...You could make your own transit company

[LandoverDivision]

I would call mines PGRT (Prince George's Rapid Transit). 85 routes along with express and shuttle bus routes. Garages would include:

-Clinton Garage (Commuter buses)
-Landover Garage
-Laurel Garage
-Mitchellville Garage
-College Park Garage
-Oxon Hill Garage

Not quite finished planning yet, but i'm getting there.

[WMAveteran]

What a wonderful topic - FANTASY TRANSIT!  This is my initial outline:
1. All transit busses would operate on private rights of way or dedicated lanes in a limited stop format (similar to the Orange Line in Los Angeles).
2. All transit busses would be either ETBs or CNGs to eliminate reliance on foreign oil.
3.  Merge VRE and MARC into one system and extend service to Richmond VA and Wilmington DE.
4. Create a light rail interurban system connecting Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis with branch lines into Calvert, St. Mary's and Charles counties.
5. Establish high speed catamaran (55mph) service along the Potomac River from points in VA and MD to DC.
6. Have Congress establish a multi-state transit authority to own and run everything in much the same way Congress established the airport authority to run DCA and IAD.  It would be called the The Capitals Transit Authority (because it serves the Capitals of 3 of the 4 states in the system).

[79MetroExtraMD]

What a wonderful topic - FANTASY TRANSIT!  This is my initial outline:
1. All transit busses would operate on private rights of way or dedicated lanes in a limited stop format (similar to the Orange Line in Los Angeles).
2. All transit busses would be either ETBs or CNGs to eliminate reliance on foreign oil.
3.  Merge VRE and MARC into one system and extend service to Richmond VA and Wilmington DE.
4. Create a light rail interurban system connecting Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis with branch lines into Calvert, St. Mary's and Charles counties.
5. Establish high speed catamaran (55mph) service along the Potomac River from points in VA and MD to DC.
6. Have Congress establish a multi-state transit authority to own and run everything in much the same way Congress established the airport authority to run DCA and IAD.  It would be called the The Capitals Transit Authority (because it serves the Capitals of 3 of the 4 states in the system).

1. If only that could happen. I think the dedicated lanes thing might work better. PRWs are expensive with all the development that is going on now.
2. I like this idea but then there's a catch 22. Using electricity that is generated from non-renewable resources like oil and coal. CNG is good, biodiesel and hydrogen would work as well but there is this food vs. fuel debate that kinda throws a wrench into the whole system.
3. The MARC expansion plan pretty much wants this to happen. There are a couple of problems. First, two different agencies, two contractors (CSX and Amtrak). Secondly, different fare systems. VRE with their no cash system.
4. I love this idea. I would like to see rail service to Annapolis but the NIMBYs pretty much killed that plan. With the increase in transit ridership, I wouldn't be suprised if this plan comes up again or maybe having BRT service from Baltimore to Annapolis (reinstate the old 210).
5. This might happen in the next few years. There are plans to have a high speed ferry service form Prince William County to downtown DC (and possibly the National Harbor). Looks like DC might become East San Fran.
6. I couldn't agree with you more. You might as well call both the Baltimore and Washington metro areas the Greater Washington area. Alot of people commute back and forth between the two cities and pretty much each system connects with each other. NJT and MTA New York comes to mind with having a single authority that operates different modes and having a dedicated funding source.

I like your ideas. I'll have to throw mine in the bag at some point. I'm already doing a fantasy TA (Capitol City Metropolitan Transit Authority). I still have to get all the routes and schedules done, but pretty much its along the same lines of a single authority in multiple jurisdictions.)

[Tristan]

Sheesh, no need to strike down fantasies here!

[79MetroExtraMD]

Sheesh, no need to strike down fantasies here!

Eh. Same thing happen to me a while back but you got to admit. You do have to put in a little bit of reality into it. Not trying to rain down on someone's parade.

[Tristan]

Some reality is fine, but I think the whole idea was that if the money was there and if those problems weren't there, what would you be able to do.  There's nothing unrealistic about WMAveteran's ideas, especially since they've all worked in other places (1-Pittsburgh, 2-San Fran's ETBs are powered by electricity generated from hydroelectric dams, 3-There's just no problem here -- contractors can be worked with and worked around the same way they are worked around now...just start new contracts...no big deal.)

The difference between what happened to you and what's going on here A) have no place on this board, and B) are no excuse to do that to someone else.

[LandoverDivision]

Part 2 of PGRT Planning: Express Routes
Express Routes will include the following:

Addison Road Station-Davidsonville Park & Ride Route (Express and Local)
Addison Road Station-Bowie State University Route (Express on Sundays)
Branch Ave Station-Eagle Harbor Route (Express and Local)
Branch Ave Station-King Street Station Express Route
Branch Ave Station-Indian Head Express Route
Branch Ave Station-Mattawoman/Beantown Park & Ride Express Route
Greenbelt Station-Laurel Express Route (Local on weekends)
Greebelt Station-Konterra Express Route (Local on weekends)
Morgan Blvd. Station-Upper Marlboro Route (Express and Local)
P.G Plaza Station-Konterra Route (Express and Local)
New Carrollton-Crofton Route-Weekends only (Express and Local)
Upper Marlboro-Lower Marlboro Express Route

[btconet]

I'll have to throw mine in the bag at some point. I'm already doing a fantasy TA (Capitol City Metropolitan Transit Authority). I still have to get all the routes and schedules done, but pretty much its along the same lines of a single authority in multiple jurisdictions.)

Interesting.  Which jurisdictions?

[C40LF_2464]

Ill call mine DATA (DC Area transit authority) yup i know it sounds like wmata

my routes will be from DC to VA  to MD and il have 1 express communter route that goes to West VA and my routes will go to Baltimore to and all the airports.

And a route from New Carrolton to King Street and Rhode Island AVE to Silver Spring lol but ima work for WMATA

[orionvii2680]

New carrollton to king street why that far?lol.

[Flxible]

I'd start it in Floyd, VA (a small hippie town not quite an hour south of me) and call it Floyd Area Rapid Transit, with the acronym prominently displayed on each side of the bus just for giggles- but only on April Fool's Day so as not to offend the townspeople 24/7/365.  I would use Flxible Metros- 30 footers for the small in-town routes, and possibly 35 and 40-foot units that would provide a link to larger towns, aka mine.  I would have them painted hot pink just for the sake of paying tribute to the band Pink Floyd, but would leave the black window masking in all the right places as Mother Flx intended.  Shoot, I might even call it The Pink. 

*NOTE: This is just a humorous brain (insert Floyd Area Rapid Transit acronym here) and I have not completely lost my mind.  Enjoy the humor.