Annapolis commuters to D.C. lose bus

Moyer says she's asked city transit to consider taking over route

By SHANTEE WOODARDS, Staff Writer

Published 12/30/08

The Maryland Transit Administration is shutting down a route that helped hundreds of commuters travel between Annapolis and metropolitan Washington, D.C.

Starting Jan. 12, the administration will eliminate the 921 bus along with several other bus and commuting lines across the state. Commuters were warned about a proposed series of cuts in October.

MTA officials planned to announce their decisions to riders this week.

The 921 bus, which traveled between Annapolis and the New Carrollton Metro Station, was on the chopping block because it had the lowest ridership in the system, officials said. New timetables will be posted on the administration's Web site and information will be sent to riders through e-mail messages, as well as on the buses and impacted MARC Train lines.

"We're supposed to be putting out a release on the final changes within a day or two ... and it will also be on the Web site," said Cheron Wicker, an MTA spokesman. She added that saving money was a factor in these proposals, "and in some instances, it was better to consolidate a route."

Mayor Ellen O. Moyer said she is checking to see if it would be feasible for the Annapolis Department of Transportation to pick up the 921 route. Yesterday, she sent a memo to Director Danielle Matland about the issue, but she is out of the office this week and will have to examine that when she returns, Ms. Moyer said.

"This makes no sense," Ms. Moyer said. "It undermines all the time and energy we have already spent into getting people to ride share and do alternative transportation. We're also at a time where we need to be reducing congestion in Washington."

In October, the MTA introduced a series of proposals that were designed to save the state $25 million. In Anne Arundel, early plans were to eliminate the 921 bus, cut two evening trips on the MARC Train's Penn Line, and end the midday shuttle between Odenton and Laurel.

On the MARC Train, officials decided only to eliminate the last round-trip provided through trains 447 and 448 that stop at Odenton enroute between Washington's Union Station and Perryville. Trains 410 and 412, which operate midmorning, will be combined and operate as the 410 train, which also provides service to Odenton.

A series of hearings were held in the impacted areas and MTA officials accepted written comments through Dec. 26. Riders of the 921 bus argued that even though it had low ridership - roughly 125 people a day - the New Carrollton Metro Station was an all-encompassing location that included Metro, bus, MARC, Amtrak and Greyhound stops. The 922 and 950 buses go into Washington from Annapolis, but those buses provide one-way service into Washington and do not return to Annapolis until the afternoon.

Riders like Virginia Elliott had been attending hearings and contacting state and city officials to prevent the route's cancellation. Without it, Ms. Elliott would have to rely on her husband to drive her from her home in Bowie to her job in Annapolis.

"If that doesn't happen, I'll wind up missing work. It's sad," Mrs. Elliott said. "It seems as though there have been more people on the bus now. I guess this will be a shock to the new riders."

Officials at the Annapolis Regional Transportation Management Association, or ARTMA, said they were not surprised to learn about the cuts. However, the organization has a free option for commuters who will need a ride after the changes go into effect. A link on its Web site allows commuters to enter their information into a database to find a match.

Riders should be flexible with their arrival and departure times, said Heather McColl, executive director. Those who are just riding instead of driving may be expected to contribute to the gas or parking cost, but it is up to the driver.

Commuters headed to "a major commuting (area) such as Anne Arundel westbound into DC might hopefully find some matches instantly," Ms. McColl said. "The more people riding that bus register into the database, the more matches we're going to have of people seeking an alternative."

Bus rider Nicole Bowman lives in Suitland and uses the 921 to get to Annapolis, where she is a preschool teacher. Without the bus, she said she would be dependent on relatives who live in Annapolis to get her to work. She said she hoped to find other options in the new year. There were also other riders that she needed to notify.

"I'm bummed out over this," said Ms. Bowman, who had been riding the bus for six years. "I may have to get an apartment here, that's how much I love my job."

For information about the carpool service, visit www.artma.org and follow the links for Rideshare, or call 410-897-9340.

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Hold On Emma.... - January 10, 2009

You tell everyone to drive their own car and condemn public transit. Then you commend Dillon's Bus for providing public transportation. You seem to misunderstand that a great deal of their services are provided through MTA contracts.