December Service Changes

[btconet]

Regarding the "Q"

Why in an era when nearly every transit agency is seeking to simplify their system to make it less bewildering to new riders does WMATA still insist on making things far more complicated than they have to be?

Worse yet, they abandon their standards at some points (see Route 5A which has a number of patterns all under the 5A banner) but stick anally to others for far more minor deviations such as in this case. (though the even number running only in peaks tends to depart from these same standards)

It would have seemed to me the logical thing would have been to do a 3 way split of the line in which the Q2 (full routing sans MoColl) would have been converted to the peak limited under the Q9 label.  This would be cost effective for WMATA in getting buses across the entire route more quickly, while shaving travel time for those in peak hours travelling the longest distance.  Then, the local service could have been split as elected (SG-W, RV-SS) under Q2 and Q4 banners, with it simply skipping MoColl at non-prime times under the same designators. (gasp!)

The densest part of the line would get the heaviest service, the long haul peak riders would see their travel times improve, and WMATA comes away with a more efficient service that can be readily marketed.  As it stands now, it's just too confusing to readily market!

[79MetroExtraMD]

Regarding the "Q"

Why in an era when nearly every transit agency is seeking to simplify their system to make it less bewildering to new riders does WMATA still insist on making things far more complicated than they have to be?

Worse yet, they abandon their standards at some points (see Route 5A which has a number of patterns all under the 5A banner) but stick anally to others for far more minor deviations such as in this case. (though the even number running only in peaks tends to depart from these same standards)

It would have seemed to me the logical thing would have been to do a 3 way split of the line in which the Q2 (full routing sans MoColl) would have been converted to the peak limited under the Q9 label.  This would be cost effective for WMATA in getting buses across the entire route more quickly, while shaving travel time for those in peak hours travelling the longest distance.  Then, the local service could have been split as elected (SG-W, RV-SS) under Q2 and Q4 banners, with it simply skipping MoColl at non-prime times under the same designators. (gasp!)

The densest part of the line would get the heaviest service, the long haul peak riders would see their travel times improve, and WMATA comes away with a more efficient service that can be readily marketed.  As it stands now, it's just too confusing to readily market!

I'm guessing they wanted to do an overlap for quite some time now. It's Veirs Mill Road that got the priority for the service since most folks ride the main portion of the line. I remember times waiting at Rockville for a southbound bus only to have a northbound come up to Shady Grove. I was discussing something with George about doing turn backs at Rockville during rush hour and some off peaks because of the amount of service between Rockville and Shady Grove. The "Q9" might be coming next year (I'm suprised it wasn't in this round).

As for Montgomery College, i do agree that most buses shouldn't service the college (It's about 5 minutes out of the way. 1.5-2 mins to go in and about 3 or so minutes at that light). A bus every half an hour would have done since the 46 and 55 already provide good service during the day (plus most of the students use their ID to get on anyway).

In regards to simplification, I've seen a proposed X9 route that goes from Metro Center to Capitol Heights that incorporates the X2 and Cap Hts portion of the U8.

[OrionFlyer]

I found a few more changes.

28X: New limited stop peak service between Bailey's Crossroads and Tysons Corner.
D line: D3 discontinued. D1 will operate between Federal Triangle and Glover Park.
D5, D6: Timetables combined into single timetable. Same routes (possibly to save paper with having to print two different schedules for essentially the same corridor).

The D3 will not be discontinued. http://www.wmata.com/bus/timetables/upcoming/dc/d3-4.pdf

[WayneNYC]

Well, on Sundays, the 46 goes into M/C which should be good enough. The 55 bypasses MC Germantown on Sundays.

Bypa

Regarding the "Q"

Why in an era when nearly every transit agency is seeking to simplify their system to make it less bewildering to new riders does WMATA still insist on making things far more complicated than they have to be?

