakers are (and aren't)" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 3:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Light rail
        

Last Saturday, on the busy day in the middle of Artscape weekend, several light rail riders reported that they stood at various station for periods of 45 minutes to an hour without seeing a train headed downtown and without being informed by the Maryland Transit Administration of problems on the line.

To which Maryland  Transit Administration spokesman Terry Owens insisted the agency did use its P.A. system, such as it is, to inform light rail riders of those problems. Today, after receiving requests for details of how the MTA attempted to communicate Saturday,  Owens sent this statement:

As for last Saturday, I can tell you that we moved over 14,000 people on light rail and another 8,000 people Sunday.  On a daily basis more than 28,000 people use the service. We move 350,000 people every weekday on all our modes. We’re one of the largest transit agencies in the country. Are we perfect? No we are not. Do we strive daily to improve the service? Yes we do. We had some service disruptions Saturday and we responded. How do we plan to do a better job of informing customers when there is a problem on Light Rail?  We are investing in a new PA system for Light Rail and our Metro Subway operation. In the meantime we are continuing to make improvements internally that will result in improved service on the street. 

Light rail users, are you satisfied with that answer? Or should I keep pressing the MTA for details of what went wrong?

Posted by Michael Dresser at 1:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Light rail
        

The Maryland Transit Administration is insisting it used its public announcement systems at most of its light rail stations to let riders know of serious disruptions along the line Saturday while Artscape and other well-attended events were taking place downtown.

Terry Owens, an MTA spokesman, said the MTA has a P.S. system that covers 25 of its 33 light rail stations, including North Linthicum. He said the system was used to spread the word of the serious disruptions Saturday, which he said were caused by an unverified report of a body on the tracks, followed by a train's collision with a tree branch that became wedged in the undercarriage.

Owens' account appear to contradict those of a rider  who reported waiting at the North Linthicum for more than an hour Saturday evening without seeing a northbound train. Other riders reported long waits at Linthicum, Mount Washington and Woodberry without hearing from the MTA. Getting There is checking with these riders to see whether they heard anything from the P.A. systems.

The MTA spokesman continues to insist  that the MTA did  a commendable job Saturday in coping with multiple disruptions and getting the word out to riders. "We did an awful lot right on Saturday,"" he said.

In the end it doesn't matter how I see it or Owens sees it. It's how  the customers see it.  And the feedback I've received has not been positiive.

Owens said the MTA is planning to upgrade its P.A. system and to extend it to all of its light rail stations.  He said the contract is in the bidding process. That would be a big improvement to the system --  if it's used.

Meanwhile, if you were at a light rail station Saturday and did hear a P.A. announcement about the troubles, please drop us  an email.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 4:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Light rail
        

If you were one of the hundreds of light rail riders left waiting at stations this weekend, there's a good chance you still don't know the reasons because the Maryland Transit Administration just doesn't know how to communicate with its customers.

Don't feel too bad. The MTA doesn't even communicate internally. It took MTA spokesman Terry Owens most of the  day to ferret out basic information such as where a train broke down. Until the operations people start informing the public affairs people about problems before the media inquiries come in, the MTA is going to continue to be a dysfuctional organization.

Anyway, here's what went down Saturday, according to Owens:

First, MTA police received a report about 2:30 p.m. of a body lying across the  tracks near Lutherville. The report ultimately could not be verified, but it prompted a slowdown of the trains to 20 mph, Owens said, as officers walked the track to check out the report. In view of the fatal accident that occurred on the light rail tracks last year, the sensitivity is understandable.

Then, just before 5 p.m., a train hit a branch that was lying across the tracks north of the Falls Road  station. The branch became jammed in the  train's undercarriage and had to be extracted. Meanwhile another train had to be diverted to pick up the passengers --  a maneuver that took 45 minutes or so. Meanwhile, the system had to go to single-tracking around the stalled train. Then the MTA had to inspect the track and make sure it was safe.  That takes time.

When something like that goes wrong, it can have a cascading effect on  the entire system. That's understood.

What isn't clear is why it would still be affecting traffic in Linthicum and North Linthicum between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., where rides reported that no northbound trains came by between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. According to Owens, the MTA sent out email alerts, which is a great way to reach its regular commuters but a lousy way to contact the occasional riders who use the system on weekends. At least some of the riders missed a Government Mule concert as a result.

Continue reading "Here's what went wrong on light rail" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 6:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Light rail
        

According to the MTA, a light rail train struck a branch that had fallen on the tracks near the Falls Road station Saturday about 5 p.m. The branch got stuck in the undercarriage of the train. It was terrible timing, coming on Artscape weekend with the Orioles in town, but it was one of those things that just happens now and then with a public transit system.

But why would such a problem still  be rippling through the system two hours later, when two readers who were at the Linthicum and North Linthicum stations reported going an hour without seeing a northbound train -- hearing nothing from the MTA as they were trying to get to a concert downtown?

One of the most serious deficiencies of the light rail system is that it doesn't have a working P.A. system to inform riders at all stations of problems on the line. Terry Owens, and MTA spokesman, said plans to install such a system are in the  works. He said the contract for  the work -- which would also include LED signs -- has been put out for bid and that the system should be up and running within two years.

Big whoop.

Continue reading "A modest idea for MTA on light rail" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 5:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Light rail
        

Artscape should be a showcase for the Maryland Transit Administration. It's an event that draws 350,000 people to a site that is served by the Metro, light rail and several bus lines. Government officials routinely urge people to use public transit to get there. It's an opportunity to expose people who don't usually use transit to the benefits.

