What’s so special about Baltimore for the holidays?

Guy Henderson

Baltimore’s famous “Miracle on 34^th Street” (you can get there on our MTA Local Bus #27) keeps getting better every year, if that’s possible. And while the lights are a treat for the kid in all of us, the best part isn’t the spectacle – it’s the lovely spirit of camaraderie from the neighbors who spend months preparing, and the joy that shines in the faces of all who visit.

Which brings us to the people of MTA. While care and concern for our fellow travelers is part of our lifeblood – MTA employees typically give more than any other public agency when it comes to charitable giving – all the men and women who operate our local buses deserve your good wishes, especially at this time of year.

We’ve written and videotaped stories these past twelve months about the MTA Bus Operator who stopped on a dark road to ask if he could assist a distressed-looking pedestrian; about the driver who supplements his income by working as a professional clown, often donating his time to local charities; and about one of our drivers who’s a Mom that let a homeless child accompany her on her route so he could have a warm place to rest.

There are lots of stories like that around the MTA. Stories that show what a big heart so many of our employees have, and that they put to use for the good of their fellow human beings – every day.

So while it’s a basic part of the job for the people of MTA keep our riders safe and as comfortable as possible while they’re on their way to work, school and play, please keep in mind that these dedicated men and women are your neighbors too.

Please take a moment to wish them well or offer a hearty “thank you” next time you get the chance. They deserve it. 

Tell us what’s on your mind. You might earn some cash.

Guy Henderson

Click HERE to take one of our surveys.

With more than 330,000 boardings of MTA vehicles every working day of the year, the challenge to be safe all ways, while arriving and departing precisely on time, every time – with a smile – is never-ending. We take pride in the work we do here at the MTA. And we’re especially grateful to our dedicated vehicle operators who have what must be one of the toughest jobs in the world.

But enough about us. What do YOU think about the job we’re doing?

How’s our reliability? Do you find our vehicles generally clean and comfortable? Do you feel safe on our platforms? Do our operators make you feel welcome, and do they seem glad that you’re aboard?

What about our website – is it helpful? Do you have suggestions for improving it? When you call for information, do we make it easy to get where you’re going? How about our fare boxes and ticket vending machines – do you find them generally in good working order? And when they’re not, is your request to fix a specific machine answered promptly?

MTA depends on its customers to let us know how we can do better. That’s why, in addition to our Twitter and Facebook feedback vehicles, you can always let us know what’s on your mind by email to MTAInfo@mta.maryland.gov.

Now we’re going a few steps further, with three additional ways to give us your valuable feedback.

If you’d like to offer your opinion regularly via phone text as part of our Rate Your Ride Program, send your contact information (including your cell phone number) to MTAInfo@mta.maryland.gov. We’ll get back to you pronto.

If you’d like to tell us what you think via online survey, click to our MTA Customer Satisfaction Survey and spend a few minutes sharing what’s important to you.

And for those of you who think your feedback is so valuable that it’s worth paying for, we agree!  We’ll give you $75 for your opinion (and a couple hours of your time) if you become part of our Paid Focus Group.  To apply, just click on the link.

Isn’t it nice to know someone cares about what you think? We do.

Workin' on the Railroad

Hi, I'm Dave Johnson and I am the Chief Customer Communications Officer for the MARC Train Service—many of you know me as “DJ”.  We'll be starting a new feature here on "Living the Transit Life" called "Workin' on the Railroad".  Through this effort, we want to give our passengers a little background on what goes on behind the scenes to make the MARC Train Service run each day.

While part of the MTA, the MARC Train Service is different from the other modes in several ways:

* Since we are a commuter railroad, MARC falls under jurisdiction of both the Federal Transit Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration.  We must comply with more stringent safety guidelines in terms of equipment crashworthiness (especially important since we share tracks with high speed passenger trains and freight trains), equipment maintenance documentation, and employee training.

* Speaking of employees, unlike other modes in the MTA, the employees that operate our trains do not work for the MTA.  We contract with Amtrak (Penn Line) and CSX Transportation (Camden and Brunswick Line) to provide our Engineers and Conductors.  MARC has a small staff of managers who oversee our operational contracts; customer service managers who interact with our passengers, address their concerns, and follow up with Amtrak and CSX supervisors for any problems that arise; and staff who manage our financial affairs.

* MARC is also the only mode in the MTA that operates outside of the State of Maryland and Washington, DC.  In cooperation with our friends at the West Virginia Department of Transportation's State Rail Authority, MARC's Brunswick Line extends west from Brunswick to provide service to Harper's Ferry, Duffields, and Martinsburg, West Virginia.

In our next installment of Workin On The Railroad, we’ll talk more about our new rail car order and the proposal for a Brunswick Line schedule change.