Public Transportation in Baltimore? (Towson: city hall, home, neighborhoods)

[Rossmore]

You guys, this has been so helpful. I've never been to Baltimore, but I grew up outside of NYC and lived in Boston for 12 years -- both places that really invested in their transit systems and massive amounts of people depended on them. They are just part of the fabric of the cities. I assumed that Baltimore (is there an abbreviation for that?) was just like that, because it's a big city on the east coast. Funding has so much to do with so many things about living in the city.

barante, I'm totally going to look up that book. I'm a grad student in a program that looks at school and society (including effects on and of race and class and gender and sexuality), and looking at the sociology of public transportation sounds really cool. And makes perfect sense, just thinking about what services what cities/neighborhoods get or don't get, depending on the population and common use.

Okay, sorry to dork out there. :-)

Thanks again for all the info -- I'm open to more (pos, neg, or otherwise), if anyone wants to put it out there. We've opened up our search again from Loyola/JHU-H area, upward and outward. If he's gonna walk, we want to be within a mile, if we go further out, we want it to be safe, at least, if not generally reliable. And not *too* abusive.

Oh, btw, though we've been doing research and talking a a friend or two in the city, I welcome any additional thoughts, suggestions or warnings about living various neighborhoods in around and north of school.

Thanks!

[Woodlands]

Originally Posted by B.K.

Public transit here sucks, there is no other term for it.
The metro benefits virtually no-one, unless you happen to live in some parts of the Northwestern suburbs and work in some parts of downtown.
The light rail runs essentially in a straight line on the West side of the city from Hunt Valley to BWI, only. It is useless, as ridership shows: less than 20% of original projections.
The bus system is based on former streetcar lines, defunct since the early 'sixties. No effort has been made to account for shifting population patterns. Service is unreliable at its best, and if you need a ride before or after morning/evening rush hours you're better off walking. MTA drivers are surly and unprofessional, and make no efforts to ensure comfort, safety, or punctuality. I had to ride the 13 and 15 lines daily for nearly 3 years and witnessed harassment of patrons, violence, sale of "boosted" property and alcohol and drug use on nearly every trip. The topper was having most of a chicken box complete with ketchup and hot sauce dumped into the hood of my jacket one morning on my way to work.
That was incentive enough to pay off the MVA and get my car re-registered.

Yeah I hear ya.. the sale of "boosted" merchandise I have seen on the 13 traveling down to Charles Street along North Ave. I only ride if for a few blocks if it is there when I get off of the Light Rail. A guy was on there with what look liked those mini carrying cases that people sell things out of in the stands at ballparks and was selling everything from razors, deodorant, candy, body oil and other nick nacks at the back of the bus.. There was actually a line in the aisle to get back there to him. The driver just kept driving while behind one of those plex shield doors....

[Victoria27`]

Rossmore,
Welcome to Bawlamer, Charm City, Balto -- those are the nicknames I know of. I lived there for 13 glorious years back in the '80s and early '90s, so I've been gone a long time but have such fond memories and loads of friends still there. I miss it. Most recently, I was living in Manhattan, so I kinda have an idea what you're hoping for.

Forget public transportation in Balto. Buy a car. You will need it. I'm no snob, but Baltimore is the kind of city where public transportation is mostly for people who can't afford a car. (Before posters jump on me, I'm a black woman, originally from St Louis -- another city where cabs and buses are for those who can't afford a car.) So get yourself at least one car...

Loyola is in a beautiful area... If you could rent something in Homeland or Roland Park or thereabouts, you'd be in heaven.
Don't know your budget... don't know if there's must to rent up there... There are also nice neighborhoods up around York Road and Northern Parkway... Can't think of the names of them right now... One is Cedarcroft... Here's a map: baltimore_neighborhoods_map | Jewish Museum of Maryland

I lived farther west in Mt Washington, which is still my favorite part of the city. You couldn't walk to Loyola from there, but it's leafy and green and full of smart, interesting, neighborly people.... Also lived in Bolton Hill, which is full of stately rowhouses with an urban vibe... and then just north of there in Reservoir Hill. Great rowhouse stock, but the neighborhood still hasn't turned around so I don't recommend it.

I moved to Baltimore from DC, and thought at first it was backward and slow, not cosmopolitan and chic... Then I fell in love with it and hated to leave. Hope you'll feel that way, too... It's really a quirky, wonderful place.....

[B.K.]

Race, Class, and the Stigma of Riding the Bus in America - Commute - The Atlantic Cities

Things are different here in Baltimore than they are in L.A. The article makes it sound like the Yuppies there look upon public transportation as a form of slumming for entertainment. I think part of the difficulty Baltimore has getting its residents, particularly its more affluent residents, to take public transportation is the real or perceived threat of being the victim of mistreatment/violence involved on city buses.