So why did MTA light rail service bomb so badly during a weekend when it should have been at its best? According to spokesman Terry Owens, some events occurred that were outside the MTA's control. There was a report of an intruder on the tracks and a tree branch down on the line. But hundreds of people were left cooling their heels at stations without explanation. Here's some of their stories. The first comes from a gentleman whose name I will add if and when I get permission:

 

I've seen your recent articles about the troubles of the MARC train and the folly of trying to catch the new bus outside Penn station on Friday before Artscape started. The consistent inability of these government agencies to anticipate and put 2 and 2 together is a source of ongoing frustration. 

Continue reading "Light rail flunks on Artscape weekend" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 12:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Light rail
        

Where the proposed Purple Line from New Carrollton to Bethesda is concerned, Getting There can be a detached observer. We're all about One Maryland, and we wish the Washington suburbs well iin their transit aspirations, but it's not our backyard.

Nevertheless it caught our eyes when we read on Gazette.net that  a Montgomery County councilman, Roger Berliner, is actually pushing consideration of a single-tracking scheme on the proposed light rail line to save a few trees and appease critics of the project.

One has to wonder whether Berliner has any idea of the operational nightmares single-tracking brings. Certainly Baltimore knows all about the joys of single-tracking, which plagued our existing light rail system for the first 15 years of its existence.  Earth to Berliner: Any single-tracked system will bring delays, shutdowns and inefficiency from the get-go and will eventually require a shutdown of that section of the system to correct the error at a cost of hundreds of millions more than it would to do it right the first time. That's what happened in Baltimore, and that's what would happen in Montgomery County.

Hey, if Berliner wants to oppose the Purple Line outright, that's a defensible choice. But building it with single-tracking where it can be avoided is a waste of money that comes from all Maryland taxpayers. If this goofy idea goes through, the Maryland Transit Administration might as well put the entire project on the back burner and turn its attention to Baltimore's transit needs.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: Light rail, MTA
        

Maryland projects have been awarded three grants awarded by the Federal Transit Administration, including two in Baltimore and one in Prince George's County.

The Prince George's grant  -- for circulator buses in the south county -- is by far the largest at $4.1 million. The two Baltimore projects are going to Westport ($516,000), where a major redevelopment project is taking shape at the water's edge near the light rail station, and Howard Street ($260,000), where the money will be used to replace light rail and bus shelters.

Greater Greater  Washington reports that the District of Columbia's application for funding of an extension of its H Street Streetcar across the Anacostia River was rejected.

Here's the FTA's description of the winning Maryland projects, which were among 53 selected nationwide. 

Continue reading "Maryland gets 3 transit grants -- 2 in city" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 9:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Spurred by recent service disruptions on MARC trains, the Maryland Transit Administration has extended the hours of its customer call center to roughly match the hours commuter rail service operates.

Starting immediately, the call center will remain open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday "until further notice." The center had previously closed  at 7 p.m. --- long before the last MARC trains of the day left their stations.

MTA Administrator Ralign Wells said one of the messages hhe had received in talking with customers is  that they want to be able to reach a knowledgeable  agency representative during service hours. The MTA said it has also designated some of its  agents to  deal specifically with MARC-related issues and to stay in touch with the commuter line's operations staff. The number for MARC-related callls is 1-800-325-7245.

The MTA said it has also extended call center hours for its other rail and bus systems to  the same period as for MARC. That number is 410-539-5000.

Continue reading "MTA extends call center hours" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 12:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Elizabeth Muscedere,a 12-year light rail rider from Towson, had an experience this week that reminded her of the Maryland Transit Administration's recent woes on MARC. It seems that every time there's a "bus bridge" in place -- as there is this week between Cultural Center and Camden Yards--  problems ensue. Shouldn't the MTA have its quality assurance supervisors swarming the light rail stops when a bus bridge is in place, monitoring performance and answering questions? Especially on a 100+ day?

Here's Muscedere's story:

Now the Light Rail service is trying to imitate the miserable MARC train experience for its riders.  Yesterday on the hottest day of the year during evening rush hour, riders had to wait more than 40 minutes for a northbound train from the Cultural Center Stop.  Normally, several trains would arrive during this time but for unknown reasons a train did not arrive until almost 5:30 for passengers waiting since at least 4:50.  In the afternoon there is no shade at this stop.
 

Continue reading "Rider wonders: Is light rail the next MARC?" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Light rail
        

The Maryland Transit Administration's light rail system is operating this week without its central section because of work on the train infrastructure and road surface along Howard Street. That has required the closing of the line between the Camden yards and Cultural Center stations.

The MTA deserves credit for scheduling the work, which is expected to last through this weekend, during a heavy vacation week while the Orioles are on a long road trip.  But a reader named Youssef, who preferred that we  not use his llst name, had trouble with the bus shuttle tthe MTA offered as a substitute.

I had a wonderful experience this morning that I think you, the public, and MTA should know about.  I normally take Metro to Lexington Market and transfer to Light Rail northbound to Hunt Valley.  I arrived at the Light Rail station to find a sign that directed me to the corner of Howard and Saratoga to wait for the northbound shuttle.  Other passengers were waiting there as well.
 

Continue reading "Light rail bus shuttle gets panned" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 6:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Light rail
        

The Baltimore Department of Transportation will close the downtown intersection of Howard and Lexington streets for a week for work on the roads and light rail line.

The intersection will close from 6 a.m. July 5 (Monday) until 6 a.m. July 12 -- the same period that the light rail will not be running between Camden Yards and  the Cultural Center stops for work on the power lines, an obsolete switch and the Lexington market station.

