MTA Maryland shuttles
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During the early 2000s, the Maryland Transit Administration introduced two new bus routes that they identified as Neighborhood Shuttles or "Shuttle Bugs." These routes, rather that operating like others around town, has differences that included:
- Reduced fare for a single ride. While it was 50¢ early on, it is now $1.00 rather than the $1.60 charged on regular buses. MTA unlimited ride passes (also known as "GO-passes") also cover the fare.
- Shorter buses were used at first, though regular buses are now sometimes used
- Schedule are printed in full color, rather than the monochrome design of most printed schedules, in order to attract more riders
- Bus stop signs have unique identifications. The Hampden shuttle is identified by a ladybug, and the Mondawmin shuttle uses the grasshopper symbol
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[edit] Hampden shuttle
The Hampden Shuttle Bug (Route 98) was the first of the neighborhood shuttles to be introduced. It started operating in 2000 as an experiment conducted by MTA to provide a new type of service. At that time, service operated every 17 minutes in order to match light rail frequencies. However, it was later reduced to one bus every 34 minutes.
The line operates on portions of the route also covered by routes 22 and 27, but connects to various points of interest in the Hampden area, and to the Woodberry Light Rail Stop.
In 2005, as part of the Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative, a comprehensive overhaul plan for the region's transit system, it was initially proposed that the Hampden Shuttle Bug would be completely eliminated due to low ridership. However, after community meetings, it was ultimately decided that it would continue operating with no schedule change.
In 2006, MTA proposed that the routing would shift from Falls Road to Roland Avenue in order to replace service on a part of Route 27 that proposed to be discontinued on that line. This plan was introduced again late in 2007.
[edit] Mondawmin Shuttle Bug
In 2002, The Mondawmin Shuttle Bug was the second in the series to be introduced, serving Baltimore City Community College, Coppin State College, and various streets, some served by regular bus routes, and some not. Its service was and has since been provided at 20-minute intervals.
In 2005, as part of the Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative, it was initially proposed that Route 97's frequency would be reduced to one bus an hour, and riders were encouraged to use other regular bus routes that shared common routing. However, after community meetings, it was ultimately decided that the schedule would remain the same.
In 2006, MTA proposed that the route would be modified to serve Reservoir Hill in order to replace a portion of Route 5 proposed for modification away from this area. But it was later decided that Route 5 would continue to serve Reservoir Hill.
[edit] Other shuttle bugs
While MTA originally proposed to introduced other similar neighborhood shuttles in the Baltimore area, for various reasons, no further shuttle bugs were added.
In partiular, one proposal to operate a shuttle service between Randallstown and the Owings Mills Metro Subway Station was fought by residents along the route the shuttle would take [1] [2]. Objections included that the service would operate on quiet residential streets not accustomed to bus traffic, and area residents did not need the service.
[edit] Existing shuttle-like routes
Several pre-existing MTA routes operate in a shuttle-like fashion, though they are not considered to be shuttle bugs.
[edit] Route 50
Route 50, which serves the Belair-Edison area, is the oldest one, dating back to the 1940s. It operates in a similar circular fashion from its lone layover point, the intersection of Erdman Avenue and Belair Road. Its routing serves the communities of Mannasota and Mayfield and Herring Run Park. It was first known as Route U from 1940 to 1948. It became counterclockwise only in 1992 in order to save costs and simplify service, then operating consistently every 20 minutes during all its hours. Service on a few one-way streets along the route were discontinued as a result.
In 1997, service was shifted to Bowley's Lane in order to provide a connection to Route 33. In 2004, weekend service was modified to serve the Parkside and Erdman shopping centers. These trips are identified in the schedule as the red route. As a result, intervals on weekends were reduced to one bus every 40 minutes. On April 2, 2007, Route 50 started to provide service on selected trips to the Claremont Senior Home.
