TAG Volunteers are needed (September 2003)

Summary Notes

May 16, 2001
The new Transit Advisory Group for 2001-2003 (TAG) met on May 16, 2001. The meeting started at 6:05 p.m.with introductions and background information provided by each new member. The new members for 2001-2003 are: Lillie Athill, Tsedal Bahta, Frank Cromwell, Douglas Dantzler, Allan Griffith, James Howard, Richard Nagelhout, Sue Quarsel, Nadaraja Ramachandran, Royale Robinson, Ellen Rogers, Tina Winters and Ride On operators Jovita Pena and Clovis Wheeler.

The orientation overview provided information about the Department of Transportation organization chart and the Division of Transit Services’ organization chart and how it carries out the mission of the department. Also, the roles and responsibilities of advisory group were shared with members. The role and responsibility of TAG are as follows:

1. Advise on policies and programs
2. Share passengers needs and
3. Community needs.

Ride On service changes for June 3, 2001:

New Routes:

• 81-Tower Oaks Circulator operates during peak period in am/pm.
• 124-Shady Grove Metro Parking Shuttle operate during the AM peak period to Shady Grove Metro Station from the new Park & Ride Lot at I270 and MD 124 from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and from 12:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The AM and PM peak frequencies will be 10 minutes. Parking and service will be free.

Route & Schedule Adjustments:

Route and Schedule Adjustments to the following routes: 4, 5, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 34, 46, 54, 55, 56, 61, 62, 63, 70 and 75.

At the end of the presentations, there was a question and answer period addressing various topics such as lighting, bus shelters, service, marketing, discounted fares, contract services and Ride On operations.

The meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.

RIDE ON=s Transit Advisory Group (TAG) met on October 20, 1999. The meeting started at 6:15 p.m. with introductions from members and updates on the September 5, 1999 service change and the new free shuttles operating in the Bethesda and Silver Spring Central Business Districts. Ridership information for the free Rockville Pike Shuttle was also given at the meeting.

It was decided, after some discussion, that TAG meetings will be bimonthly rather than quarterly, starting with the next TAG meeting scheduled January 19, 2000. The meetings months will be as follows: January, March, May, July, September, and November 2000.

A presentation on Bus Stop Improvements and Rider Amenities was given by the Manager of Bus Stop/Shelters. Currently there are approximately 270 bus stop shelters in Montgomery County. In addition to the 270 bus stop shelters, RIDE ON staff currently maintains approximately 100 Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) bus shelters. The current bus stop/shelter program focuses on three elements:

(1) Improved Access to Bus Stops

(2) Bus Benches

(3) Bus Shelters

Future improvements were discussed with a slide show of various bus stops and shelters and the amenities available to the passengers. The criterions for benches and bus shelters were part of the presentation. The criterion for a bench requires 15 boarding per day and a shelter requires 50 boardings per day. A brief discussion of the ideal bus stop was shared with TAG members. Some members shared some of their thoughts about amenities they would like to see at the various bus stops and shelters.

The meeting concluded with a tour of the Gaithersburg Bus Maintenance Facility. TAG members had an opportunity to see where maintenance is done on RIDE ON buses.

The next tag meeting will focus on the Maryland Comprehensive Transit Plan and the surveys that were distributed to TAG members. Also, there will be a discussion of RIDE ON=s 25th Anniversary and marketing for the anniversary. The January 9, 2000 service change will also be on the agenda.

The meeting adjourned at 8:00 p.m.

RIDE ON’s new Transit Advisory Group (TAG) held its second meeting on July 21, 1999. The meeting started at 6:15 p.m. with introductions from members and updates on new initiatives and programs implemented since last meeting in April.

Updates were given on the upcoming service changes on September 5, 1999 and the introduction of three new routes in UpCounty and two shuttle services.

The new routes are AM/PM rush hour routes with service only Monday thru Friday:

*RIDE ON #76 serving Poolesville to Shady Grove

*RIDE ON #78 serving Crystal Rock Drive to Shady Grove Station and

*RIDE ON #79 serving Dorsey Mill Road and Observation Drive to Shady Grove Station

The shuttle services below are FREE and will operate Monday thru Friday in the Bethesda and Silver Spring Central Business Districts (CBD).

*Route 28 - Silver Spring (CBD) operates from 6:19 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

*Route 92 - Bethesda (CBD) operates from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Also, new in September will be extended hours on the following routes as a result of funds received under the Access to Jobs Program: Routes: #5, #12, #16, #20, #26, #46, #55, and #59.

The meeting concluded with a tour of the Transportation Management Center and the Transit Information Center.

The next quarterly meeting is scheduled for October 20, 1999. A field visit to RIDE ON’s Gaithersburg Bus Facility and discussion of bus shelters and stops will be items up for discussion at the next meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m.

SUMMARY

The Transit Advisory Group met on July 14, 1998.  Tom Pogue, Section Chief of Commuter Services, gave an overview of the programs being offered to encourage alternative transportation commuting choices, in order to promote the economic growth and vitality of our community.  He gave a summary of some of the programs, such as the carpool match service, Fare Share, and Smart Moves 2000.

Carolyn Biggins, Chief of the Division of Transit Services, gave an update on upcoming events, including the opening of the Glenmont Metro Station on July 25, 1998, and the FY98 budget initiatives.  Copies of the Glenmont service map and an opening day, one-way, free Metro pass were distributed.  She also recapped some of the changes that have taken place as a result of suggestions from TAG members.  These include: an extension of the transfer time from 1 to 1 1/2 hours and the addition of some benches and shelters at recommended locations.  It was also announced that the Taxicab Unit won a National Association of Counties award for the Taxicab RIDE ON Home program.