As a lower middle-class (socio-economically speaking), middle-aged (chronologically speaking) white male (ethno-gender-specifically speaking), I can't say I felt stigmatized for riding the buses here in Baltimore...at least not by my neighbors, friends and co-workers, who were of many races. Their reactions were usually ones of surprise and encouragement.

I did feel stigmatized by many of my fellow riders, who were overwhelmingly black. I frequently heard disparaging, insulting, and outright racist comments directed at me because I didn't seem to fit the mold of the average MTA bus patron. I realize I was riding two of the busiest lines in the city, and at times was traveling thru' some of our poorest and most parochial neighborhoods, but I never understood the resentment.

It's been nearly nine years since I had to ride the buses on a daily basis, and I don't miss it a bit.

[DarkWolf]

They are planning a LRT and regional rail network , but its slow compared to neighboring cities.

[oneworld25]

Originally Posted by Woodlands

Yeah I hear ya.. the sale of "boosted" merchandise I have seen on the 13 traveling down to Charles Street along North Ave. I only ride if for a few blocks if it is there when I get off of the Light Rail. A guy was on there with what look liked those mini carrying cases that people sell things out of in the stands at ballparks and was selling everything from razors, deodorant, candy, body oil and other nick nacks at the back of the bus.. There was actually a line in the aisle to get back there to him. The driver just kept driving while behind one of those plex shield doors....

It's not just the bus where that occurs. If you take the subway during the day there's usually a guy selling what appears to be incense. He has a real catchy sales pitch/rap.

[Joke Insurance]

Originally Posted by Nexis4Jersey

They are planning a LRT and regional rail network , but its slow compared to neighboring cities.

The LRT (Purple Line) in Montgomery County will probably be build first before those.

[DarkWolf]

Originally Posted by Joke Insurance

The LRT (Purple Line) in Montgomery County will probably be build first before those.

No , its looking like the Red line will get built before the Purple line.

[Woodlands]

Originally Posted by B.K.

Race, Class, and the Stigma of Riding the Bus in America - Commute - The Atlantic Cities

Things are different here in Baltimore than they are in L.A. The article makes it sound like the Yuppies there look upon public transportation as a form of slumming for entertainment. I think part of the difficulty Baltimore has getting its residents, particularly its more affluent residents, to take public transportation is the real or perceived threat of being the victim of mistreatment/violence involved on city buses.

As a lower middle-class (socio-economically speaking), middle-aged (chronologically speaking) white male (ethno-gender-specifically speaking), I can't say I felt stigmatized for riding the buses here in Baltimore...at least not by my neighbors, friends and co-workers, who were of many races. Their reactions were usually ones of surprise and encouragement.

I did feel stigmatized by many of my fellow riders, who were overwhelmingly black. I frequently heard disparaging, insulting, and outright racist comments directed at me because I didn't seem to fit the mold of the average MTA bus patron. I realize I was riding two of the busiest lines in the city, and at times was traveling thru' some of our poorest and most parochial neighborhoods, but I never understood the resentment.

It's been nearly nine years since I had to ride the buses on a daily basis, and I don't miss it a bit.

Whats interesting is based on your story you also HAD to ride the bus.. for whatever reason.. But most of the riders probably felt that you just WANTED to ride the bus to save a few bucks on parking downtown.. or simply a leisurely ride down to the harbor to eat at a restaurant... Of course I am only speculating and trivializing it somewhat... but I have seen/heard similiar more 'classist' type of resentment and comments from riders when someone resembling a yupping or a cyclist (not just some guy riding a bike) gets on to cool off or take a quick trip..People glare and mubble and often make comments about them in a rude manner. Its wrong for folks to be that way.. but it probably stems from perception of those who HAVE to take the bus and their feelings about people they feel just WANT to take the bus.

[rudy_d]

I take MTA buses to and from work nearly every day, by choice. Even though my commute takes slightly longer than it would if I drove, I prefer to read and let someone else do the driving than sit in a car and get stressed out by all the idiots on the road. Fortunately, there are multiple lines I can take within close proximity of my home and office. It's generally a pleasant experience, although there are occasions when I question my sanity due to no-shows or insanely crowded buses (usually caused by buses not showing up on time).

The quality of public transportation definitely depends on your location. As others have mentioned, the Metro and Light Rail are nice if you live in the north or northwestern suburbs and work downtown but are otherwise pretty useless. Different bus lines have vastly different demographics depending on the neighborhoods they serve. The #61 line, for instance, runs between north Baltimore and downtown, serving Roland Park and Mt. Washington. It consists of mostly "choice" riders who are more likely to be in business attire and reading the Wall Street Journal than to be selling shoplifted merchandise. The #11 runs between Canton and Towson and passes by Loyola. It also has a generally more upscale clientele than your typical bus line, but unfortunately it only runs about every half hour (and less frequently at non-peak times).