[edit] Route 29
Since 2002, Route 29 has been operating in a circular fashion as a cost-saving measure. Route 29 originated in 1993 in conjunction with the opening of the Central Light Rail to South Baltimore. The line was a split-off from the now-defunct bus route 28. Prior to this time, the Cherry Hill area was served primarily by Route 28, which linked parts of Northwest and South Baltimore through downtown. But with the rail line's opening, the bus routes in the rail's vicinity were modified to feed into local stations rather than operated across town. The route had been bi-directional, using 3-4 buses for its regular service prior to this change. The overall frequency of service was reduced from 15 to 20 minutes, which matched that of light rail at the time the change was made.
In 2005, a GBBI plan was proposed that would have once again provided bi-directional routing, and extended selected trips downtown. This was later proposed on other lines in 2006, when the Route 29 proposal was modified to be extended to Port Covington. Another line in each case would have operated downtown. All versions of this plan would have provided Sunday service. In 2007, GBBI was canceled, and no new plans have been made for Route 29 ever since.
[edit] Route M-17
The current Route M-17 has been operating since 1997, those most of its current route is different from when it first began. It originated as replacement for special branches of Routes M-9 and M-16 when the main routes of the two lines were combined that year. Back then, it operated between the Owings Mills Corporate Campus and Business Center at Owings Mills via the Owings Mills Metro Subway Station and Owings Mills Boulevard (the most direct route) every 30 minutes during weekday rush hour.
The route was modified a year after its inauguration to serve Rosewood Center, and extended south to the T. Rowe Price Owings Mills campus. Intervals reduced to one bus every 40 minutes. But the following September, routing was extended to serve newly constructed Red Run Boulevard business corridor (location of new ADP facility, for which buses were marked at the time). Frequency improved once again to one bus every 30 minutes, using two buses.
Midday service was briefly introduced in 1999, but soon eliminated due to low ridership.
In 2003, a new deviation via Red Brook added. But in 2005, the biggest change to the line was made when some GBBI plans were implemented, in which service to the Owings Mills Corporate Campus and T. Rowe Price were eliminated. The Owings Mills Corporate Campus is within a close walk of the main road, and T. Rowe Price operates its own private shuttle service, MTA reasoned. Ridership to both locations was low, and this change shortened routing to Red Run Boulevard. Additionally, late night and weekend trips to Rosewood were introduced to replace service provided by the eliminated Route 102
Though the current Route M-17 is not officially considered a shuttle by MTA, it numerical designation is identical to a shuttle bus that operated between the Owings Mills Town Center and Metro Station between 1987 and 1992.
[edit] Route 24
Route 24, which operates between the Essex campus of the Community College of Baltimore County and a development in Eastern Baltimore County now known as Whispering Woods, was considered in some MTA literature to be a shuttle early on. At that time, only one bus was used for circulation of the entire route's schedule, but now, a total of four buses are used, and are shared with Route 4.
The line started operating in 1988 between Franklin Square Hospital and Oliver Beach as a split-off from Route 35, which previously provided this service. The remaining route of 35 at that time was between Franklin Square Hospital and downtown Baltimore.
Route 24 then operated through the parking lot of the now defunct Golden Ring Mall, then to a stop in Middle River, where buses made a U-turn, and continued east on Eastern Boulevard to Oliver Beach. This terminus was later scaled back to Tidewater Village, a community now identified as Whispering Woods.
Service on this line was provided seven days a week, but less than once an hour, even during rush hour.
Minor improvements to the line were made in its first 17 years, which included a modification in 1993 to serve the Victory Villa community. But its largest growth came in 2005, when an unplanned GBBI change was made, in which steady hourly service was provided, and selected trips were routed via Pulaski Industrial Park. This unplanned change was made to settle various complaints from riders losing service on Route 23. This change was cost-efficient as buses alternated between Routes 4 and 24.
In 2006, the layover was moved from Franklin Square Hospital to the CCBC Essex campus to improve exchanges with Route 4 buses.
