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Hop on board – here’s your chance to help MTA build a better bus system


by MTA Maryland
image

Guy Henderson

The Maryland Transit Administration is looking to improve our approach to bus service in a big way, and we need your input to make sure that we come to the right conclusions. With your help, we’re out to create a whole new level of service and satisfaction for everyone who counts on MTA buses. 

The MTA Bus Network Improvement Project is a highly focused plan to get the information we need to deliver:

·        The best quality bus service possible
·        Increased access to transit
·        Streamlined routes
·        Simplified scheduling
·        Maximum connectivity

Three ways to tell us what you really think. 
Whether you’re a bus rider, community representative, public official, employee or just someone who recognizes the value of dependable transit service, your input counts – and MTA has made it easy to participate.

Offer valuable feedback, participate in discussions, see preliminary results of analysis and share your comments with everyone. You can also find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at #MTABNIP.

Call 410-454-1998.
Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on how to make everyone’s ride better. The more comments we receive, the better we’ll be able to plan improvements.

Attend a Public Workshop.
We’re sponsoring six public meetings in October to share more about the study and to hear your comments, concerns and suggestions. This schedule is also available at mta.maryland.gov/bnip
...

http://marylandtransitadministration.blogspot.com/2013/09/hop-on-board-heres-your-chance-to-help.html
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Speak up for better transit


By Robert L. Smith, Baltimore Sun

The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) gets wide-ranging feedback from our riders each and every day, some good and some bad, but the MTA has not done a comprehensive review of its service routes and schedules in nearly a decade. Most transit agencies perform such reviews every three to five years.

That's why I met with the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (BRTB) last week to outline a key initiative in the Transit Modernization Program (TMP) — an all-inclusive, strategic effort the agency is taking to improve public transit, including technology upgrades, new bus shelters, an overhaul of trains and buses, greater connectivity, station enhancements and more.

The first initiative of the TMP for the Baltimore region is the Bus Network Improvement Project, which will focus specifically on the planning and operations of the MTA's bus network, as well as on how the network intersects with and supports our Light Rail, Metro subway and MARC. To be completed in eight months, this initiative seeks to ensure the Baltimore region will have an integrated transit system that provides access for families of all socioeconomic backgrounds to important resources like hospitals, educational institutions and job centers, and that aligns service with new housing and job-growth sectors.
...

<a href="http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-09-03/news/bs-ed-transit-20130903_1_the-mta-transit-system-better-transit">http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-09-03/news/bs-ed-transit-20130903_1_the-mta-transit-system-better-transit</a>;

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[B' Spokes: I wonder if they will finally address their main purpose of buses is to serve a poorly designed rail system so we can have even a more poorly designed bus route system as well. It takes 3 buses to go 5 miles along a major road in my neighborhood, it takes less time to walk then it takes for the bus system to get there. ]
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10 reasons DC is OH SO MUCH BETTER than Baltimore


[B' Spokes: The bit that relates to this blog:]
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By Leo Schmid, Thrillist

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Public Transportation
As much as DC likes to complain about our metro, it is one of the most efficient, most convenient, and cleanest in the country. Baltimore's metro runs East to West only, and doesn't link up with either of the two other rail systems. Neither does its North-South-moving light rail. Even Trip Advisor says, &quot;Your best bet is to rent a car.&quot;
...

[B' Spokes: And this is worth noting as well. (I believe in having a vibrant outdoor life (like lots of cyclists) would help Baltimore.)]

...
Safety
So, with just about the same populations (620K or so), in 2012 Baltimore tallied up 217 homicides. DC had 92. That's not very good.
...

<a href="http://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/washington-dc/10-reasons-dc-is-oh-so-much-better-than-baltimore">http://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/washington-dc/10-reasons-dc-is-oh-so-much-better-than-baltimore</a>;
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15-minute map illustrates Baltimore's best transit lines


by Dan Malouff, Greater Greater Washington

Frequent transit maps highlight bus and rail lines that come at least every 15 minutes. They're great tools that help riders easily identify the most convenient routes.
...

<a href="http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/19021/15-minute-map-illustrates-baltimores-best-transit-lines/">http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/19021/15-minute-map-illustrates-baltimores-best-transit-lines/</a>;
(Includes links to maps for Baltimore and some other cities as well.)
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It’s a classic problem of “sunk costs”


If you've already purchased a car, there are big financial incentives to drive it. Image: Better Institutions


Today's tangent comes from Streets Blog's "The Big Leap From Car-Lite to Car-Free"

I was thinking wouldn't be great if we could model car use after mass transit use, there in front of your house is a free car and to use it you just have to plop down $25 for the first 20 miles (average daily cost and average daily travel distance rounded to nice numbers). Just think how many more would use a car more often with that model.