The closings will also affect Lexington Street between Eutaw Street and Park Avenue and nothbound Howard Street between Fayette and Mulberry streets.

Detours will be in place, but the city is warning motorists to expect delays.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 6:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Light rail, On the roads
        

On Wednesday night, both Maryland Transportation Secretary Beverly Swaim-Staley and Maryland Transit Administration chief Ralign T. Wells owned up to the fact the communication with riders is the agency's No. 1 weakness.

It's good that these officials, who seem genuinely concerned about providing good service recognize the problem. But it might be even worse than they think.

Consider the case of Melissa Schober of Baltimore, who wrote a well-reasoned and well-informed email to Wells after a particularly bad commute June 22 -- a night of troubles that was overshadowed by the even worse problems the night before. Schober also had the moxie to share a copy with Getting There, a  practice this blog enthusiastically encourages.

Schober's June 25 email and Wells' reply, attached below, provide a vivid picture of the brain death that affects parts of the MTA. Here they are, you judge:

Mr. Wells:


Tuesday evening I was subject to one of the worst commutes I’ve ever experienced. I boarded the 4:15PMWAS departure train to Baltimore Penn Station. A few minutes after pulling away from the platform, the train experienced partial engine failure. We reversed into the station – a process that took more than 30 minutes – and were shuffled onto another train.

Continue reading "MTA non-answers a rider's questions" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

The Maryland Transit Administration will suspend operations on the central section of the light rail line next week for construction along Howard Street.

The MTA said it will not operate trains between the Camden Yards and Cultural Center stations from July 5 to July 11 but will provide shuttle buses to make connections. The agency said the buses will operate during regular light rail hours between and that every third trip will be extended to Penn Station. The shuttle will make stop at all stations except Pratt Street/Convention Center. The MTA recommended that riders use the Camden Yards stop next week.

All cross streets along Howard are expected to remain open.
 

Posted by Michael Dresser at 2:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Light rail
        

The first thing I want to make clear is that Terry Owens, the new chief spokesman for the Maryland Transit Administration, did not put me up too this. I asked some pointed questions and he gave honest answers. I hope that doesn't get him trouble.

What I asked Owens was simply whether he received a log each morning of incidents that occurred over the previous night.  To me, it seems like a no-brainer to provide such information to the public affairs office as a matter of routine. But his  answer was no. Logs of the previous day's performance are shared with "senior managers" but not the person in charge of answering questions from the media and the public. If somebody inquires about an overnight  lapse in service, the public affairs officer has to go dig out the information from the operations managers.

My experience suggests that these worthies are often less than forthcoming when approached by MTA spokespeople.

Continue reading "MTA keeps tight grip on information" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Every once and a while I get an email about a breakdown in light rail service after an Orioles game. Since serving baseball fans was one of the original justifications for building the system, that strikes me as a serious lapse. Here's one rider's story, as recounted by Jay Sweren of Pikesville.

And here I thought I was the only one who noticed just how clueless Baltimore’s MTA was. I remember thinking when the Light Rail opened that it was a great way to travel to and from Oriole Park. In fact, if I’m not mistaken, that was one of the reasons to make OPACY a major stop and transfer point. Somehow, though, the geniuses at MTA never seemed to get the message. This past Friday I wanted to join my son and grandsons, who were driving in from Ellicott City for the game and invited me to meet them. With a crowd of 40,000 expected I figured light rail was a far better idea than fighting all that traffic and that Light Rail was the perfect solution.

Unfortunately, each time over the years I have tried that logical solution I end up forgetting the prior experiences and then trying it again. Not any more.

Continue reading "Light rail fails rider after Orioles game" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 4:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: Light rail
        

If the Maryland Transit Administration is really interested in public comments on its proposed bus route changes, perhaps it should set up an email account that works.

Readers have pointed out -- correctly --  that if you send a comment to the MTA's comment forum at MTAPublicHearingFeedback@mta.maryland.gov, all you get out of it is a "message undeliverable" reply.

"This isn't the first time this has happened," one reader wrote. "This ranks with when you call to complain about a bus failing to show... the MTA hot line will put you on hold. You stay on the phone waiting for a representative to answer only to find you've waited long enough that the next bus has arrived."

UPDATE FROM MTA: Thank you for alerting us to a problem with the MTA Public Hearing comment email address.  In posting information on the MTA website regarding our public hearing process, the old email address from 2008 was inadvertently posted.  The current email address to send in comments regarding the Public Hearing proposals is MTAHearingRecord@mta.maryland.gov.  As Director of the MTA Office of Customer Information, I encourage our customers to send in comments until July 23, 2010, 5:00 pm.

Elaine Jones

Posted by Michael Dresser at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

It never hurts to have a second view of a public event, and Fern Shen of Baltimore Brew provides another account of MTA Administrator Ralign Wells' appearance before the Transit Riders Action Council earlier this week.

For the most part, Shen's account tracks the one on Getting There. It needs to be pointed out that while Shen put a lot of emphasis on the Red Line controversy, it only came up in the last 15 minutes of a 2-hour presentation, and the discussion was for the most part nonconfrontational.

The members of TRAC are a politically savvy bunch, and they  know Wells was not in a position to back down on the Red Line. The current Red Line light rail plan, after all, represents a decision made by his ultimate boss -- Gov. Martin O'Malley -- as well as the institutional opinion of his agency. To their credit, TRAC members spent most of the time concentrating on matters they could influence. Then they got their requisite licks in on the Red Line.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 11:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

The top official of the Maryland Transit Administration says he's trying to instill a new  culture of individual responsibility and customer service at the often-criticized agency, outlining a series of steps he has taken or plans to take since being appointed to head the MTA last year.

