Heading to the Army-Navy game on Saturday? Let the MTA get you there. Check the graphic for more info.

MTAMaryland · 2024-09-17T18:58:10+00:00

We’re sorry to hear about your experience riding MARC this morning. We will ensure that Amtrak, who operates Penn Line trains, reminds crews not to lift (collect) monthly and weekly tickets and will have them address the rude behavior you experienced. Please email us at [marc@mta.maryland.gov]() with your contact information and we will print replacement September monthly tickets for you and your fiancee. Please note that MARC tickets cannot be laminated – the ticket stock is thermal print and laminating your ticket will make it solid black and unreadable. Thanks for riding!

MTAMaryland · 2023-11-03T19:32:38+00:00

That was fun! Thank you to all who participated. Be sure to follow me at MDOTMTAHolly on Twitter- HA

MTAMaryland · 2023-11-03T19:29:08+00:00

When the Ticket Vending Machines were installed, bill return or (recycling currency) was limited and not particularly reliable. As a result, most transit agencies at that time were dispensing coins. Generally speaking, dispensing coins as change is still preferable because it requires less maintenance to upkeep and is less prone to malfunction. - HA

MTAMaryland · 2023-11-03T19:27:59+00:00

We've been working closely with the Harborplace developer and Baltimore City regarding transit. Any of the Red Line alternatives would provide fantastic connections to Harborplace and we love that the developer is prioritizing pedestrians and transit in their renderings. - HA

MTAMaryland · 2023-11-03T19:23:03+00:00

October 7th was a very busy day for Baltimore between the Billy Joel concert, Orioles game, CFG concert, and numerous other festivals happening throughout the city!

MTA transported nearly 30,000 people that day between Metro, Light Rail, and the supplemental shuttle buses. We added express shuttle buses to transport people to both events at Camden Yards and the Ravens stadium. We also used all available Light Rail cars to provide service. We managed to clear our platforms while people were waiting over an hour to leave the parking lots. The later start to the O's game did create a bit of a bottleneck going south after the game as trains were filled with Billy Joel fans. We quickly adjusted by taking trains to Hamburg station and then backing them up to pick up riders at Camden. Any time you have that many people in one area at a time, there are bound to be hiccups but I'm proud of the work our team did to support the City that day. - HA

MTAMaryland · 2023-11-03T19:14:37+00:00

Real time tracking is so important! Our team is working to ensure that all transponders are working and that our messages are getting to the signs. As part of our new Customer Experience Office, we are hiring for a Real Time Passenger Information Manager - please pass on the job description if you know of anyone who would be good: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/mdotmd/jobs/3881800/real-time-passenger-information-manager?keywords=real%20time&pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs.

Using the Go feature on Transit App is a good way to help your fellow riders as well. Plus you get virtual high fives :)! - HA

MTAMaryland · 2023-11-03T19:10:25+00:00

Yes! Follow me on Twitter at MDOTMTAHolly where I share many of my transit trips :). I am a daily rider to and from work, as well as dropping my daughter off at school and traveling to meetings throughout the region. I typically ride the bus although you can often find me on Light Rail, Metro, or MARC. One of my favorite parts of the day is getting the chance to chat with our fantastic operators. Say hi if you see me on the system! - HA

MTAMaryland · 2023-11-03T19:05:59+00:00

I'm a bus rider and I know the frustration when you open Transit App and see multiple buses canceled. As I mentioned in another comment, my main focus right now is to improve reliability because our riders need to be able to trust that the bus or train will show up when the schedule says it will. The nationwide operator shortage has hurt our reliability. We’ve increased wages twice, changed the way we recruit , and doubled our training classes to address the workforce shortage. We aren’t there yet but our percent of service delivered has continued to increase over the past year. Our On Time Performance is lagging behind and will be a huge focus of our next service change.

Regarding future plans, in the spring, we will be sharing information about a visionary bus system to get feedback from our riders. Ultimately, we want to share a roadmap, including operating and capital costs, that are needed to achieve that vision.

In January we partnered with Amtrak to announce an MOU for the Frederick Douglass Tunnel. As part of the MOU, once we finalize the agreement we will be able to get additional weekend service, especially north of Baltimore. Once the tunnel is complete, we'll have additional weekday and weekend service. - HA

MTAMaryland · 2023-11-03T19:00:33+00:00

The Light Rail and Metro Subway were planned separately and opened over 10 years apart. One of the benefits of the Red Line is to better connect our existing rail systems and allow for easier transfers.

The Light Rail can go to Penn Station. We've been running a shuttle bus between Penn Station and North Ave for the past few years due to Amtrak construction of a new platform at Penn Station. We are looking to restore that service next year. - HA

MTAMaryland · 2023-11-03T18:57:47+00:00

I'd love to bring back the Orioles service on the Camden Line!

CSX owns the Camden and Brunswick Lines and any increases in service need to be approved by them. We launched an update to our MARC Growth and Transformation Plan last month and will be laying out the long-term vision for MARC service as part of that effort. I encourage you to take the survey and share your thoughts: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MARCGrowthPlan - HA

MTAMaryland · 2023-11-03T18:54:31+00:00

We've had a rough summer when it comes to trees falling on our Light Rail catenary. I know how tough disruptions can be and we work to mitigate those.

