	Fall/Winter 2006
	Howard Transit-State's Best System Howard Transit was named the "2006 Best Fixed Route" bus system in the State of Maryland by the Transportation Association of Maryland (TAM). Presented during the annual TAM conference and tradeshow in Ocean City, Maryland, the award pays tribute to a locally-operated transit system that excels in bus operations and innovative programming. "We place a high value on the suggestions and comments our customers make to improve our service," said Carl Balser, Chief of Transportation Planning for the Department of Planning and Zoning. "We listen carefully to what they have to say and take their suggestions into account when we look for ways to improve our service." This year Howard Transit added low-floor buses to its fleet, fine-tuned bus routes to facilitate better connections to major destinations and improved access to bus stops by installing sidewalks, curb cuts, crosswalks, shelters and street lighting. Adjustments were made to two routes and new stops were added in response to requests from two senior communities. Howard Transit also initiated cultural sensitivity training for all transit personnel. Members of the Howard Transit team accept the “Best FixedRoute” award for 2006 at the Annual TAM Conference in Ocean City, MD. An Advocate's Perspective Carol Filipczak is a long time member of the Howard County Public Transportation Board and was elected as Chair earlier this year. She is a strong proponent of public transportation in Howard County and in the region. She also volunteers her time in other areas by serving on the local and state boards of the League of Women Voters and is a member of the Board of the Howard County Conservancy, a private, non-profit land trust and environmental education organization. She does all this and still finds time to dote on her 5 grandchildren. Way To Go! spoke with Carol about her views on public transportation and her role as Chair of the Public Transportation Board for Howard County. Why do think public transportation is important to Howard County and the region? As a 35-year resident of the County and member of the League of Women Voters of Howard County, my interest in public transportation started with the League. Though my principal interest was land use, as I looked at continuing private-car-dependant development, I saw the need to move towards alternatives to the automobile. If you look at the map of Maryland you see 22 lanes of highway connecting the two metropolitan beltways-4 lanes of the Baltimore Washington Parkway, 4 lanes of Route 1, 8 lanes of Interstate 95 and 6 lanes of Route 29 -18 of those lanes are in Howard County. You have to ask-how much is enough? How much land can a small county in the middle of Maryland devote to moving people through? We must find alternatives to the private car. What is your role as a member of the Public Transportation Board? As a member of the Public Transportation Board since the year 2000, I see the job as teaching a couple of generations of people to try public transportation-to get out of their cars and experience the alternatives. It is a more environmentally sound way as it reduces air pollution; it is more economical with the soaring price of gasoline and someday it will be faster as priority is given to public transportation vehicles on the congested roadways. In your view, what is the future of transit in the region? We need to improve Maryland Transit Administration service in the region. We need to shorten turnaround time for Howard Transit service. We need to expand the areas served by Howard Transit. These services are absolutely necessary for the transit dependent and to insure sufficient employees for Howard County businesses. For the rest of us, we need to see a better alternative to the private automobile. We cannot build highways fast enough to meet the demand. So we need alternatives today--whether Howard Transit , the MTA commuter buses or the MARC trains. Given the planning time needed for rail mass transit, it will be years before we are connected to either the Baltimore or Washington, D.C. Metro system. In the meantime, we need convenient, easy-to-use, connected service by the bus and rail systems in place. Howard Transit Plans Route Changes Changes are planned for most of the existing Howard Transit routes. The changes will produce shorter passenger waiting times, earlier morning and later evening service hours and provide service to new destinations. By eliminating underutilized and redundant route segments, the improvements will be accomplished without increasing County operating costs. "The proposed service changes arise in response to citizen requests and from the need to continue our efforts to make Howard Transit more efficient and cost effective," says Carl Balser, Chief, Division of Transportation Planning. One of the most significant changes is that some areas of Columbia will have a bus every 30 minutes during the day. Service is currently provided once an hour. Other changes will provide service to new areas of the county including the new shopping and business complex located at MD 175 and MD 108. The Red Express Route will provide quicker service between Columbia and BWI Airport and the current Brown Route will be split into two routes called the Brown and Orange routes. Comments from