"I'm very frustrated that there's a poor perception of transit,"  said MTA Administrator Ralign Wells. "What I'm trying to do is change the perception of transit."

Wells held a wide-ranging, almost two-hour discussion Monday night with members of the Transit Riders Action Council of Metropolitan Baltimore. But while he found considerable support for his priorities among members of the pro-transit organization, Wells and TRAC politely agreed to disagree on the MTA's most ambitious local project: the proposed east-west Red Line.

Wells, who rose  through the  ranks from bus operator to head of the agency,  presented himself as an unabashed cheerleader for bus and train travel, frequently emphasizing that "I love transit."

Rejecting what he called some legislators' portrayal  of transit as "welfare transportation," Wells argued that the service is vital to society. "Public transit is a public service -- not unlike a police department or a fire department,"  he said. "If you're not using it, it's still benefiting you" -- by keeping other vehicles off the roads.

The Sun/Kenneth Lam

Continue reading "MTA chief outlines priorities" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 9:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (23)
        

Maryland Transit Administration chief Ralign Wells will appear tonight at the general membership meeting of the Transit Riders Action Council of Metropolitan Baltimore tonight at 6 p.m.

Wells is expected to speak and answer questions at the meeting in the board room of the Maryland Association of Non-Profit Organizations, 190 W. Ostend St. It was nice of TRAC to point out that the location can be reached via the No. 1 and No. 64 buses, as well as light rail. It would have been even  better if the group had pointed out that the location is right on the route of the free (but non-MTA) Charm City Circulator Purple Line.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 12:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

The Maryland Transit Administration is launching an advertising campaign to pound home the message that people need to be aware of the dangers of railroad tracks.

 It's a sensitive subject at the MTA, which was rocked by the deaths of two teenagers who wandered onto its light rail tracks last July and were run over by  a train a train that was going in a direction they apparently didn't suspect.

The theme of the campaign is: "Any track, any direction, any time."  Marylanders can expect to see the message in print ads, brochures and on television and  to hear it on radio. The ad campaign goes in hands with other measures MTA took after the fatalities to prevent trespassing on its tracks and to warn of possible intrusions. They include changes in signage, reporting requirements and alert systems.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 6:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
        

Here's an opportunity for those with strong feelings about the Red Line, Purple Line or other proposed transit projects to weigh in on the criteria the federal government uses to evaluate proposals for such infrastructure investments.

The Federal Transit Administration, which under the Obama administration has altered Bush administration rules subjecting such proposals to a rigid cost-benefit test,  is seeking public comments on changes to its rating system. According to the FTA, it is seeking better ways to reflect the community benefits of transit projects.

The FTA is seeking comments at the federal government's Regulations website as well as holding public meetings -- the first two of which will take place next week:

TRB Environment and Energy Research Conference
Raleigh Convention Center
500 South Salisbury Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27601
Monday, June 7 at 4:30 p.m.
 
APTA 2010 Rail Conference
Hyatt Regency Vancouver
655 Burrard Street
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6C 2R7
Tuesday, June 8 at 1:30 p.m. (Federal Register reflects 2:30 p.m. start time. It will be corrected.)
 

 

Posted by Michael Dresser at 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

A surprise security drill at Maryland train stations, which raised curiosity among many morning rail commuters, is over now and has been pronounced a success.

Col. John E. Gavrilis, chief of the Maryland Transit Administration Police, said the exercise at multiple Maryland MARC stations was part of a  a larger operation including law enforcement agencies along the Eastern Seaboard.

The drill,  which was not announced in advance, lasted from about 5 a.m. to 9 a.m., Gavrilis  said. It included a variety of agencies, including federal air marshals, the Transportation Security Administration, the MTA police, the Maryland Transportation Authority Police, the Baltimore Police Department and other local police agencies. The event was not  announced by the MTA until after it was over.

Continue reading "Security drill at train stations finished" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 11:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

If you're in the Camden Yards area this morning, you might notice an unusual amount of police activity. Don't worry. According to the Maryland Transit Administration, it's part of a security exercise. Here's the MTA's news release:

MTA POLICE CONDUCT RAIL SECURITY EXERCISE

Local exercise will target MARC Train stations on the Penn, Camden, and Brunswick Lines.

(BALTIMORE, MD) May 27, 2010 - The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) police will take part in a multi-jurisdictional police exercise to hone coordinated security monitoring skills on Thursday, May 27, 2010 as part of a major effort to enhance rail safety along the East Coast.

Continue reading "Camden Yards is scene of security exercise" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 10:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: City bus service, Light rail, MARC train, MTA bus system
        

A reader had a reasonable inquiry about the avaialability of transit service to the Preakness on Saturday. Not long after that, the Maryland Transit Administration sent me the following news release answering those questions:

 (BALTIMORE, MD) May 13, 2010 – By taking MTA’s Local Bus, Metro Subway, or Light Rail services to Pimlico Race Course, Preakness fans can relax and avoid traffic delays and parking hassles.

On Saturday, May 15, 2010 shuttle buses will run between the Rogers Avenue Metro Subway station, the Cold Spring Lane Light Rail stop and Poly-Western High School to accommodate fans. All shuttle service will run from 8 AM until 2 PM and resume after Preakness (10th race) has been run until approximately 7:30 PM. Since each rail or bus boarding requires payment of a fare, riders are encouraged to purchase Day Passes for $3.50 ($1.20 for seniors and people with disabilities with MTA-issued identification).

