December Service Changes

[Tritransit Area]

as a frequent Q2 rider, I expect a large amount of confusion the day the new Q line kicks into effect, which is why people should be notified on these changes ahead of time

I highly agree.  With the whole new stupid look with the huge plastic NFIs and "New Metrobus" campaigns, you'd think that SOMEONE in marketing would've thought to say, "hey, we're coming up with a new style of Q service in December - let's TELL THE PEOPLE about it!"

I was JUST on the Q2 last week and saw NOTHING hinting to this.  Sigh....outside of Nextbus, WMATAbus isn't being so grand right now.  Give me my 20 year old Flx and schedules with a Misc. bus on the front any day! ^_^

[WMAveteran]

So, as I read these "Q" changes it will not be possible after 12/27/2009 to have a "one bus"  ride between Shady Grove and Silver Spring during non-rush hours.  A passenger who wants this option must transfer at either Wheaton or Rockville or take the more expensive Metrorail.  This is supposed to help the transit dependent?  This reads like job security for Metro supervisors and operators. 

[79MetroExtraMD]

So, as I read these "Q" changes it will not be possible after 12/27/2009 to have a "one bus"  ride between Shady Grove and Silver Spring during non-rush hours.  A passenger who wants this option must transfer at either Wheaton or Rockville or take the more expensive Metrorail.  This is supposed to help the transit dependent?  This reads like job security for Metro supervisors and operators. 

I think there are very little folks traveling the full length of the route during midday plus there are various options at Wheaton to get to Silver Spring. The majority of the ridership is along Veirs Mill Road and the new structure is supposed to provide more frequent service along the corridor (along with RO48).

As for marketing and such, it's still early in the month and I think they are printing out the brochures to be distributed soon. The changes are 3.5 weeks in advance, but I think the brochures will be out within the next week or so.

[WMATAGMOAGH]

I doubt many people go from Shady Grove to Silver Spring, so the lack of a one seat ride there shouldn't be a huge issue.  For those of you wanting a Q9 type, I don't think Viers Mill Road needs a true limited type service.  While there are many high volume stops, I don't think they are spread out in such a way that limited stop service would be feasible.  People would complain so much that their stop should be a limited stop that eventually there would be hardly any local only stops, and your Q9 would meet a demise similar to that of the 9 train in New York. 

I'm sure they will market this, and it seems as if the only way to find out about these changes is to snoop around on the website.  A link to the schedules would be appreciated, since they aren't really online and available to the public just yet.  If they come up with a good system of signage (i.e. include VIA MONT COLL on all the headsigns for all buses that stop there), I'm sure people can get the hang of things after a short period of time.

[79MetroExtraMD]

http://www.wmata.com/bus/timetables/upcoming_timetable_changes.cfm?

[Scrabbleship]

So, as I read these "Q" changes it will not be possible after 12/27/2009 to have a "one bus"  ride between Shady Grove and Silver Spring during non-rush hours.  A passenger who wants this option must transfer at either Wheaton or Rockville or take the more expensive Metrorail.  This is supposed to help the transit dependent?  This reads like job security for Metro supervisors and operators. 

Who actually has taken the Q from end to end? I once did it during rush hour for a job interview on Gude a while ago and it just dragged on and on and on especially down Viers Mill and the Montgomery College detour doesn't help at all.

Still, wouldn't it make more sense to not do the full route during rush hours but instead do it during off-peak to merely simplify things?

[WMATAGMOAGH]

I've possibly done it while busfanning, but perhaps I've just gone as far as Wheaton.  Other than that, I can't think of why I ever would. 

[Tritransit Area]

I took the Q2 from Shady Grove to Silver Spring a few times. Basically it was a way to get "home" after fanning Ride On's northern county routes.  This was in the PM hours, so it wasn't so bad. 

I'm guessing the cutbacks between Wheaton and Spring and the Rock and the Grove are for cost savings primarily.

I do know that ridership on that section of the Q2 is much lower than the Wheaton to Rockville section - at least from my observations.

There are a variety of ways to get between Shady Grove and Rockville without that Q2 - there's Ride On's 55 and 59...anything else?

[Scrabbleship]

I took the Q2 from Shady Grove to Silver Spring a few times. Basically it was a way to get "home" after fanning Ride On's northern county routes.  This was in the PM hours, so it wasn't so bad. 

I'm guessing the cutbacks between Wheaton and Spring and the Rock and the Grove are for cost savings primarily.

I do know that ridership on that section of the Q2 is much lower than the Wheaton to Rockville section - at least from my observations.

There are a variety of ways to get between Shady Grove and Rockville without that Q2 - there's Ride On's 55 and 59...anything else?

During rush hours there's also the 63 if office parks and King Farm are your cup of tea.

[ChristopherF]

Brace yourselves for the return of the Q1 & the Q4!

[79MetroExtraMD]

Brace yourselves for the return of the Q1 & the Q4!

The original Q1 was a limited stop route.

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

Brace yourselves for the return of the Q1 & the Q4!

The original Q1 was a limited stop route.

and the original Q4 is present-day Ride-On route 48 if i'm not mistaking.

Plus, yesterday I rode the Q2 from Shady Grove all the way to Silver Spring and today I rode it from Mont. College to Silver Spring...splitting the route in two would make me have to transfer at Wheaton but i'm sure there's not a lot of other people who do what I do.

Actually...come to think of it, what about students at MC Rockville wanting to go to MC Silver Spring? They would have to add an extra bus ride to their schedule...

[Scrabbleship]

What about students at MC Rockville wanting to go to MC Silver Spring? They would have to add an extra bus ride to their schedule...

Montgomery College runs a van service (which replaced Ride On's old Route 127) that connects the two campuses and makes a stop at the Silver Spring metro.

[DCT S9Z4Z6]

Brace yourselves for the return of the Q1 & the Q4!

The original Q1 was a limited stop route.

NO. . .  THE Original Q1 was EXPRESS from Silver Spring to National Bureau of Standards (via Montgomery Village) in the early 70's. Its counter part was the Q3 (Express) running from Federal Triangle to Atomic Energy Commission.

Both buses would meet at the THEN Montgomery Village Transit Center, exchange passengers & go on their way.

Both Q1 & Q3 had

1 trip north in the AM rush
1 trip south in PM rush

In looking at the new schedule, there seems to be NO WMATA service to Montgomery College (Rock) on Sundays/Holidays.
I wonder those who aren't paying attention to the service adjustments, wanting to go to M/C and are on the Q line. .  I wonder how many will kick & scream at the driver, saying the driver missed the stop. 

[79MetroExtraMD]

Well, on Sundays, the 46 goes into M/C which should be good enough. The 55 bypasses MC Germantown on Sundays. To be honest, there's plenty of service at the college and near it to where a little walk out to Hungerford Drive shouldn't be a problem for most folks.