Shortline Bus Posted March 31, 2011 Share #1 Posted March 31, 2011 Metro board weighs late night service cuts By Ben Isler ABC7 Washington WJLA-TV Reporter March 31, 2011 The transit system’s board will meet later today to discuss next year’s budget and some weekend service is on the chopping block. The proposal would eliminate Metro service from midnight until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, but would save Metro millions of dollars per year. It would also bring the transit agency one step closer to filling a $72 million dollar budget gap and allow workers to complete much-needed renovations to the system. Metro General Manager Richard Sarles admits that the transit system regularly misses its own performance standards and it will be years before that changes. Still, some riders say there has to be a better way. "So now if I know I don’t have a late night way to get back to my car that’s gonna be real disappointing and make it harder to do things in D.C.," a Metro rider said. "It's not just young kids that use it, no," another Metro commuter said. "People that work use it and people that come down to town that live in the suburbs use it." Last week, a TBD.com poll found more than 60 percent of respondents declared Metro's late night service a necessity. Before any changes are made to Metro service, the board is required to hold a public hearing on the proposal." http://www.tbd.com/articles/2011/03/metro-board-weighs-late-night-service-cuts-57570.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forest Glen Posted March 31, 2011 Share #2 Posted March 31, 2011 Keep in mind this is just a PROPOSAL. I'm sure they won't cut the service unless it is absolutely necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shortline Bus Posted March 31, 2011 Author Share #3 Posted March 31, 2011 Keep in mind this is just a PROPOSAL. I'm sure they won't cut the service unless it is absolutely necessary. A compromise could be the following. 1)Charge Peak Hour Fares for service between 1-appx. 3am(closing)on Friday/Saturday Nights. 2)Only run the Red, Orange and Blue lines during the wee hours. "Buses' run on the Yellow and Green lines instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamen Rider Posted March 31, 2011 Share #4 Posted March 31, 2011 Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Posted March 31, 2011 Share #5 Posted March 31, 2011 The Red/Orange/Blue plan works for me. It maintains service in the heart of the system (and keeps College Park accessible, woo) while limiting places that require other options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forest Glen Posted March 31, 2011 Share #6 Posted March 31, 2011 The Branch Avenue end of the Green line is actually busier than the Greenbelt end. However, it is still a good compromise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Posted April 1, 2011 Share #7 Posted April 1, 2011 Late night on the weekends, though, there are always a lot of students coming back from clubbing in DC. Busing that area would really be problematic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zman Posted April 3, 2011 Share #8 Posted April 3, 2011 A compromise could be the following. 1)Charge Peak Hour Fares for service between 1-appx. 3am(closing)on Friday/Saturday Nights. They already do, starting at midnight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amtrak7 Posted April 3, 2011 Share #9 Posted April 3, 2011 They already do, starting at midnight. Not the peak-of-the-peak surcharge, they don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qjtransitmaster Posted April 3, 2011 Share #10 Posted April 3, 2011 well for the burbs they can have MTA add seri=vice to commuter lines especially the southern maryland ones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shortline Bus Posted April 3, 2011 Author Share #11 Posted April 3, 2011 well for the burbs they can have MTA add seri=vice to commuter lines especially the southern maryland ones First of all none of Maryland's MTA regional lines runs on Sundays. Second "Southern Maryland' is the shore area which includes Ocean City, MD, etc. Trainmaster I think you should stick to making suggestions closer to the NYC metro area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nova RTS 9147 Posted April 3, 2011 Share #12 Posted April 3, 2011 This sounds like a nuclear option to get more funding, like all of those times Bee-Line threatened to eliminate Sunday service and when the proposed to end service during late nights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shortline Bus Posted April 3, 2011 Author Share #13 Posted April 3, 2011 This sounds like a nuclear option to get more funding, like all of those times Bee-Line threatened to eliminate Sunday service and when the proposed to end service during late nights. While I been on the DC Metro several times most recent last June('10)I never been on it during overnight weekends i.e friday/saturday nites 1-2am. With that said, I don't think there a need to run all of the lines i.e yellow and green lines. I think bus service in areas that are very light for owl service should be considered first before ending all owl service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Posted April 3, 2011 Share #14 Posted April 3, 2011 With that said, I don't think there a need to run all of the lines i.e yellow and green lines. I think bus service in areas that are very light for owl service should be considered first before ending all owl service. This is why the Red/Orange/modified Blue plan makes sense. It'd be ineffective to bus the entirety of the Green/Yellow corridor; rerouting Blue from Pentagon onto the Green from L'Enfant Plaza to Greenbelt makes the most sense. The only busing that would need to be done is from King Street to Huntington for Yellow, Stadium-Armory to Largo Town Center for Blue, and L'Enfant to Branch Ave for Green. A lot of people ride Green/Yellow at night. I've been on it many times and can attest to this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMATA Posted April 3, 2011 Share #15 Posted April 3, 2011 Kamen Rider's idea about cutting late night Green/Yellow line service and diverting select Blue line trains