DISCUSSION

One of the purposes of the Transit Advisory Group is to serve as a consumer panel that will provide feedback on RIDE ON policies, services and programs. At this meeting members discussed passenger safety, future service requests, air conditioning problems, and future initiatives.

Staff followed up on three safety concerns.  First, in order to improve visibility, the County is initiating a pilot program to place solar lighting in some of the bus shelters.  Second, since emergency communication, in some areas is a concern, it was announced that the County is researching some options, such as the installation of pay telephones or emergency call boxes.  Third, Transit is working with the Police Department to identify known problems at bus stops and shelters.

TAG also discussed some of the priorities for bus service improvement.  They agreed that service improvement initiatives should be the main topic of the next meeting.

FUTURE MEETINGS

Topics suggested for future discussions include: fare media simplification, Transit’s Quality Management Groups, how to improve communication with passengers, and service needs.

The next meeting of the Transit Advisory Group is scheduled for Tuesday, October 13, 1998.

SUMMARY

The Transit Advisory Group meeting was held on January 13, 1998.  DPW&T Director Graham Norton gave a brief review and update of transit initiatives, and his view of some future transportation issues.

The Group discussed the Capital and Operating Budget process and bus service needs.  Carolyn gave a brief update on upcoming events including the 20th anniversary of Silver Spring Metro, the process for testifying at the County Council budget hearings, the Mural Contest, Transit’s web site, and the Burtonsville Transit Center.

TAG members previously expressed two concerns that have resulted in customer improvements.  One issue was that it is becoming more difficult to make connections as bus utilization and traffic congestion increases, Carolyn discussed the staff review of RIDE ON’s one hour time limit on bus transfers.   She announced that Transit will  increase the limit to one and one-half hours, as of July 1, 1998.  Another concern was the lack of benches at bus stops near certain key locations, such as hospitals.  Transit reviewed the location of benches and installed seating at some new locations.

DISCUSSION

One of the purposes of the Transit Advisory Group is to serve as a consumer panel that will provide feedback on RIDE ON policies, services and programs. At this meeting members discussed bus service needs and the priorities of the group.  Some of the items mentioned included the need to encourage more people to take the bus and to increase: capacity, frequency of service, cross-County service, and service up-County.  Also discussed was the need for more bus stop amenities, such as shelters and better lighting, that would make it easier and safer to take the bus.

FUTURE MEETINGS

Topics suggested for future discussion include: fare media simplification, passenger and pedestrian safety, Transit’s Quality Management Groups, the Strategic Plan, how to improve communication with passengers, the FY99 budget, regional bus service, and posting schedules.

The next meeting of the Transit Advisory Group is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, April 7, 1998.

SUMMARY

The Transit Advisory Group meeting was held on October 14, 1997. Joyce Allison conducted a tour of the Gaithersburg/ Rockville RIDE ON Operations Center for the Group. Highlights of the tour included: a visit to the service bays to observe farebox revenue collection and bus cleaning, boarding a low floor, natural gas bus, and a visit to the control room and driver's lounge. The members also had a chance to meet some of the operators and staff, including the 1997 rodeo winner, Victor Padillo.

DISCUSSION

Dave Bone presented an overview of Glenmont station service. There was a discussion on the associated service changes and the impact these would have on certain neighborhoods. One of the purposes of the Transit Advisory Group is to serve as an advisory panel that will provide feedback on RIDE ON policies, services and programs. At this meeting members discussed their concerns with the interior temperature of the busses, the need for fare simplification, and the possibility of extending the current one hour time limit of bus transfers. There was also mention of the difficulty of making connections on certain routes as bus utilization increases and some safety concerns about the use of bicycle racks.

FUTURE MEETINGS

The next meeting of the Transit Advisory Group is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, January 13, 1998. Topics that were suggested for future discussion include fare media simplification, passenger safety, Transit's Quality Management Groups, the Strategic Plan, Urbana Park and Ride and transit connections with Frederick County, ideas to improve day-to-day service needs, how to improve communication with passengers, bus stop concerns, the FY99 budget, service to the upcounty growth areas, service frequency, extending evening service, regional bus service, and posting schedules.

SUMMARY: The purpose of the Transit Advisory Group is to serve as an advisory panel that will provide feedback on RIDE ON policies, services and programs.

The Group consists of twelve volunteers who live in a variety of geographic locations in the County and who represent a range of ages, ethnic groups, types of transit experience, and interests. They will meet with RIDE ON staff four times a year.

The first meeting was held on April 15, 1997. The agenda of the first meeting included a staff presentation on RIDE ON service delivery, an overview of RIDE ON statistics, announcements of new initiatives, and an open discussion.

COMMENTS: As a whole the Group was very complimentary of RIDE ON. They specifically mentioned the reliability of the service, the friendly, professional operators, the availability of the bicycle racks, the value of Transportation Fairs, the convenience of being able to request a taxicab, and their appreciation for having the largest County transit system in the country.

ISSUES: A number of concerns were discussed, some of which will be the subject of future meetings. These included: the need to expand service to the upcounty growth areas, more frequent weekend service, extending evening service, express buses to Northern Virginia, fare structure consistency, frequency of service during rush hour, personal safety, the need for additional bus shelters, labeling bike racks so the public knows what they are, posting of schedules, and clearing snow and mud from bus stops.

FUTURE MEETINGS: Items that are tentatively of interest for future meetings include: pedestrian safety, fare media simplification, the strategic transit plan, and Glenmont station service. Sites visits are planned to the Transit Information Center, Central Dispatch and the Transportation Management Center, and the Gaithersburg Operations Depot.

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