Attention: UMBC Downtown Line Riders

As many students who use the Downtown Line to get into Baltimore already know, the service has experienced some upheaval over the past semester. In the past, the line has been operated as a partnership between UMBC and UMB, with a large percentage of the ridership being UMB personnel traveling to and from the 195 park and ride.

This fall, UMB opted to discontinue financial support for the line. Thanks to the combined efforts of UMBC undergraduate and graduate students, the line continues to operate (albeit on a reduced schedule).

A problem that has existed before this trouble started is the limited number of seats on the buses. Rather than allow riders to stand, presumably for safety reasons, the buses frequently leave passengers behind. When combined with the new limited schedule, these abandoned riders must wait at least a full hour for the next bus.

From my perspective, I feel that since UMBC has opted to abosrb the cost of maintaining this service, UMBC undergraduate and graduate students should be given priority when passengers are being seated. We are charged transit fees every semester to pay for this transit line, so it seems especially unfair for us to be left behind.

I'm interested to hear your comments about this issue, especially if you use this or any of the other UMBC Transit bus lines. I've also sent this post directly to UMBC Transit; they can be reached at transit@umbc.edu.

UMBC Transit

I'm sitting on one of the UMBC Transit buses on my way home from my first day in the research lab. Right now we're sitting in gridlock tighter than your arteries on McDonald's. Buses and cars are cutting in everywhere; another bus nearly took off our right hand mirror while I watched.

Part of the problem in situations like these are the intersections. Especially in cities on a grid system, it should be illegal to enter an intersection when it is obvious you won't be able to make it to the other side. Not only do you not get anywhere, the people on the perpendicular road are completely prevented from moving. Perhaps a few strategically placed walking or bicycle cops could quietly enforce the rule by knocking on the windows of these cholesterol nuggets and notifying them that their ticket will be arriving shortly by mail.

Whatever the method, keeping intersections clear even during heavy traffic situations is paramount to keep things moving as well as possible and to preserve general safety.