to Greenbelt from Franconia-Springfield is a good idea. I would also suggest closing certain stations. Stations like Federal Triangle, Federal Center SW, and Judiciary Square are used so infrequently during late nights, WMATA could close them at midnight. A lot of late night riders may not like using buses, but Metro needs to close this budget gap. It's as good a compromise as any right now IMO. Cutting late night service would also allow more time for station and equipment maintenance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forest Glen Posted April 3, 2011 Share #16 Posted April 3, 2011 Late night on the weekends, though, there are always a lot of students coming back from clubbing in DC. Busing that area would really be problematic. It would. Maybe a better idea would be to terminate the Green line at Convention Center on weekdays or, in a worst case scenario, start terminating every other midday Red line train at Grosvenor. Kamen Rider's idea about cutting late night Green/Yellow line service and diverting select Blue line trains to Greenbelt from Franconia-Springfield is a good idea. I would also suggest closing certain stations. Stations like Federal Triangle, Federal Center SW, and Judiciary Square are used so infrequently during late nights, WMATA could close them at midnight. A lot of late night riders may not like using buses, but Metro needs to close this budget gap. It's as good a compromise as any right now IMO. Cutting late night service would also allow more time for station and equipment maintenance. It is not the ideal scenario, but the WMATA will ultimately balance the needs of the system with the best interests of their riders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nova RTS 9147 Posted April 3, 2011 Share #17 Posted April 3, 2011 While I been on the DC Metro several times most recent last June('10)I never been on it during overnight weekends i.e friday/saturday nites 1-2am. With that said, I don't think there a need to run all of the lines i.e yellow and green lines. I think bus service in areas that are very light for owl service should be considered first before ending all owl service. I've never been on the DC Metro before, so I can't postulate an opinion on if night service should be axed. Though as someone who's thinking about moving to Washington DC in the near future, I would like to see at least some alternative service available if this does go through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amtrak7 Posted April 3, 2011 Share #18 Posted April 3, 2011 Use this to help: http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/9279/what-does-metros-late-night-service-look-like/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shortline Bus Posted April 4, 2011 Author Share #19 Posted April 4, 2011 Eric I am serious why not write a letter to the DC Metro GM/President. I think it's a great idea and compromise. A few station Downtown near the offices/complex such as the US Captial should close even on weekends overnights. Also the bus service for the lighter used station in the MD/VA areas as well. With that said, I don't think there a need to run all of the lines i.e yellow and green lines. I think bus service in areas that are very light for owl service should be considered first before ending all owl service. This is why the Red/Orange/modified Blue plan makes sense. It'd be ineffective to bus the entirety of the Green/Yellow corridor; rerouting Blue from Pentagon onto the Green from L'Enfant Plaza to Greenbelt makes the most sense. The only busing that would need to be done is from King Street to Huntington for Yellow, Stadium-Armory to Largo Town Center for Blue, and L'Enfant to Branch Ave for Green. A lot of people ride Green/Yellow at night. I've been on it many times and can attest to this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Posted April 5, 2011 Share #20 Posted April 5, 2011 I mean, I *could* write a letter. Rerouting Blue onto Green is the only thing that really makes sense because of the lack of interlining. If the WMATA deemed it logical, these could be the late-night runs: Red Line: Glenmont - Shady Grove [Every other Shady Grove bound train terminates at Bethesda] Orange Line: Vienna - New Carrollton/Largo Town Center [Every third Maryland-bound train terminates at Largo Town Center and is designated as an Orange train] Blue Line: Franconia-Springfield - Greenbelt Green Line: Greenbelt - Branch Ave [stops at 1:30 a.m.] Buses: King St - Huntington L'Enfant Plaza - Branch Ave [starts at 1:30 a.m.] Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forest Glen Posted April 5, 2011 Share #21 Posted April 5, 2011 Red line trains short turn at Grosvenor, not Bethesda. Other than that, great ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Posted April 5, 2011 Share #22 Posted April 5, 2011 I wish the Metro map wasn't so overlaid with text, it would be easier to do a fantasy map of this otherwise. Also I'm not awesome at graphic design. Anyone want to help out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Posted April 5, 2011 Share #23 Posted April 5, 2011 Okay, here's a different plan that eliminates required busing while still generally reducing the amount of service in the system. If repairs do need to be made, busing can happen. Red Line: Glenmont to Shady Grove -Every other Shady Grove-bound train terminates at Grosvenor Orange Line: Vienna to New Carrolton/Largo -Every third Maryland-bound train terminates at Largo and is designated Orange Green Line: Greenbelt to Branch Ave -Every other Branch Ave-bound train terminates at Anacostia Blue Line: Greenbelt to Franconia-Springfield -Every third Virginia-bound train terminates at King St Better? Worse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metsfan Posted April 8, 2011 Share #24 Posted April 8, 2011 Didn't this guy recently leave NJT? - A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shortline Bus Posted April 9, 2011 Author Share #25 Posted April 9, 2011 Didn't this guy recently leave NJT? - A Hey did you not read the thread? This has nothing to do with NJT.:confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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