The best transit options to Preakness are as follows:

 

Continue reading "MTA lists Preakness options" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 3:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

A bill that would raise the minimum level of liability coverage for owners of vehicles in Maryland reached the verge of approval Tuesday before it became enmeshed in a loosely related struggle -- giving opponents hope they could scuttle the measure.

The bill would raise the minimum a vehicle owner must carry from the current $20,000 per person and $40,000 per crash to $30,000 and $60,000 respectively.

The bill’s passage could raise insurance premiums for as many as 200,000 Marylanders who carry the minimum level of coverage. Opponents, led by insurance companies but backed by advocates for the poor, warned that the impact would fall hardest on low-income workers who can barely afford coverage as it is.

But supporters of the bills, including plaintiff’s lawyers and clients who had been limited in how much that could collected after crashes in which another person was at fault, pointed out that the minimums had not been raised since the early 1970s.

Continue reading "Insurance minimum bill delayed at brink of passage" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 4:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Light rail
        

Light rail service to Hunt Valley is up and running today after being shut down for two weeks after a tractor-trailer collided with a train at Gilroy Road, damaging the tracks and overhead power lines.

Since the March 23 crash, which seriously injured the train's operator, trains had not served the stations north of Timonium. The Maryland Transit Administration operated a bus shuttle between Timonium and Hunt Valley.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 12:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Light rail
        

The Maryland Transit Administration is seeking volunteers to help test its planned "smart" electronic fare card, which is now scheduled to roll  out this fall.

The new card will allow passengers to pay the exact amount of their fare out of pre-established accounts by tapping the card against a sensor or the gate or  farebox.

The test of the unfortunately named CharmCard -- aren't you all sick of this Charm City this, Charm Ciity that? -- will include local buses and the Metro subway as well as bus and rail transit services in the Washhington area.

Continue reading "MTA seeks volunteers to test new 'smart' card" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 9:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)
        

MTA Administrator Ralign Wells plans to disable some of the agency's less reliable email notification services and go back to the drawing board.

Wells says he's been disappointed with the performance of the services that are supposed to notify passengers of problems on the Metro subway and bus lines. He plans to discontinue them until they can be done right.

The MTA chief called to follow up on a complaint registered recently by Alisa Bralove-Scherr about a problem she had with the Metro in which the email notification service failed her. Bralove-Scherr had arrived at the Owings Mills station anout 9:30 one morning only to be told the station was closed and that she would have to go to Old Court to catch a train. None of the MTA employees she encountered could explain what happened.

Continue reading "MTA chief weighs in on communication issues" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 4:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

A Maryland Transit Administration operator was seriously injured this morning as a light rail train collided with a tractor-trailer near Hunt Valley, disrupting service on the northern end of the line.

MTA spokeswoman Jawauna Greene said the light rail train was heading south through a winding stretch in an industrial area when it collided with the truck at the crossing at Gilroy Road. Greene said a third vehicle, a Honda, also became involved in the crash.

According to Greene, there were seven passengers and three fare inspectors aboard the train. She said some of them were transported to Greater Baltimore Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries, while the operator was taken to Maryland Shock-Trauma Center with serious injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening. She said the MTA is withholding the operator's identity until her family can be notified.

Continue reading "Operator injured in light rail crash (updated)" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Light rail
        

The Maryland Transit Administration got some grief on this blog last week for the dysfuctional state of the trip planner on its web site -- and the fact the agency wasn't telling its customers the service was out of order.

But now the planner is back on line and dispensing useful information about which buses and rail lines will get you where. The MTA is to be commended for its timely recovery.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 2:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

Maryland willl receive an additional $26.3 milllion in federal stimulus money for transit improvements ranging from buses in rural areas to better speakers at MARC sttations, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Friday.

According to the U.S. Transportation Department, the Maryland Transit Administration will receive these grants:

• $17.1 million toward rebuilding the  bus loop at the MTA’s Mondawmin Transit Center; heating and ventilation upgrades; light rail yard switches upgrades and replacement or overhaul of 24 rail substation circuit breakers.

• $4.3 million for facility renovations, preventative maintenance, shop equipment and parking lot construction.

• $2.9 million to improve MARC public address systems.

• $2 million to purchase nine buses for transit systems in rural areas of the state.

The money is part of the $48.1 billion available nationwide  under last  year's stimulus legislation for highway and bridge,  transit, shipyard and airport construction an repairs.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 12:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

The out-of-order trip planner on the Maryland Transit Administration web site will be back in operation soon, MTA spokeswoman Angela White says.

White said the service stopped working because of a snow-related lapse in recertifying the schedule information used to generate the trip plans. Google Transit, which provides the platform for the service, requires participating transit agencies to periodically certify that their information is correct.

White said the MTA was in the process of recertifying the data when the first of two snowstorms hit Feb. 5. She noted work at the agency was disrupted for about a week when state government was shut down and when many employees couldn't make it to work. She initally said it would be restored by late this week or early next week, but later said the service could be fixed even sooner.

The spokeswoman said she did not know why the MTA initially failed to post on its web site the fact that the trip planner was out of order. Before late Monday, when the MTA put up a notice in response to a call from Getting There, users of the service did not learn it wasn't working until they had filled out their address information.

