Ride On News

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

Wow, the Viers Mill Road corridor certainly can use a full time weekday express route...

Perhaps during school time, they could extend it to MC...it might help with the stress on the 55.

Extend what, the 48?

There's no point...there's already the 46, 55, and Q2 that go to MC from Rockville...all of them which run fairly often.

[Perry]

He meant extend an express route to MC.  I think an express route should only go as far as Rockville and use anything else whether it's the 46 or the 55.  Plus the 45 goes there too.

[79MetroExtraMD]

The Q2 should do its route as it is now. Maybe have a few turnbacks at Rockville during either midday or AM/PM rush. I do agree with an all day express service along the corridor. I've ridden the Q2 and 48 even during midday, you still get a crowd.

Here's a little stoplist of what I think would be best for a new limited stop line

Rockville to Silver Spring
-Rockville Station
-1st Street
-Broadwood Drive
-Twinbrook Pkwy
-Aspen Hill Road (maybe)
-Parkland Drive
-Randolph Road
-Connecticut Avenue
-Newport Mill Road
-University Blvd (farside stop)
-Wheaton Station
-Plyers Mill Road or Dennis Avenue
-Forest Glen
-Seminary Road
-Spring Street
-Silver Spring Station

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

He meant extend an express route to MC.  I think an express route should only go as far as Rockville and use anything else whether it's the 46 or the 55.  Plus the 45 goes there too.

Yeah but the 45 doesn't actually go into Manakee St and into MC like the others do, it just bypasses it via Hungerford Dr.

BTW I agree that there should be a limited-stop route along Viers Mill Rd from Silver Spring (or Wheaton) to Rockville or MC.

The Q2 should do its route as it is now. Maybe have a few turnbacks at Rockville during either midday or AM/PM rush. I do agree with an all day express service along the corridor. I've ridden the Q2 and 48 even during midday, you still get a crowd.
Here's a little stoplist of what I think would be best for a new limited stop line
Rockville to Silver Spring
-Rockville Station
-1st Street
-Broadwood Drive
-Twinbrook Pkwy
-Aspen Hill Road (maybe)
-Parkland Drive
-Randolph Road
-Connecticut Avenue
-Newport Mill Road
-University Blvd (farside stop)
-Wheaton Station
-Plyers Mill Road or Dennis Avenue
-Forest Glen
-Seminary Road
-Spring Street
-Silver Spring Station

Yeah I agree with this list...and I think there should be stops at both Plyers Mill Rd and Dennis Ave...and a possible extension to MC Rockville (no stops in between Rockville Sta and MC)...like a shuttle from Rockville Sta to MC. And it would be NICE if they accepted MC Student ID cards for this route at least. If not then oh well.

[Tritransit Area]

The funny thing is that I always thought there were Rockville short turns on the Q2.  Surely all the Q2 buses don't need to head up to Shady Grove...a waste of capacity?

[Perry]

The 45 back in the day used to go into MC, but was revised to where it's at now.  If there were revenue time to spare without the need to add an additional coach, I'm sure it could be rerouted through there. 

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

Surely all the Q2 buses don't need to head up to Shady Grove...a waste of capacity?

It sure is...

Usually when I wait for a bus at MC Rockville, I see a Shady Grove-bound Q2 bus, with some passengers. Then right behind it is another northbound Q2 bus...with less people, or sometimes none, and sometimes even ANOTHER northbound Q2 bus behind it.

The Q2 should still go up to Shady Grove, but have half of the runs end at Rockville (especially during midday)

It will be just like the 50s line (where some terminate at 14th and Colorado and others at Takoma Station).

[ChristopherF]

5726-5730 now have the Orbital announcer system installed as of now (February 2009).  5731-5746 do  not have the Orbital announcer system installed yet.

[rideonrulez]

Here's a mini-update

-As some of you may know we had some interesting bus moves since the new Gilligs rolled in. All of the remaining 1990-1992 Orion I's (5501,5502,5523,5529,5537) and 1993 Orion V (5546) have made there new home at Nicholson Court. 1997 Gillig Phantoms 5400 & 5401 which are training buses are temporarily at Nicholson. Can't forget the transfer of all the 5700 Orion V's to Gaithersburg
-There will be 6 wrapped buses vehicles for the "Round Rockville" shuttle or the route designation we all know, route 45. These will be the Champion low floor cutaways.
-Apparently the new "Gaithersburg" garage has been approved and will be built across the street from the Giant store at Shady Grove & Crabbs Branch. This will improve the capacity of the depot as it will be bigger then the current depot.
-There will be ALOT of route swaps between garages this summer/fall 2009. Be on the look out 

[WMATAGMOAGH]

Here's a mini-update

-As some of you may know we had some interesting bus moves since the new Gilligs rolled in. All of the remaining 1990-1992 Orion I's (5501,5502,5523,5529,5537) and 1993 Orion V (5546) have made there new home at Nicholson Court. 1997 Gillig Phantoms 5400 & 5401 which are training buses are temporarily at Nicholson. Can't forget the transfer of all the 5700 Orion V's to Gaithersburg
-There will be 6 wrapped buses vehicles for the "Round Rockville" shuttle or the route designation we all know, route 45. These will be the Champion low floor cutaways.
-Apparently the new "Gaithersburg" garage has been approved and will be built across the street from the Giant store at Shady Grove & Crabbs Branch. This will improve the capacity of the depot as it will be bigger then the current depot.
-There will be ALOT of route swaps between garages this summer/fall 2009. Be on the look out 

Thanks as always for the latest news.

Two questions:

1.  Any timeline for the new Gburg garage?
2.  Are the route swaps being done to minimize deadheads, now that you all can operate any route from any of the 3 garages in theory?

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

-There will be 6 wrapped buses vehicles for the "Round Rockville" shuttle or the route designation we all know, route 45. These will be the Champion low floor cutaways.

Does this mean that the baby Gilligs will no longer serve this line as usual? Or any other bus or vehicle like the upper 5400s?

[rideonrulez]

Two questions:

1.  Any timeline for the new Gburg garage?
2.  Are the route swaps being done to minimize deadheads, now that you all can operate any route from any of the 3 garages in theory?

1. 2012ish
2. Nope, it is to balance work between the 3 depots. Most of the routes that are proposed to be eliminated are currently operated from Nicholson.

Does this mean that the baby Gilligs will no longer serve this line as usual? Or any other bus or vehicle like the upper 5400s?

That is the plan.

[LandoverDivision]

Two questions:

1.  Any timeline for the new Gburg garage?
2.  Are the route swaps being done to minimize deadheads, now that you all can operate any route from any of the 3 garages in theory?

1. 2012ish
2. Nope, it is to balance work between the 3 depots. Most of the routes that are proposed to be eliminated are currently operated from Nicholson.

Does this mean that the baby Gilligs will no longer serve this line as usual? Or any other bus or vehicle like the upper 5400s?

That is the plan.

So which route will those particular Gilligs be on now?

[Tritransit Area]

Hmm, the Baby Gs run regularly on the 45?  I should try that route out then!

However, what is Rockville Transit Center?  Is that just a fancy name for a P&R?

[RailBus63]

-As some of you may know we had some interesting bus moves since the new Gilligs rolled in. All of the remaining 1990-1992 Orion I's (5501,5502,5523,5529,5537) and 1993 Orion V (5546) have made there new home at Nicholson Court. 1997 Gillig Phantoms 5400 & 5401 which are training buses are temporarily at Nicholson.

Are the O1's still being used on a regular basis?