Howard Transit

[rideonrulez]

Well I found out the new mystery vehicle Howard Transit has. It was a Chevy Kodiak with a Champion body for anybody who is interested (cricket ....cricket). It had red pattern interior seats. The one I saw was numbered 9524 on the Yellow route.

[Scrabbleship]

Well I found out the new mystery vehicle Howard Transit has. It was a Chevy Kodiak with a Champion body for anybody who is interested (cricket ....cricket). It had red pattern interior seats. The one I saw was numbered 9524 on the Yellow route.

As if there's anything to be interested about up in HoCo...

I can't think of any area as large and as fast-growing as HoCo that has such anemic transit all around. An area so large and so affluent has no business whatsoever having a fleet that's all truck-buses and the overall Howard Transit infrastructure could be improved in terms of coverage and routes that leave the area. Is there any reason why Howard Transit shouldn't run something southbound to meet with the Z6 in Burtonsville or just go straight down to Silver Spring? I know that HoCo historically has leaned more towards Baltimore and Columbia was a development of a time where transit was ignored, but with the growing DC influence there should be some transit link into MoCo at least.

I'd love to see all the hubbub about Columbia, especially after the Wegmans opens, but it seems pointless to take a 3/4 circle up through PG/AA counties to get there from Silver Spring when someone could run a bus straight up 29.

[rideonrulez]

Well Howard Transit did'nt always have crappy equipment. They originally started out with Orion I's then went to Flxible's. After that it went downhill when they got Blue Birds and last but not least the crap they have now. Come to think of it, I have'nt seen there Thomas SLF's in awhile.

You do currently have the option of MTA 915 & 929 even on a Saturday to go to Columbia from Silver Spring. But I think Howard Transit should connected at Burtonsville with the Z6, 9 & 29 and Connect-A-Ride route D there.

[79MetroExtraMD]

Something has to be done with Coordior Transportation. Is there any plans for them to get GFI fareboxes in the near future. They are the only two local TAs that still need them in order for this regional smart card system to work. If they were to get taken over by the state (that'd be the day), they might see "real" buses. Truck buses are the worst thing to run in revenue service. Feeling like boxes on a UPS truck bouncing around.

[Tristan]

Do we really want "the state" (that means MTA) running any more transit?

[79MetroExtraMD]

Do we really want "the state" (that means MTA) running any more transit?

Given the circumstances, there's no other choice. The geographic location of their service puts them more toward the state level with MTA. How about a 50/50 split. Howard Transit to MTA, Connect-A-Ride to Metro.

[Tristan]

What are "the circumstances" you mention that would prevent them from just getting better equipment and continuing to operate independently?

[Scrabbleship]

The geographic location of their service puts them more toward the state level with MTA.

Given the influx of Washington influence into Columbia, HoCo is becoming an enigma in that a good amount of its residents work in DC/MoCo/PG and identify with DC, but the area is still under heavy Baltimore influence historically.

Might it be better to go back to the future and have Columbia run its own municipal bus system? What led HoCo to take over ColumBUS in the first place and drag the level of service down?

How about a 50/50 split. Howard Transit to MTA, Connect-A-Ride to Metro.

Thing is could MTA fix the mess that HoCo made, and would having Connect-A-Ride being taken over by Metro be unfair for the rest of transit-starved PG?

[79MetroExtraMD]

You have a point. MTA still hasn't fixed their own muck up in Baltimore, but they do provide funding for the LOTS (locally operated transit systems). I do agree with Howard County identifying themselves as part of the greater DC area, but then again, it is still under Baltimore's influence. You still have those who work for the state that commute to Baltimore and then you have those who work for the feds who commute to DC. I think having the county run its own service would be a good idea. As for Connect-A-Ride, that's hard to say since it serves both northern PG and Anne Arundel County and it's headquarters is in Laurel.

[rideonrulez]

The geographic location of their service puts them more toward the state level with MTA.

Given the influx of Washington influence into Columbia, HoCo is becoming an enigma in that a good amount of its residents work in DC/MoCo/PG and identify with DC, but the area is still under heavy Baltimore influence historically.

Might it be better to go back to the future and have Columbia run its own municipal bus system? What led HoCo to take over ColumBUS in the first place and drag the level of service down?

How about a 50/50 split. Howard Transit to MTA, Connect-A-Ride to Metro.

Thing is could MTA fix the mess that HoCo made, and would having Connect-A-Ride being taken over by Metro be unfair for the rest of transit-starved PG?

You hit the nail on the head. I personally think Columbia is more DC area commuters then it is Baltimore. Just look at the level of Commuter bus service going to what city. The routes to Baltimore are the 310/311 which has a weak peak direction. The 3 routes from DC to Columbia 915, 929 & 995 all have pretty frequent peak direction service. The 929 even operates off peak/reverse. But there is a VERY strong sense of Baltimore there, weird huh?

Now here's the history from what I can recall about Howard Counties "transit" system. It was operated by the Columbia Association Inc. back in the day. Then in the mid/late 90's they changed there name to the short lived HATS moniker, Howard Area Transit Service which was also when Corridor Transportation Corporation (CTC) took over. In about 2001(?) is when they changed there name AGAIN to what they have currently, Howard Transit.

[WayneNYC]

and would having Connect-A-Ride being taken over by Metro be unfair for the rest of transit-starved PG?

I was assuming that Corridor is not county operated (or it probably wouldn't operate on weekends like THE BUS), but instead controlled by the city of Laurel, which of course lies in Prince George's, Howard and Anne Arundel counties 

[coneyraven]

Boy, I remember the transit "Back in the Day"---Actually, when the buses started running in Columbia, it was known as "Columbus" and was designed to go around to the cities village centers and the Mall -- Back then, there were really only 3 village centers -- Wilde Lake, Joseph Square (Later to become Harpers Choice VC) and Oakland Mills.  I grew up in an "out parcel" that was surrounded by Columbia as it got larger....I can remember riding the Columbus to go back and forth to work as a teen.

[Scrabbleship]

The 3 routes from DC to Columbia 915, 929 & 995 all have pretty frequent peak direction service. The 929 even operates off peak/reverse. But there is a VERY strong sense of Baltimore there, weird huh?

I think this conflict, in Columbia at least, stems from that Columbia is still a relatively new city whose tastes might lean more south than east, contrary to the rest of HoCo. I was reading a book not too long ago about the history of Columbia and its location and setup was supposed to appeal to both DC and Baltimore given its relative equidistance from both cities.

Then in the mid/late 90's they changed there name to the short lived HATS moniker, Howard Area Transit Service which was also when Corridor Transportation Corporation (CTC) took over. In about 2001(?) is when they changed there name AGAIN to what they have currently, Howard Transit.

So we can pinpoint that when CTC took over the system went into a shambles. For its size, the transit options in Columbia (both local and inter-city) are abysmal. The fact that Howard Transit has limited service might be their only saving grace and even that's a stretch.

[Perry]

Wait until the 2010 census.  There had already been a big push to merge the Baltimore/DC area into one, so let's see what happens the next time around.  Howard County is sort of stuck in the middle with people living there and working in both metro areas.  It still seems 'out there' when it comes to parts of Howard County, such as Columbia. 

[smithavechuck]

79MetroExtra, I wish you would go to the appropriate thread and define what you mean by the statement "MTA hasn't cleaned up its own muck."
Give MTA employees an opportunity to present their side of the story.

Chuck