Continue reading "MTA hopes to have trip planner restored soon" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 3:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

The Google Transit-powered trip planner on the Maryland Transit Administration's web site isn't working. According to a reader, it's been out of operation for several weeks.

These things happen, but why wouldn't the MTA put a notice on its web site informing customers the service is out of order? This appears to be part of a pattern with the MTA of treating its web site as an afterthought instead of using it as a powerful tool to communicate with riders.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 10:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

The Maryland Transit Administration is keeping its bus routes rolling, but in many cases, it has modified routes as a concession to the snow. Here's the damages, straight from the MTA:

10:00am latest update:

MARC Train is operating on S schedule and experiencing 10-20 minute delays.
Metro and Light Rail are on schedule.

The following diversions are posted on the website.  A link was put on the Special Announcements section.
No. 1 Terminates at Mondawmin.
No. 5 Bus by-passing Park ave.
No. 9  Bus terminate at  Ridgley and Cranbrook.
No. 13 Bus by-passing Edgewood, staying on Dennison.
No. 15 Bus terminates at Walbrook Junction. West bound left at Guildford, right at Fayette, right at Park, left at Saratoga. Will service White Marsh Mall.
No. 16 Bus by-passing Violet Ville and Brooklyn area.
No. 20 Bus is by-passing St. Agnes Hospital, and Culver and Monastery
 
No. 22 Bus terminates at Eastern &  Ponca – bypass Bay view.
No. 23 Bus  by-passing Wildwood Parkway
No. 23 and 40 use Lombard to Ponca to Eastern in both directions.
Nos. 27, 29, and 51 Buses are staying on Cherry Hill Road
Nos. 10, 35, 33 and 27 pulled off the street.
No. 36 Bus  by-passing Argonne Drive, staying on the Alameda
No. 40 WB will terminate at Edmondson Village, not servicing Rt 40 & Rolling Rd.
No. 44 Bus WB from Rosedale will terminate at Northern Parkway @ York.  EB from Security will terminate at Sinai.
***All services will by-pass the Bay view Medical Center***

 

Posted by Michael Dresser at 10:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Apart from disasters, transportation stories tend to unfold over the course of many years. Some of the ones that garner big headlines at the time will be all but forgotten in a few years time. So in choosing the Top 10 Maryland transportation stories of the past decade, it helps to project forward to 2020 or 2030 and look back at what made a lasting difference.

A little disclosure is in order. I have covered transportation for The Sun since 2004 and before that followed many transportation-related stories as a State House Bureau reporter. So there might be a bias in favor of the stories I covered. (Thanks to my colleague Scott Calvert to reminding me of the Howard Street Tunnel fire, which occurred before my time on the beat.)

With those caveats, I present my top 10 in the bottom-to-top format made wildly popular by David Letterman:

10. Light rail double-tracking project completed. When Baltimore's light rail system opened early in the 1990s, it soon became clear that the system had been built on the cheap. The decision to run trains on a single track over long stretches led to constant delays and operational difficulties. Thus, under the Glendening administration, the decision was made to add a second track. The Ehrlich administration then made a tough decision to expedite the work by closing down the southern and northern stretches of the system for periods of about a year. It was a rough time for light rail users, but the project was finally completed in early 2006, and the result has been much more reliable service on this still image-impaired system.

                                                                                                 Sun photo/Amy Davis/2006      

Continue reading "Top 10 Md. transportation stories: 2000-2009" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 7:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
        

An MTA bus passenger waits for a ride Saturday.          

The Maryland Transit Administration did a little crowing Monday -- but I don't think you can blame the agency. They kept the buses and trains rolling through the worst of the weekend's snowstorm.

In a news release Monday, the agency noted that it kept local bus, light rail and Metro subway servvice going through the worst of the storm. It might not have run perfectly -- who could expect that with 21 inches of snow coming down? -- but it never ground to a halt as some regional transit agencies did.

Maryland Transportation Secretary Beverly Swaim-Staley had good reason to be proud of her people when she released the following statement.

Despite severe weather conditions, the MTA maintained service throughout the
blizzard. I have tremendous pride in our employees who persevered, literally, in the eye of the storm to keep our service moving assafely and efficiently as possible.

The MTA's operations people deserve such kudos. It was a tough job -- especially with the Ravens hosting a game Sunday. And they came through. That's what happens when you let real professionals run a transit system.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 5:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Baltimore Metro, Light rail, Local bus lines, MARC train, MTA bus system, WMATA/D.C. Metro
        

The Maryland Transit Administration has delayed its plans to introduce "smart card" technology for payment of fares for about six months -- pushing its goal to next fall.

 The agency had previously estimated that it would introduce the smart cards -- which allow riders to store value on the cards and speed up payments -- this winter. But MTA spokeswoman Jawauna Greene said the agency had decided it needed to conduct additional beta testing on the bus and light rail systems after finishing such tests on the Metro subway.

"We're going to give you the best product we can when it's ready," she said.

Giving its passengers a kind of consolation prize, the MTA also announced Tuesday it has equipped its subway stations with payment machines that now take credit cards as well as cash. The MTA said the machines will accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.

The agency also said it expects to have all its light rail stations ready to take credit cards within the next 90 days.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 3:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)
        

Gerald Neilly welcomes the appointment of Ralign T. Wells as chief of the Maryland Transit Administration in an article in The Baltimore Brew.

It's just one of the favorable reactions I've been hearing to the promotion of the 42-year-old former bus operator to the top MTA post.

Ed Cohen, former president of the Transit Riders Action Council, knows the Balltimore bus, Metro and light rail system about as well as anyone on the planet. His verdict: "He's the best guy MTA has."

