MARC Gets Less Money=Riders Get Screwed

MTA Maryland is going to host a series of public hearings this month, to discuss their proposed service changes which will take place January 12, 2009.

I don't know why they bother; I am sure they'll do what they want anyway.

This is what they have in their site:

"The sources of revenue that support the operation of MTA’s MARC Train and Commuter Bus
services have declined dramatically since the start of the fiscal year on July 1. Regrettably, MTA must reduce its budget, and while the majority of reductions are taking place in the
administrative budget some MARC Train and Commuter Bus services are proposed for
elimination.
Service reductions are proposed to take effect on January 12, 2009 or sooner [...]"

SOOOO, prices of gas soaring this last summer drove people to use public transportation like mad. We'll most likely see this situation happen again because:

- Gas companies do what they want and there is nobody to control them
- Speculators
- Not enough supply
- Instability in the Middle East
- Etc

We may not be able to fix the situation in the Middle East directly, or do much about the other factors, but I think it makes sense to reduce demand to keep the prices down, not to mention help the environment a bit! And one way to do this is by having a comprehensive public transportation system. I think it makes sense. And I really thought that after the panic that we all saw and read about last summer the government would do something about fixing the situation long term. We get cheaper gas again and everything seems to have forgotten!

We are having national elections in just a couple of days, but I don't think the situation with our MARC system is going to improve any time soon.

So, again, MARC gets less money= riders get screwed

I am planning to attend one of those public hearings, because the worsening of the service affects me directly and I really believe that getting rid of train routes is the wrong way to approach this problem. I want to make sure the folks at MARC know this. I encourage anyone who reads this blog to follow suit.

Click here to read their proposal.
Click here to read where and when the public hearings will take place.

And get involved!