Wait, what? You think car use would go down if we charged per trip? Well that's my point, why are we using this model to "sell" mass transit? When I moved to New York City they offered a discount if you bought tokens in bulk. And with a pocket full of tokens I was more likely to pick mass transit as my travel mode, that is to say I had already sunk my money into mass transit so I used it.

But here in Maryland it is very different, a single trip is $1.60 a day pass is $3.50, 30 cents more for what a ideal round trip should cost but our routes are so convoluted that a day pass is considered a bargain because you are going to have to take more than one line to get anywhere. - That is not selling mass transit as a viable option!

And then there is the weekly pass, ideally if you took mass transit to and from work 5 days a week or ten trips that would cost $16 so for 50 cents MORE you can get a weekly pass. Again only a bargain because of our poorly designed routes. - That is not selling mass transit as a viable option!

For completeness there is a monthly pass that is exactly the same price of 20 round trips. I really have to ask what is the incentive here for someone with a car to try mass transit? If you happen to live/work someplace where one line will serve your needs there is no incentive to sink costs into mass transit, and if you live/work someplace where you need to take more than one line so these options are a bargain but the wait and transfers are a nightmare so that is not an incentive.

While we do need to un-spaghettize our routes we really need to offer a discount at least on the monthly pass to help put mass transit on the same playing field as owning a car.

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MARC TRAIN TO BEGIN WEEKEND SERVICE!


BY EVAN SERPICK, City Paper

Hallelujah!

After virtually universal agreement (by the people we talk to, anyway) that the MARC train should run from Baltimore’s Penn Station to D.C.’s Union Station on weekends (which has been promised since at least 2008), it will finally be so, according to a report in the Baltimore Business Journal.

The additional service was approved as part of The Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act, signed by Governor O’Malley today.
...

No date has been set for the weekend service to begin.

<a href="http://blogs.citypaper.com/index.php/2013/05/marc-train-to-begin-weekend-service/">http://blogs.citypaper.com/index.php/2013/05/marc-train-to-begin-weekend-service/</a>;
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A Driver's Guide to Mastering Public Transit


[B' Spokes: I thought this was a cute angle.]
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Via Lifehacker

If you're used to driving everywhere, taking the subway or the bus might seem overwhelming. Even so, if you live in an urban area where it makes more sense, or you're just tired of car payments, gas prices, and vehicle maintenance, it's a good option. Here's how to learn the ropes of your public transit system quickly and painlessly.
...

<a href="http://lifehacker.com/a-drivers-guide-to-mastering-public-transit-480119176">http://lifehacker.com/a-drivers-guide-to-mastering-public-transit-480119176</a>;
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Which counties voted for the Maryland transportation bill in two maps


B' Spokes: A FYI type link. My impression? Too many in the Baltimore Metro area do not realize the value of mass transit even though for the most part we have a really high mass transit use.

<a href="http://technical.ly/baltimore/2013/04/09/maryland-transportation-bill-chris-whong/">http://technical.ly/baltimore/2013/04/09/maryland-transportation-bill-chris-whong/</a>;
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Red Line Now (NOT BIKEMORE) Fundraiser Duckpin Bowling Happy Hour!


Friday, March 22, 2013
6:00pm until 9:00pm in EDT

**IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT** Bikemore is no longer a beneficiary of this event; the fundraiser is now solely for Red Line Now. HOWEVER, Bikemore still strongly encourages you to attend this event, because Baltimore needs quality public transit as much as we need bike lanes!

Red Line Now is fighting for better public transportation in Baltimore. They need your help! And, with duckpin bowling being a venerable Baltimore tradition, we figured it was an appropriate way to advocate for Baltimore's transportation future.

$20 donation at the door = bowling shoes + free bowling!**

Learn more:
Red Line Now: <a href="http://www.red-line-now.com/">http://www.red-line-now.com/</a>;

**FINE PRINT: We have reserved 3 duckpin lanes from 6-9pm; each lane can handle 6 people (2 teams of 3 each) at a time.

@ Mustang Alleys
1300 Bank St, Baltimore, Maryland 21231

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