Thank you for bringing attention to the sudden changes recently made by the Maryland Transit Administration ("Baltimore bus route changes wreak havoc, group says," Sept. 16). I am a daily commuter who depends on the No. 58 bus (westbound) to get to and from work. Starting Aug. 29, a new schedule for the No. 58 bus was implemented. This was unknown to the frequent riders, and it has caused me and many other daily commuters to be up to 90 minutes late to work with similar delays on the way home. The major concerns I have include the lack of notice and the dramatic increase in wait times due to the decrease in bus frequency.
Unique to the No. 58 bus changes, MTA did not update bus schedules online nor did they make available any printed schedules at the MTA office downtown or at Metro station displays. Nor was anything posted online on the MTA's website or Facebook page. In addition, the changes were not listed on the "Fall Changes" posters nor were any media announcements made public. This was a failed "attempt to make a schedule that the customer can plan their day around." Planning requires advance notice. These "small" changes and "tweaks" (as MTA considers them) have had huge implications for families of the daily commuters who depend on the service.
MTA spokesman Ryan Nawrocki says, "routes with chronically late buses now have less frequent — but more reliable — service."
That is not true. I can assure you that the cuts to the No. 58 bus line have not improved reliability. In fact, reliability is worse. General traffic congestion has a huge impact on the arrival of the buses, and that has not changed but the wait time in between bus arrivals has quadrupled from 15 minutes to 60 minutes or more. For both morning and evening bus commuters, this is even more of a problem for those using the No. 58 bus to connect to other routes and modes of transportation heading to Washington, D.C. and other parts of Maryland.
What truly concerns us is that the MTA completely disregards the people who work downtown and rely upon the Light Rail or the Metro to reach the No. 58 bus at the Mt. Washington Bus Loop or the Reisterstown Plaza Metro Station to make the bus connection to get home, to their day care to pick up their children or to other jobs or medical appointments.
MTA has moved the No. 58 bus schedule back 9-to-12 minutes earlier for departures from these bus points, which do not allow the downtown workers a chance to make these buses to get home. This is not the first time that this has occurred. This goes back several years when they began this change with No. 58 (eastbound) departing from the "Plaza Station" 12 minutes earlier, and it was missed by those riding the Metro from downtown. This left riders having to wait until 6:35 p.m. until the next scheduled No. 58 (eastbound) bus. This is when riders opted for the Light Rail, which allowed them to catch the No. 58 westbound to get home or other destinations. Now, the MTA has done this very same with the Mt. Washington Loop, leaving us with no other options other than to wait until one hour for the next No. 58 bus to take us home.
These changes come at a time when the weather is changing and nightfall comes at an earlier time. Safety is a very serious concern. Waiting 60 minutes in the dark is dangerous. Waiting 60 minutes in the dark once it gets cold will also be a health hazard. Whoever did this at the MTA offices needs to be reprimanded and held accountable for creating such a disaster with this bus schedule, especially if they do not fix this before the weather and time changes in the next few weeks.
For years, I have been an engaged consumer, attending several of the MTA's Citizens Advisory Committee meetings (located at the MTA's downtown office at 6 St. Paul Street) and taking time off work to attend service change hearings — all to no avail. Things have changed for the worse. It is essential for MTA to be accountable to riders, especially daily commuters. A planning or oversight committee could ensure that. MTA has proof that these changes have not helped the riders that depend on its services, and the agency needs to increase reliability without the sacrifice of frequent service. Lastly but most importantly, MTA needs to take the time to talk to patrons and directly ask them what their needs are, how changes would affect their families, health, jobs, homes and safety.
What I find disturbing is that MTA continues to state that they care about the people they serve, yet their actions indicate otherwise. There are many people like me who heavily depend on public transportation. We need service that is frequent and reliable provided by an entity that is caring and in tune with the people it serves. We need MTA to truly show that they care and not just say it.
We do not need MTA's feigned apologies and vain validations for their actions. If they truly care, they will fix their errors as soon as they are brought to their attention and ensure the good of the people who depend upon their service.
Maria Johnson