Save $11,460 yearly with the ICC Commuter Bus



While our new Intercounty Connector Commuter Bus Routes don't actually go into downtown D.C., they're helping  Washington area commuters to save their drive for the office - and save money too.  

Guy Henderson

We had the opportunity to check out the new ICC buses before they hit the road last fall, and the experience was comforting. These are heavy-duty, long-haul luxury wagons, built to ease the stress of commuting. But what we’ve found out since then makes us want to leave our car at home all the time. For those of you who are enjoying the angst-free commute that the ICC Commuter Bus Routes offer around greater DC already, this is going to make you feel even better. Probably smarter, too.

Our back of the envelope calculations show that commuters who take advantage of these new routes have the potential to save more than $10,000 a year. That’s no typo. That’s ten thousand dollars. Every year.

Here are the numbers. Let’s use the route of the ICC Commuter Bus 201 as an example. According to Mapquest.com, it’s 46 miles from Gaithersburg to BWI, and takes about one hour and eight minutes by car. (Taking the Commuter Bus #201 is all of seven minutes longer, with a trip-time length of one hour and fifteen minutes.) With a round-trip of 92 miles, and based on the IRS standard calculation of $.51 per mile deduction, the cost of a daily car commute on that journey is $47.00. Add in the $4. toll for a peak-hour car commute on the ICC, and you’re talking $55. a day, every day you commute. That’s $275 a week, $1100 a month, $13,200 a year to get to and from work.  We’re not accountants, of course, and your numbers may vary depending on lots of variables, but if commuting is an out-of-pocket cost for you, you’d have to earn about $20,000 a year gross just to net out enough to pay for your commute. Yikes.

Now consider the cost of taking an ICC Commuter Bus. While individual trips are $5 apiece, a monthly pass can bring your cost to as low as $3.60 per trip. Multiply the monthly pass cost of $144.50 x 12 months and you’ll end up with a total expense of $1,734. For the entire year.  

Subtract the yearly cost of a monthly pass from the yearly cost of a car commute ($13,200 – $1,734) and you’ll end up with a savings of $11,460.

Hard to believe? We found it “incredible” too, in the original sense of the word. So if you can find some holes in those numbers, we’d love to hear about it.

Meanwhile, imagine yourself chillin’, reading or resting on the ride to work while you’re saving money at the same time, and you’ll have even more reasons to check out the ICC Commuter Bus that works best for you.

We're all on the same team.

Guy Henderson

And because we ARE all on the same team, it’s beautiful to see Charm City come together as one – and all of Maryland, for that matter, as Governor O’Malley has declared Friday, January 20^th as Purple Friday throughout Annapolis.

From the way-cool Ravenstown video to the completely Ravens-dedicated house-front....



             ...to the Patterson Park Pagoda (MTA Local Buses #7 and #10 will get you there)...

...to the Ravens Marching Band (one of the nation's two oldest and largest marching bands)...

....and not to forget the MTA’s own small contribution to purple passion, pictured at the top – the pride of Baltimore is showing all over.

This Sunday, we’ll gather in living rooms all over the state and beyond to celebrate a great team. No matter what the final outcome, though, what we’re really celebrating is our ability to come together as one, with a spirit of unity that will not be denied. Sure, we’ve been through a lot together, and our challenges as a city and state won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. But what our pride in the Ravens shows best is that we know how to come back fighting every time, because one way or the other, we’re all on the same team.

Go Ravens!

What REALLY happens to your MTA Facebook and Twitter posts?

Guy Henderson

It’s been almost two years since MTA launched its Facebook and Twitter presence.

Today, with nearly a thousand active users every month and over 25,000 views accounted for since we began, it’s clear that our experiment with ongoing online dialogue with our customers will continue. So we thought it might be helpful to share with you exactly what happens when you post a comment, suggestion, complaint or concern.

The MTA social media team is comprised of three active researcher/writers who manage numerous other communications responsibilities. Their efforts are augmented by several other “as-needed” posters. The team monitors each site and responds to individuals throughout the workday, weekends and often into the night, depending on the weather and various emergency conditions.

We know it can be frustrating to wait for your issue to be responded-to and resolved in this age of instant communications. The time it takes to research and finalize issues for our customers can vary from no time at all to several hours of back-and-forthing between departments until we’re able to present an answer that’s both accurate and useful. If you really need a “gotta-have-it-now” answer, our Transit Information Services line may be your better option. (410-539-5000)

Once you’ve posted a specific question or concern on Facebook or Twitter, the social media team member on duty may respond with a request for further clarification to help resolve the issue. ALL concerns are forwarded to the appropriate MTA department best suited to handle it immediately and directly. We note and often forward opinions and concerns of a more general nature too. As you might imagine, we enjoy reading some comments more than others. In any case, we take all of them into account, and utilize everyone’s input and feedback to help us improve service over our hundreds of bus and rail lines throughout Maryland.

MTA is committed to hearing from and responding to riders in a meaningful way, using the most convenient communications tools available. For instance, the Rate Your Ride initiative allows our customers to instantly communicate their public transportation experience via text or the Internet, and see real time results at http://www.rateyourride.org/. You can also email questions and concerns any time to mtainfo@mta.maryland.gov.  Or just give us a call
at 410-539-5000.

No matter which way you choose to communicate, we appreciate you taking the time to let us know how MTA can serve you better. We hear you. And we’d like to hear more from you, too.