After this current storm...

Scrabbleship · February 05, 2010, 08:26:09 PM

...might it be time for Metro to reevaluate its snow policy? I can't see why suspending all bus service is a good move, especially since it would be feasible to run shuttle bus service on snow emergency routes to make up for shut portions of Metro.
I know this has been the worst winter in, well, forever (it might break all records), but Metro needs to revisit its policy especially if this becomes a regular occurrence. Time to retrofit some Rohrs to be snowfighter cars just in case.

Annex4421 · February 05, 2010, 08:40:44 PM

And whats wrong with it? I'm glad they're stopping service the roads are terrible out there and besides there is nobody riding the buses tonight trust me I just got in from the snow there's no action on the buses now.

WES · February 05, 2010, 08:45:25 PM

I remember when they used to put chains on buses and they kept running. I guess those same chains are ruining the streets, that is why they aren't used as much.

The DC area isn't used to this type of snowstorm, heck this snowstorm will almost equal what we had over the past 3 years combined.

Scrabbleship · February 05, 2010, 08:46:32 PM

Quote from: Southeastern Annex on February 05, 2010, 08:40:44 PM
And whats wrong with it? I'm glad they're stopping service the roads are terrible out there and besides there is nobody riding the buses tonight trust me I just got in from the snow there's no action on the buses now.

Tonight makes sense. But to jump to conclusions and suspend it for all of tomorrow is jumping to conclusions. I know that the peer agencies of Metro, even MTA-MD up the road, don't bail when it snows.

My concern kind of is if climate trends change and these snows become semi-regular occurrences. There should be at least some plan to not screw over MoCo/PG/NE DC/parts of VA.

Annex4421 · February 05, 2010, 08:54:17 PM

Ok I get you, but come on this is WMATA, we're talking 18 to inches of snow here WMATA is smart not running the buses in the snow ruining them. I mean maybe they shouldn't have retired the Flx Ds just yet put used them for emergency routes.(Why is it that when WMATA makes a lil decision everybody on here almost always criticize what they do?)

WayneNYC · February 05, 2010, 08:58:19 PM

Just heard on News8 that Ride On has suspended bus service for Saturday, 2/6/10. DC Circulator service also suspended on Saturday.

LandoverDivision · February 05, 2010, 09:00:27 PM

Agreed. WMATA is making a smart move. WMATA is really taking the "If you don't have to go out, STAY INSIDE" thing serious. You have to think about it this way. 1) People are not going out so there's no point in wasting gas running empty buses. 2) Employees have to get to work but if they can't move thier cars, how are they going to get to the garage and how are they going to get the buses out of there? 3) Think about this...Metro not running means this is forcing people to make smart decisions and stay home since they won't be able to get anywhere anyway.

Nabinut · February 06, 2010, 03:39:27 AM

Quote from: Scrabbleship on February 05, 2010, 08:46:32 PM
Quote from: Southeastern Annex on February 05, 2010, 08:40:44 PM
And whats wrong with it? I'm glad they're stopping service the roads are terrible out there and besides there is nobody riding the buses tonight trust me I just got in from the snow there's no action on the buses now.

Tonight makes sense. But to jump to conclusions and suspend it for all of tomorrow is jumping to conclusions. I know that the peer agencies of Metro, even MTA-MD up the road, don't bail when it snows.

My concern kind of is if climate trends change and these snows become semi-regular occurrences. There should be at least some plan to not screw over MoCo/PG/NE DC/parts of VA.

MTA is kind of bailing. They suspended service after midnight and is running limited service tomorrow...or by this post today. Mostly main line routes

C40LF_2464 · February 06, 2010, 07:26:29 AM

Quote from: WES on February 05, 2010, 08:45:25 PM
I remember when they used to put chains on buses and they kept running. I guess those same chains are ruining the streets, that is why they aren't used as much.

The DC area isn't used to this type of snowstorm, heck this snowstorm will almost equal what we had over the past 3 years combined.

Yeah that's a definite. We can do what USPS is doing.

79MetroExtraMD · February 06, 2010, 08:18:09 AM

Yea, I kinda wasn't going to be brave this time and venture out. MTA did suspend above ground service because its really bad out here for both riders and operators. Only essential people are the only ones that need to be out in this storm, not the general riding public.

Tritransit Area · February 06, 2010, 09:54:05 AM

Yeah, it's pretty bad out there further north too! Right now, SEPTA bus division is closed - wait, they just started running very limited service on 5 routes, the Norristown High Speed Line is closed, the trolley lines are running wtih delays, only several Regional Rail lines are operating, and the Broad Street and Market Frankford Lines are running. Honestly, this winter has produced the most snow that we have seen in the last several years as well.

SEPTA revised it's winter policy to give an hours notice before completely shutting down lines before conditions make driving impossible.

WES · February 06, 2010, 10:46:08 AM

When the postal service is not delivering, then that means that it's too bad out there. All the bus agencies are not running today, metrorail is running underground and when snowplows and fire engines are getting stuck, that is not a good sign. Stay home stay safe. Sled, play snow football, have a snowball fight.......just make sure no cops are out there, they might pull out their guns (see last snowstorm).

DCT S9Z4Z6 · February 06, 2010, 01:54:01 PM

SNOW?

Its partly cloudy & in the mid 60's.
Are you sure you looking out the window & not the Sci-Fi TV channel?

Seriously tho,
As a livelong DC Native, I do not ever remember a time, when METRO or DC Transit ever suspended bus service for more than 24 hours. . even the blizzard of '66.

I hope & pray that everyone who reads these posts will hunker down, stay warm, and let Mother Nature dump on the region & move on.

Thank GAWD I live in Florida.

Robbie

Scrabbleship · February 06, 2010, 06:35:52 PM

And now they cancel above ground Metrorail service/all bus service on Sunday too. Not even looking at the logistics of things.

I swear I'm going to move into DC or to the other side of Montgomery County when my lease is up because if these storms happen every winter from here on out, living in Silver Spring will have zero benefits.

Perry · February 06, 2010, 11:43:35 PM

You can't predict what the storms are going to be for the future. This was one of epic proportion, one that the city and the surrounding jurisdictions are not prepared to handle. What do you suggest, having all the operators come in and camp out for their shifts? Stay at hotels on your dime? They told people to stay home, not to venture out. Sorry it's not Smallbany where they get those storms all of the time. It's an El Nino year where there is always wacky weather of some sort.

We got more rain in January here than we did all of 2009. California is getting drenched every other week. It's a weird year, chalk it up as a fluke. If it happens exactly the same next year, then that's one thing, but these crazy weather events happen every now and then.

News:

After this current storm...