passengers have been considered during the planning stage and a number of suggestions have been incorporated into the planned structure. In order to make these improvements, service will be eliminated to stops that are underutilized such as the Circuit Court in Ellicott City and the Savage MARC Train Station. The changes are expected to take effect on or about March 2007. Details of the planned changes and draft schedule information are available on the Howard Transit website or more information is available by contacting Customer Service at 1-800-270-9553. Meet Some 'Real People' This issue features two winning essays from the Howard Transit-Real People Contest. Both winners are featured in print ads and in a Howard Transit commercial currently running on various cable channels and on G-TV. Thanks again for entering! Mark Henry Yee In today's busy world, it seems like everybody--including me--has places to go, people to see, things to do, and all of it has to be done yesterday. Rush, rush, rush, hurry, hurry, hurry all the time. Until I get on the bus. When I get on one of Howard Transit’s buses, it's like time slows down. I know that I'll get from Point A to Point B--and I know that it isn't my job to get myself there. I can relax, and just enjoy the ride, take in the scenery. And there's as much scenery inside the bus as there is outside of it. Inside the bus is a glimpse into the lives of everybody else riding it. Sometimes I look at the other riders and think we seem to have this or that in common; sometimes I see how different we all are. It doesn't matter. We all have someplace to go--work, school, home, whatever--and, for me, there's a sense of silent camaraderie that, even if we're going different places, we're all going there together. Stanley Raskin Howard Transit is like a living symbol of the people tree. There is so much diversity on the buses it is like a UN in action. It is a shame that we have to get off the bus at the last stop. It is like a family picnic. Each ride is a new and exciting experience.

In This Issue State's Best System Route Changes Planned Meet Some "Real People" Pedestrian Facilities Master Plan Released The Howard County Pedestrian Master Plan was released earlier this month. The plan identifies over 160 locations countywide where sidewalks, cross walks, curb cuts and other amenities are needed. "We intend to update the Pedestrian Plan about every two years in order to keep the plan current and relevant, as well as to assess our progress to date," said Planning and Zoning Director Marsha McLaughlin. The Pedestrian Master Plan map and list of proposed improvement locations is posted on the County website. Please click here to review the plan. If you have questions or wish to comment on the plan or other pedestrian issues, please contact Brain Muldoon at 410-313-4363 or email bmuldoon@co.ho.md.us. Did You Know? There are SEVEN Commuter Bus Routes to and from Howard County. The Maryland Transit Administration offers three Commuter Bus Routes to Silver Spring and Washington, D.C., Monday through Friday. The 915 and 929 routes provide service to Silver Spring and D.C. and the 995 provides service directly to D.C. The 310 and 311 routes offer weekday service between Columbia and Baltimore, the 320 provides weekday service along US 1 between Laurel and Baltimore and the 150 line provides service between Ellicott City and Baltimore. Transit Talk Transit Talk offers up-to-date information about what's happening on transit in Howard County. Commuter Solutions Commuter Solutions of Howard County provides rideshare matching services and provides information about transit options in Howard County including MTA Commuter Buses, MARC Train service to Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, and local services. Commuter Solutions also assists businesses in the County develop ridesharing programs and provides information about transit benefit and tax credit programs. For more information and assistance, call 410-313-3130 or visit www.howardcommutersolutions.com. Passenger Advisory Group The Howard Transit Passenger Advisory Group is seeking new members who wish to provide input regarding transit services. The next meeting of the PAG is scheduled for Wednesday, December 20, 2006 — 7:00 P.M. at the Florence Bain Senior Center in Columbia. For more information about the Passenger Advisory Group, please contact Ron Skotz at 301-725-4000 or ron@baltwashchamber.org Thanks for Your Understanding! Recently staff of Corridor Transportation Corporation, Howard Transit ‘s manager, had to vacate their offices in Laurel due to water damage. Customer Service staff was relocated and there were problems with the phone system. Happily, staff is back in their office and issues with the phone system have been corrected. If you'd like us to address other topics in future newsletters, please contact Customer Service at (800) 270-9553, or visit *the Howard Transit website* . Mission Statement "Howard Transit is committed to fulfilling the public transit needs of Howard County citizens and attaining the highest levels of safety, reliability, and accountability." For route and schedule information, visit www.howardtransit.com or call (800) 270-9553 Howard Transit is a service of Howard County Government and is managed by the Corridor Transportation Corporation.