National Association of Railroad Passengers: www.narprail.org

To the Maryland Department of Transportation against MARC commuter train and MTA Bus service cuts

Thank you for this opportunity to speak.  I am speaking both in my professional capacity and as a Maryland resident—a daily user of Ride-On and WMATA services and an occasional MARC rider.  The Association has about 1,700 members in Maryland.

We understand that the state faces severe financial difficulties.  But we also understand that the need to provide people with an alternative to driving has not gone away.  Please consider the following:

• The current decline in gasoline prices is laying the groundwork for the next oil price and availability crisis, by discouraging investment in all forms of energy.
• The London-based Centre for Global Energy Studies, cited in yesterday’s Financial Times, said a year-on-year decline in global oil demand in 2008 and 2009 was now “a very real possibility for the first time in 25 years…With people fearful for their jobs and income prospects, a 25-30% fall in gasoline prices will not change their new driving habits” (emphasis added).
• More people with lower incomes mean more people needing public transportation.

Moreover, cutting services may lead to people not being able to get to work, which can further retard economic recovery.  Removing transit options also can depress home values as neighborhoods become less attractive to buyers.  That’s not what Maryland needs now.

What proportion of budget cuts has MTA been asked to share?  A straight-line percentage cut to the State Highway Administration and MTA is unacceptable because the SHA is so much bigger and MTA is so crucial to giving citizens a needed, economical travel choice, and to environmental considerations.  .

We are puzzled that Governor O’Malley has ruled out a fare increase, except to the extent this may be one practical impact of eliminating the 10-ride ticket.  MARC fares, on average, are some of the lowest in the nation and there has been only one increase in the past 11 years.  We will convey our concern directly to the governor. 

Regarding the specific proposals:

Eliminating Brunswick Line train #871 (except on Fridays): Midday service provides an essential lifeline for passengers that may need to get home for a sick child, doctors appointment, or other need.  While ridership is low when compared to rush hour trains, it is used by different people every day.  The absence of this train may affect their decision to use MARC train service, further depressing ridership on other trains.  When I rode this train on Thursday, November 6, I found more than 81 passengers—that is, the train departed Silver Spring with 71 on board, 10 more boarded at Rockville, and I did not count those boarding at other stations.

Worst case scenario: please run a connecting bus from Rockville or Shady Grove to key outlying points.

Eliminating the last two Penn Line trains: MTA worked long and hard with Amtrak to establish this new service—as part of a larger plan to expand to weekends—and now proposes to discontinue it less than one year later.  Passengers need late night transportation options in case they have to work late, or stay in town for an evening dinner, sporting event, or other function.  As is the case with #871, absence of this train may lead to ridership loses on other trains.  If the MTA is unable to keep both trains, please consider retaining at least one, preferably the 11:00pm departure since there is a 10:00pm Amtrak departure available.

Terminating train #883 in Brunswick: The last train to West Virginia is, in our opinion, already too early at 7:15pm and this proposal would push that even earlier to 5:35pm.  This is simply unacceptable for a working schedule and will likely lead to a massive ridership drop to West Virginia points as riders lose their “safety net”.  We urge retention of this service and also for the MTA to reach out to West Virginia to secure operating assistance for the service west of Brunswick.  A short term solution could be a connecting bus or van from Brunswick to West Virginia.

Elimination of MTA Bus Routes 310, 311, and 320 and reduction of service on route 929: This has the potential to send commuters to the already-overburdened Camden and Penn Lines.  It also provides less transit options for residents of Columbia, which has no direct rail service.

Thank you for considering our views.