Worse yet, they abandon their standards at some points (see Route 5A which has a number of patterns all under the 5A banner) but stick anally to others for far more minor deviations such as in this case. (though the even number running only in peaks tends to depart from these same standards)

It would have seemed to me the logical thing would have been to do a 3 way split of the line in which the Q2 (full routing sans MoColl) would have been converted to the peak limited under the Q9 label.  This would be cost effective for WMATA in getting buses across the entire route more quickly, while shaving travel time for those in peak hours travelling the longest distance.  Then, the local service could have been split as elected (SG-W, RV-SS) under Q2 and Q4 banners, with it simply skipping MoColl at non-prime times under the same designators. (gasp!)

The densest part of the line would get the heaviest service, the long haul peak riders would see their travel times improve, and WMATA comes away with a more efficient service that can be readily marketed.  As it stands now, it's just too confusing to readily market!

I totally agree.  Even if they managed to achieve their goal in terms of reducing bus bunching etc., this is confusing as heck.  First thing I thought is that the people behind this created all of these (extra Q designations) because that's the way it's always been done.  No one seems to be thinking outside the box.  Actually, IMO, to strive for simplifying things should be common sense and not quite seen as thinking outside the box.  This is just as bad as the Ys and I'd bet the rent that the average person doesn't know all of the variations and for those who do... it took some time for them to get them straight.

One of my personal pet peeves is how WMATA gives each and every service variation a separate designation, especially the peak directional crap.  After all the years I've been living here, I'm still convinced their route numbering is mind-boggling.  To someone from nearly any other major city, if you look at all the routes on a bus stop sign on Georgia Ave in Silver Spring, they could logically (but wrongly) conclude that there's a lot more service than it really is serving that stop.  Looking at one on Columbia Pike and you'd think that an endless line of buses should be passing with all of those 16 line variations.   

[Tristan]

I'm a little in the "eh" camp with the indication of service patterns.  If there is a deviation that causes a place to not be served, like an outer terminus that isn't always served, I think it makes more sense to me to just see "Y5" and know that it's something different that either doesn't go as far as I want (if I already know the system), or at least would cause me to ask questions before I get on the bus and then end up in the middle of where-the-f*** waiting for the next bus, if any, to come along.  Like those weekend Y shorts to Leisure World.  Dunno if a trip that goes into Leisure World and then comes right back out and keeps going is worth a separate designation.

I do think, however, that a number-letter combination that shows a clear trunk ("25" for example), and a clear version ("B") is more clear than Y5/7/8/9, which seems to me like 4 distinct routes.  Dunno why though.  Of course, we could go the way of the 21st century and make route numbers like software versions (25.1).

[79MetroExtraMD]

I found a few more changes.

28X: New limited stop peak service between Bailey's Crossroads and Tysons Corner.
D line: D3 discontinued. D1 will operate between Federal Triangle and Glover Park.
D5, D6: Timetables combined into single timetable. Same routes (possibly to save paper with having to print two different schedules for essentially the same corridor).

The D3 will not be discontinued. http://www.wmata.com/bus/timetables/upcoming/dc/d3-4.pdf

I know. They didn't have the schedule up when I posted. I figured they had split it from the rest of the Ds.

[79MetroExtraMD]

I'm a little in the "eh" camp with the indication of service patterns.  If there is a deviation that causes a place to not be served, like an outer terminus that isn't always served, I think it makes more sense to me to just see "Y5" and know that it's something different that either doesn't go as far as I want (if I already know the system), or at least would cause me to ask questions before I get on the bus and then end up in the middle of where-the-f*** waiting for the next bus, if any, to come along.  Like those weekend Y shorts to Leisure World.  Dunno if a trip that goes into Leisure World and then comes right back out and keeps going is worth a separate designation.

I do think, however, that a number-letter combination that shows a clear trunk ("25" for example), and a clear version ("B") is more clear than Y5/7/8/9, which seems to me like 4 distinct routes.  Dunno why though.  Of course, we could go the way of the 21st century and make route numbers like software versions (25.1).

http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/DOT/transit/Q_Line_Brochure.pdf

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

I'm a little in the "eh" camp with the indication of service patterns.  If there is a deviation that causes a place to not be served, like an outer terminus that isn't always served, I think it makes more sense to me to just see "Y5" and know that it's something different that either doesn't go as far as I want (if I already know the system), or at least would cause me to ask questions before I get on the bus and then end up in the middle of where-the-f*** waiting for the next bus, if any, to come along.  Like those weekend Y shorts to Leisure World.  Dunno if a trip that goes into Leisure World and then comes right back out and keeps going is worth a separate designation.

