Public Transportation in Baltimore? (how much, cost, law)

[cnomad3d]

Originally Posted by picardlx

As of two weeks ago, those electronic signs were only displaying scheduled arrival times and not real-time estimates of arrival times.

Sorry, slight correction. MTA is still in the testing phase on this. It will have actual train times by March. Right now it is just the schedules.

[mpheels]

Originally Posted by cnomad3d

Sorry, slight correction. MTA is still in the testing phase on this. It will have actual train times by March. Right now it is just the schedules.

It's official - NextTrain is live and fully functional!

NEW LIGHT RAIL TECHNOLOGY GIVES RIDERS REAL-TIME TRAIN ARRIVAL INFO | Maryland Transit Administration

[picardlx]

I think (speculate) NextBus is being delayed because MTA managers now have a sense of how terrible the buses are in keeping their schedules.

[cdmoore125]

So here we are, 9 months after the NextTrain* for Light Rail. Although it is a different system than I'd like (*it doesn't tie with the NextBus system and is sort of cumbersome), at least it is something.

Now, where is NextBus?

[cdmoore125]

Bump

[mpheels]

Originally Posted by cdmoore125

So here we are, 9 months after the NextTrain* for Light Rail. Although it is a different system than I'd like (*it doesn't tie with the NextBus system and is sort of cumbersome), at least it is something.

Now, where is NextBus?

Or NextTrain for the metro?

I'm afraid the Circulator is starting to sink to MTA levels... The status information sign at the Redwood/Light stop hasn't worked in nearly 12 months. In the past month, I've had circulator drivers blast by me while I was waiting at a stop on two difference occasions. Several weeks ago, it was 35 degrees and raining. I was at the visitors center stop, and saw the bus coming from the Key Highway intersection. I stepped to the curb and raised my hand to let the driver know I wanted to board - he didn't even tap the breaks. This weekend, I was at the Redwood stop. The purple bus stopped about 20 feet short of the stop to discharge passengers - completely understandable as there were several cars stopped at the light ahead. I started walking towards the bus (as quickly as possible while carrying groceries), but the light changed, and the driver slammed the door as soon the last passenger exited the bus. I turned and started moving towards the regular stop, assuming he would stop again. He didn't. Just sped through the light, despite the efforts of several others who waived and yelled to get the driver's attention.

[cdmoore125]

Originally Posted by mpheels

Or NextTrain for the metro?

I'm afraid the Circulator is starting to sink to MTA levels... The status information sign at the Redwood/Light stop hasn't worked in nearly 12 months. In the past month, I've had circulator drivers blast by me while I was waiting at a stop on two difference occasions. Several weeks ago, it was 35 degrees and raining. I was at the visitors center stop, and saw the bus coming from the Key Highway intersection. I stepped to the curb and raised my hand to let the driver know I wanted to board - he didn't even tap the breaks. This weekend, I was at the Redwood stop. The purple bus stopped about 20 feet short of the stop to discharge passengers - completely understandable as there were several cars stopped at the light ahead. I started walking towards the bus (as quickly as possible while carrying groceries), but the light changed, and the driver slammed the door as soon the last passenger exited the bus. I turned and started moving towards the regular stop, assuming he would stop again. He didn't. Just sped through the light, despite the efforts of several others who waived and yelled to get the driver's attention.

The Metro could use NextTrain, certainly, though I think it is more reliable, and it comes much more often. Further, I think there is technology that would need to be installed (see PATCO around Philly), whereas the MTA buses already have GPS on them I think.

Unfortunately, I get it about the CCC. It's massive budget deficit probably isn't helping.

[picardlx]

Originally Posted by mpheels

Or NextTrain for the metro?

I'm afraid the Circulator is starting to sink to MTA levels... The status information sign at the Redwood/Light stop hasn't worked in nearly 12 months. In the past month, I've had circulator drivers blast by me while I was waiting at a stop on two difference occasions. Several weeks ago, it was 35 degrees and raining. I was at the visitors center stop, and saw the bus coming from the Key Highway intersection. I stepped to the curb and raised my hand to let the driver know I wanted to board - he didn't even tap the breaks. This weekend, I was at the Redwood stop. The purple bus stopped about 20 feet short of the stop to discharge passengers - completely understandable as there were several cars stopped at the light ahead. I started walking towards the bus (as quickly as possible while carrying groceries), but the light changed, and the driver slammed the door as soon the last passenger exited the bus. I turned and started moving towards the regular stop, assuming he would stop again. He didn't. Just sped through the light, despite the efforts of several others who waived and yelled to get the driver's attention.

I find the first and second situation that you describe as potentially different and the first may actually be welcomed.

If in the first instance the bus was late, then I encourage the service to skip (or express) a few stops, in an effort to get back on schedule. If the system were smart, then bus stops with digital ETAs signs can alert passengers that the next bus will skip this stop for schedule adjustment (or have the bus banner read that in large letters with an ETA for the next bus expected to service the stop). Most of us have been on MTA stops only to see 3 or 4 buses (at least an hour's worth) all bunched-up, all half empty, and all going in the opposite direction (honest truth: I saw 4 MTA44's all within 2 minutes of each other once). I'm willing to guess that most often, bus bunching isn't the fault of the driver. But MTA should have MTA managers either in the field or using GPS to express some buses to avoid this problem and then maybe use a well-designed smart phone app to keep customers in the loop [in real time].

Now the second incident is just a reflection of poor customer service, and should be reported as such.

[Sunflowery]

Originally Posted by mpheels

Or NextTrain for the metro?

I'm afraid the Circulator is starting to sink to MTA levels... The status information sign at the Redwood/Light stop hasn't worked in nearly 12 months. In the past month, I've had circulator drivers blast by me while I was waiting at a stop on two difference occasions. Several weeks ago, it was 35 degrees and raining. I was at the visitors center stop, and saw the bus coming from the Key Highway intersection. I stepped to the curb and raised my hand to let the driver know I wanted to board - he didn't even tap the breaks. This weekend, I was at the Redwood stop. The purple bus stopped about 20 feet short of the stop to discharge passengers - completely understandable as there were several cars stopped at the light ahead. I started walking towards the bus (as quickly as possible while carrying groceries), but the light changed, and the driver slammed the door as soon the last passenger exited the bus. I turned and started moving towards the regular stop, assuming he would stop again. He didn't. Just sped through the light, despite the efforts of several others who waived and yelled to get the driver's attention.

In my honest opinion, the Circulator is worse than the MTA buses. The Circulator's service has been like a roller coaster. It was bad when it 1st came about, then it was decent & now it's terrible.

[cdmoore125]

How timely.