Cohen said Wells, who had been the deputy administrator for operations, was the candidate transit folks had been rooting for ever since the departure of Paul J. Wiedefeld was announced.

"He loves his job. He loves trying to make transit better to the extent he can," Cohen said. "He's a guy that really relished tthe challenge and it'ss that character trait that is reallly going to  mean good things for MTA."

Meanwhile, deputy Baltiimore transportation director Jamie Kendrick called the choice by Transportation Secretary Beverly Swaim-Staley "phenomenal," adding that Wells  has the support of the agency rank-and-file.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 11:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

The news of the appointment of Ralign T. Wells as chief of the Maryland Transit Administration brought this reaction from Ken Chapman, a retired MTA employee who now lives in Charlotte, N.C.:

As a recent, 31 year retired MTA management employee (November 2008), I certainly applaud the decision by both the Secretary and Governor to appoint Mr. Wells as MTA Administrator. I happen to be an employee who also came up through the ranks, working in several departments. And yes, Mr. Wells is the ONLY employee who managed to come up through the ranks and land the Administrator’s job. He is not a political type who relies on politicians to get a job or advance his career. Mr. Wells is simply a transit official who is very well respected and comes with great leadership abilities.

Mr. Walter J. Addison was the first MTA Administrator, followed by Kimble, Wagner, Hartman, Agro, Freeland, White (Acting), Smith, Dickerson and Wiedefeld. In addition, Mr. Wells has experienced Deputies who should serve him well. I know. I worked with all of them and they certainly understand what it takes to advance transit in Maryland.

By the way, the salary of the new MTA chhief will be $183,000.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 10:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Maryland Transportation Secretary Beverly Swaim-Staley announced the appointment Wednesday of former bus driver Ralign T. Wells to head the Maryland Transit Administration.

Wells, an MTA veteran who is now deputy administrator for operations, will replace Paul J. Wiedefeld, who is leaving the MTA after almost three years as administrator to return to his old job as chief executive of Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

In choosing the 42-year-old Wells for the $183,000 post, Swaim-Staley and Gov. Martin O'Malley are turning to a veteran MTA insider who began his career at the agency two decades ago as a bus operator. At the MTA, Wells has served in a variety of positions, including deputy director of bus operations and director of Metro subway operations.

Swaim-Staley said Wells was responsible for implementing a new MTA scheduling policy that cut the agency's overtime budget by 26 percent in eight months.

Ralign T. Wells

Posted by Michael Dresser at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Baltimore Metro, Light rail, Local bus lines, MARC train, MTA bus system, Red Line
        

The Montgomery County Council, led by Chairman Phil Andrews, might just have opened a door they would have preferred to keep closed.

Ben Ross of the Action Committee for Transit points out that the solution Andrews suggested and the Council endorsed for relieving congestion in the Interstate 270 corridor -- the addition of two reversible express lanes between Shady Grove and Frederick -- is not  one of the alternatives included in the State Highway Administration's I-270 Corridor Study.

To move in the direction the Council suggests would require a new study of the plan's costs and feasibilty, Ross notes. So if transportation officials decide to reopen the study to examine one plan, Ross asks, why not open it up to other alternatives -- including ACT's suggestion of an all-transit option for relieving the corridor's stress?

It seems to me that Ross has a point. A lot has happened since transit was last  looked  at, including massive cost increases for some of the alternatives that have been studied. I'd also like to have them take a glance, at least, at my suggestion of a single reversible lane for buses and high-occupancy vans only at peak times. (Let trucks use it off-peak to separate them from cars.)

Some proponents of widening I-270 to the max have dismissed the notion of any further study -- insisting it will only delay the project. But all you have to do is look at the finances of the Maryland Transportation Authority and you'll see it may be a long time before any project of the magnitude of an I-270 widening can be financed.

So let's study away: the Andrews plan, the Ross plan, the off-the-wall-Baltimore-Guy plan, whatever.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 12:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Chikwe C. Njoku had a suggestion for the Maryland Transit Administration about its light rail service. He thought he saw a way to improve it. So we passed along this message to the agency:

(I) wonder if it would be prudent for the MTA to explore a Hunt Valley/Timonium to Camden Yard train that has a reverse direction stop at Penn? As Baltimore continues to become “DC centric”.. I see many people, including myself, disembarking at Mt. Royal and walking to Penn to catch the MARC. Few wait for the Penn Shuttle to funnel them into the Penn Station.

Granted, walking is a GOOD thing, but everyone may not share this ambition,  especially in inclement weather. A Hunt Valley/Timonium to Camden Yard Train could run at key times only during morning and evening rush. Ideally, there would be a dedicated switch track between North Ave and Mt Royal to carry the train into the existing Penn Shuttle Line into Penn Station.

However; that would cost $$ that the MTA doesn’t have. Why couldn’t the train reverse direction into Penn like the former Penn (only) Shuttle used to do? It could then become the “Penn Camden Shuttle” and continue its run to Camden Yards. The reverse trip from Camden would also include a trip over to Penn Station, before going back out on to the main line and up to Hunt Valley/Timonium.

It's not the perfect scenario but as the demand continues to grow.. it could eventually justify a switch being built above Mt. Royal for direct northbound access to the Central line. It could have a minimal impact on the Penn- Camden’s run since it could be inserted only during AM or PM rush.

For the answer, click below:

Continue reading "MTA explains light rail limitations" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 5:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Light rail
        

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.