I do think, however, that a number-letter combination that shows a clear trunk ("25" for example), and a clear version ("B") is more clear than Y5/7/8/9, which seems to me like 4 distinct routes.  Dunno why though.  Of course, we could go the way of the 21st century and make route numbers like software versions (25.1).

http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/DOT/transit/Q_Line_Brochure.pdf

umm...why is there a pic of 5402 on the Q2 with an F block?

[79MetroExtraMD]

I'm a little in the "eh" camp with the indication of service patterns.  If there is a deviation that causes a place to not be served, like an outer terminus that isn't always served, I think it makes more sense to me to just see "Y5" and know that it's something different that either doesn't go as far as I want (if I already know the system), or at least would cause me to ask questions before I get on the bus and then end up in the middle of where-the-f*** waiting for the next bus, if any, to come along.  Like those weekend Y shorts to Leisure World.  Dunno if a trip that goes into Leisure World and then comes right back out and keeps going is worth a separate designation.

I do think, however, that a number-letter combination that shows a clear trunk ("25" for example), and a clear version ("B") is more clear than Y5/7/8/9, which seems to me like 4 distinct routes.  Dunno why though.  Of course, we could go the way of the 21st century and make route numbers like software versions (25.1).

http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/DOT/transit/Q_Line_Brochure.pdf

umm...why is there a pic of 5402 on the Q2 with an F block?

The wonders of Photoshop.

[C40LF_2464]

I'm a little in the "eh" camp with the indication of service patterns.  If there is a deviation that causes a place to not be served, like an outer terminus that isn't always served, I think it makes more sense to me to just see "Y5" and know that it's something different that either doesn't go as far as I want (if I already know the system), or at least would cause me to ask questions before I get on the bus and then end up in the middle of where-the-f*** waiting for the next bus, if any, to come along.  Like those weekend Y shorts to Leisure World.  Dunno if a trip that goes into Leisure World and then comes right back out and keeps going is worth a separate designation.

I do think, however, that a number-letter combination that shows a clear trunk ("25" for example), and a clear version ("B") is more clear than Y5/7/8/9, which seems to me like 4 distinct routes.  Dunno why though.  Of course, we could go the way of the 21st century and make route numbers like software versions (25.1).

http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/DOT/transit/Q_Line_Brochure.pdf

umm...why is there a pic of 5402 on the Q2 with an F block?

The wonders of Photoshop.

I dont know what it is but i remember seeing a photo like that on the 5A. I dont think it was photo shopped though. they just wanted to make the thing look fancy with a new bus!

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

I think it was photoshopped actually, if you look carefully at the side sign, you can kinda see it says "5A Dulles"

[DCT S9Z4Z6]

If you look carefully on the WMATA website homepage. . .  sub catagory Buses. .  you will see the Columbia Pike-Farragut Square bus line 16Y being advertised, (DOWNTOWN EXPRESS) but the picture was taken at the Silver Spring METRO.

The telltale. .  look in the background & you see 2/3 of a Ride-On bus, directly in front of the Silver Spring Station entrance. Even the bus photographed is a Q2, not a 16Y.

I guess the people who produce the brochures, don't have the transit knowledge to produce brochures that actually describe the routes being described.

[Tritransit Area]

I think it was photoshopped actually, if you look carefully at the side sign, you can kinda see it says "5A Dulles"

Indeed.  Honestly, the telltale sign (other than the NABI) for me was the fact that there were so many people with these suitcases.  Then I saw the F and figured out the rest.  It's a great photoshop job, though!

[Scrabbleship]

I'll match with the Q2 advertising the 16Y with the ad for the B30 having a random 5200 with "70 - HALF & O SW" on the destination sign.