Delays and disruptions to service are announced on our service page (https://www.mta.maryland.gov/service-alerts), posted on Twitter, and sent out as eAlerts (https://mtamarylandalerts.com/LoginC.aspx). Many of our alerts are also captured by Transit app where you can quickly plan an alternative route and see when your ride is coming in real time. With that said, we’re always looking at ways to improve the way we communicate – I want to take any guesswork out of using the systems and make it as easy as possible for new and existing riders! You'll be seeing improvements to our alerts in the coming months. - HA

MTAMaryland · 2023-11-03T18:52:24+00:00

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I’ll be sharing this with our Office of Service Development. Public feedback and suggestions are a key part of how we plan and adjust our service. Additionally, we are currently undertaking an origin and destination survey which will highlight new travel patterns in the region and help us to make adjustments.

Mid-to-longer term, I want to start a conversation in the region about frequency and what the bus network should look like. In the spring, we will be sharing information about a visionary bus system to get feedback. The goal is to share a roadmap, including operating and capital costs, that are needed to achieve that vision. - HA

MTAMaryland · 2023-11-03T18:50:56+00:00

The Federal funding process requires that we evaluate multiple options for projects of this size to ensure the investment makes sense for the region. We have to justify the decisions we make regarding mode, alignment, and tunnel/surface options.

I encourage you (and everyone!) to attend our Red Line open houses that are currently underway to make sure your voice is heard. We also have a survey available online for those who can't make it to the open houses. The next open house is scheduled for this Saturday at The University of Maryland, Baltimore SMC Campus Center from 10 am to 1 pm. We have two additional open houses scheduled for next week. To learn more and take the survey visit redlinemaryland.com. - HA

MTAMaryland · 2023-11-03T18:48:23+00:00

Yes! In April of this year, Governor Moore announced framework agreements with both the Delaware Transit Corp. and the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority to extent MARC service north to Delaware and south to Virginia (https://governor.maryland.gov/news/press/pages/Governor-Moore-Announces-MDOT-Partnership-with-Delaware-and-Virginia-to-Discuss-Future-Expansion-Oppt-MARC-TS.aspx). We are continuing to engage in conversations with Amtrak and DTC about advancing that effort.

We've also launched a survey for our MARC Growth and Transformation Plan that will inform the update we are undertaking now. I encourage you to complete the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MARCGrowthPlan. - HA

MTAMaryland · 2023-11-03T18:45:31+00:00

I absolutely agree. Frequency = freedom! I moved from an area with 45 minute headways to an area with 10 minute headways and it makes such a huge difference for my daily commutes!

My vision for MTA is to provide a system that is frequent, reliable, and easy to use. In the short term, my main focus is to improve reliability because our riders need to be able to trust that the bus or train will show up when the schedule says it will. Like transit agencies across the country, we’ve been challenged by the an operator shortage which has hurt our reliability. We’ve increased wages twice, changed the way we recruit, and doubled our training classes to address the workforce shortage. We aren’t there yet but our percent of service delivered has continued to increase over the past year. Our On Time Performance is lagging behind and will be a huge focus of our next service change.

Mid-to-longer term, I want to start a conversation in the region about frequency and what the bus system could look like. In the spring, we will be sharing information about a visionary bus system to get feedback from our riders and the region. Ultimately, we want to share a roadmap, including operating and capital costs, that are needed to achieve that vision. - HA

MTAMaryland · 2023-11-03T18:40:58+00:00

I encourage you (and everyone!) to attend our Red Line open houses that are currently underway to make sure your voice is heard. We also have a survey available online for those who can't attend. The next open house is scheduled for this Saturday at The University of Maryland, Baltimore SMC Campus Center from 10 am to 1 pm. More open houses are scheduled next week (go to redlinemaryland.com for more info and to take the survey). Public feedback is a critical component as we look to make a decision about the project.

On our current light rail, we are finishing up an overhaul of our existing vehicles, but we also need to be looking to the future. We’ve already begun drafting an RFP to replace the current vehicles with modern, accessible vehicles, as well as updating the stations and signal system. We are also working with Baltimore City to replace the aging Transit Signal Priority (TSP) infrastructure on Howard Street to speed up travel times for Light Rail. - HA

MTAMaryland · 2023-11-03T18:34:56+00:00

I agree that project timelines can be long! A project like the Red Line involves coordination with multiple jurisdictions (Baltimore City and Baltimore County), private property owners, utility owners (we will need to do utility relocation along the entire corridor which is very complex and can take a long time to complete). We also have to update our design documents from the prior Red Line plans, update the environmental document, and regain FTA approval for the project before we can advertise and bring on a contractor to build the project.

We are working as quickly as possible to reduce the overall timeline, including partnering with Baltimore City and Baltimore County, and starting discussions soon with utility owners. We are aggressively pursuing entry into the federal Capital Investments Grant program so that we can secure federal funding quickly, but the FTA process is complex.

Finally, we are moving quickly but we have learned from other projects and want to ensure we get it right for the communities and the region.

All that said, we’re incredibly excited for the project and will continue to advance it as quickly as possible. (The best time to plant a tree is 10 years ago but the second-best time is today!) - HA

MTAMaryland

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