Continue reading "MTA explains that annoying extra rail stop" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 10:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: Light rail
        

The Maryland Transit Administration light rail system developed what the MTA likes to call "minor problems" this afternoon when one of its trains broke down -- resulting in a delay of about a half-hour for at leatrt one train.

I know that because I was on that train -- a southbound run to BWI -- as it ground to a halt just north of North Avenue. For about 15 minutes we sat there, with no clue what was going on, before the train began moving again into the station.

Where it sat and sat and sat for what seemed like another 15 minutes. Again, no announcement from the MTA -- which might have been useful if you were headed to the Mount Roysl stop to catch a  train at Penn Station. 

Continue reading "Light rail woes leave riders in the dark" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 4:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Light rail
        

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)
        

Martin Johnson of Baltimore  notes an everyday option for getting to and from Washington without a car that might not be familiar to most readers.

Bolt Bus offers seven buses a day from Penn Station to the Greenbelt Metro Station each day at a cost of $15 on weekdays and $16 on weekends.  Once you're in Greenbelt, you can reach almost anywhere you'd want to go in the Washington area via subway and Metrobus.

Whether this is a good deal depends on how you value your time and how easy it is to catch the bus. The Bolt Bus ride takes 45 minutes. Greyhound takes 55 minutes to deliver you to downtown D.C. at a prevailing cost of $13.50 nonrefundable, $17.50 refundable. It has many more trips but a poorly located station in an industrial area south of the stadiums.

The most economical 7-day-a-week option is still the combination of the light rail ($1.60) to BWI and the B-30 bus ($3) to Greenbelt Metro. That trip (measured from Mount Royal station to Greenbelt) can take anywhere from an hour and a quarter (roughly) to an hour and three-quarters depending on whether you catch the train that's synchronized with the B30. Checking the schedules is well worth the time.

Of course, the MARC train remains the best way to get between the two cities on weekdays -- except during periodic service meltdowns. It's a wise MARC rider who prints out the Bolt Bus,  Greyhound, light rail and B30 schedules and keeps copies in a purse or briefcase. You never know.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 12:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Light rail, Local bus lines, MARC train, WMATA/D.C. Metro
        

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 Central Maryland Transportation Alliance, a group that brings together the movers and shakers in the Baltimore region, has endorsed what could be a critical change in the metropolitan area's long-term plans by urging that the proposed Yellow Line from Lutherville to Columbia be made the top transit priority after connstruction of the proposed Red Line.

The alliance's recommendation, which represents a consensus view of Baltimore business and ciivic leaders, would jump that project ahead of the proposed extension of the current Metro subway beyond Johns Hopkins Hospital toward Morgan State and eventually White Marsh. It came as part of a report relleased Wednesday on Baltimore's prospects for transit-oriented development.

Both projects lie far in the future, but the effect of such a change of priorities could be profound for today's young workers and future generations. If adopted by government leaders, the new priority could accelerate job growth and transit service in such places as Towson and Columbia in the 2020s while delaying an expansion of transit in the Harford Road and Bel Air Road corridors until later decades.

Otis Rolley, president of the transportation alliance, said the Yellow Line -- part of a 2002 comprehensive regional transit plan -- offers better prospects for connecting major residential and employment centers than the Green Line plan.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 3:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)
        

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)
        

Neil Ottenstein of Bowie wrote this plaintive note after a particularly grim experience with the Maryland Transit Administration's light rail service on Saturday night.

I don't know whether either of you are the appropriate people to notify, but I thought I'd write in case you are and you didn't know about the transportation situation last night after the Orioles game.

It had been my understanding that Light Rail service would run through one hour after an Orioles game, so that in situations like last night when there was a rain delay which made the game end shortly before midnight there would then be service until about 1 AM. Unfortunately, this was not the case last night. My son and I arrived at the light rail station at midnight and shortly thereafter a light rail train to BWI arrived. We expected that there would be one to Glen Burnie/Cromwell station shortly after this, but there was no train. If we had known this was going to be the case we might have tried the BWI train and at least traveled closer to Cromwell. We continued to wait another 40 minutes before calling home to wake my wife to pick us up. We also gave a ride to a couple who were there and who couldn't contact someone to pick them up. When we arrived at Cromwell there were at least a half dozen other cars there whose owners presumably were stranded in Baltimore or at some stop on the way down on the BWI train. I will be contacting the MTA on Monday and contacting the Orioles later today asking them about the situation. This was a most distressing situation and I hope that this will never happen again.

I asked MTA spokeswoman Jawauna Greene to loook into what happened, and she delivered a prompt -- if not entirely satisfactory -- reply.

Continue reading "Bowie family left in the lurch by MTA" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 12:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Light rail
        

The Baltimore County State's Attorney's Office will bring no criminal charges against operators of Light Rail trains that killed two boys near Lutherville July 5 after Baltimore County police determined it was an accident.

Media briefng scheduled for 2 p.m.

Posted by Michael Dresser at 1:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Light rail
        

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)
        

The Baltimore County police are trying to identify a potential witness in the July 5 deaths of two Lutherville teenagers on the light rail tracks outside that station. Police say a video inside the cabin of a train that is believed to have hit the two 17-year-olds about 2:57 that Sunday captured an image of the possible witness.

Police described the witness as a young man, in his teens or early twenties, with brown skin, a light-colored shirt and dark-colored shorts, who was carrying some items while he was on the train. Police are asking people who have information about the witness to call them at 410-307-2020.

The full release is attached.

Continue reading "County police seek witness in light rail deaths" »

Posted by Michael Dresser at 6:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Light rail