Tell Your Story #3: Meet Sheron

Meet Sheron. A daily commuter from the Sandtown/ Winchester/ Harlem Park area. She works the evening in the Mt. Vernon area. Her usual commute is 15–20 minutes start to finish via walking and metro subway. With us she discussed two different aspects of how transit impacts her life: the transition to Baltimore Link and the emergency Metro Subway shutdown.

The introduction of BaltimoreLink did not affect her work commute but it has impacted how accessible other things around the city are for her. Periodically she travels to help her grandmother who lives in a senior citizens home in the Greater Waverly area. A two-bus trip is now a confusing 3 bus trip that has increased, in some instances doubled, the overall travel time. “The only solution I have is put it back to how it was.” She said with the old system she had access to the subway and a bus that could take her downtown, MTA-91, about a 2-mile distance. With the new system her only option for a direct trip to the city center is the metro subway.

This past month like many riders, Sheron was extremely upset by the Metro Subway emergency shutdown that lasted nearly a month. It has further fueled her desire to own a car. Her work commute and daily errands were impacted. She had to depend on rides from friends or a commute on the CityLink Gold to the Light Rail, doubling her work commute time. She said what frustrated her even more was the news coverage that reported smooth operation and minor hiccups despite the great shutdown. Sheron’s response to an MTA spokesperson was simple, “Do you catch the bus, sir?” Because what she and many in her network were experiencing did not reflect the rosy picture painted by MTA.

Her story highlights 2 issues that greatly affect the lives of Baltimoreans:

1. Change in a transit system is unfruitful if it does not focus on and enhance the 5 basics; Reliability, Frequency, Access, Speed, and Walkability. In our analysis of the second version of the BaltimoreLink plan, we pushed MTA to clearly state how we would be better off with the new system; to move beyond words like ‘transformational’ towards metrics. Current reporting of how BaltimoreLink is doing and rider stories show that BaltimoreLink has had mixed results depending on what area of the MTA service area you consider but no parts of the service area seem to have been dramatically changed. Some have gained slightly better access to jobs and high frequency transit. While most stayed the same and others got worse.

2. Transit disruptions, disrupt lives. Therefore, adequately funding a system to improve the 5 basics can minimize transit induced life disruptions. In addition to her own experience, Sheron shared stories of her co-workers and family struggling with the Metro Subway shutdown. She recalled a story of a co-worker who considered staying with a family member in the city. She said she was late for work every day the first week of the closure because of her new bus commute from Owings Mills.

Transportation impacts everyone’s life. There is no city on the map where it would be ideal for every resident to have a car because congestion, parking, public health issues, monthly expenses, and more would be unsustainable. Quality of transportation directly impacts quality of life. Therefore, we NEED a robust public transportation system that can move a lot of people efficiently. Many studies have reported that ridership, the number of people using public transportation, is dependent on the 5 basics that we highlight: Reliability, Frequency, Access, Speed, and Walkability.

We need to invest in a system that will get people to quality jobs, schools, healthy foods, and places of entertainment in a way that enhances their lives. We currently have a neglected system that disconnects entire communities from opportunities, negatively affects health outcomes, puts our safety at risk and prioritizes moving cars over moving people.

Here are 2 ways to do just that:

Click HERE to Support HB 372 to Increase Transportation Funding to MTA

Click HERE to Learn More and Support the Complete Streets Bill