Here's the part that WMATA could learn from... the Starbucks website lets you manage your account online... You can add multiple cards, setup auto-reload where you can reload based on a date or when your balance hits a certain amount. You can transfer balances between cards (ie if you ever lost a card.... just transfer to another card that you have).

If you have ever registered your SmarTrip card with WMATA it appears to go into this big abyss.....where you can't search on it or pull it up again.

Maybe WMATA and Starbucks could go into business together?? I see enough people drinking coffee on the Metro in the AM anyway.... pay for commuting and coffee with the same card!!

Yesterday I had the opportunity to work some overtime (aka bill extra hours aka buy more shoes!).

Orange line was of course single tracking (hey its the weekend!). So I decided to drive to my office. Mapquest put it at an approximate 20 minute drive. Metro usually takes me 30 Minutes. With the waiting around for single tracking trains driving of course won out. Weekend street parking was free. This all probably sounds like driving should win..... but I can't read while I am driving....In bound traffic would be way worse during the week....and if I wanted to go out after work I would need to move my car somewhere. Also the big downside to driving.... getting from SW to 295N. Its weird and annoying.

WMATA wins!!!!!!!

But the real question is... if I had used Metro to commute this weekend, and SmarTrip had converted to the new system... what purse would my fare have been deducted from!?

to FlashFoward....this caused me to re-evaluate my public transportation use :P

NextBus has been active for about 2 full weeks.... and I have been loving it!

Especially in the mornings. I have about a 60 second walk from my house to the bus stop...so as long as the bus is more than 5 minutes away I can usually make it. Usually I get ready for work then head downstairs to load up my bus stop #. The Next Bus is usually about 10-15 minutes away when I do this so I can feed Madison if needed, take my vitamin, etc....

Yesterday I overslept by about 20 minutes.... so I did my normal routine, then checked by bus...5 minutes away... YAY! I didn't miss it. So I packed up my bag and headed out, caught the bus and arrived at work at my usual time :)

There have been some hiccups (like sometimes it says the Next Bus is 40 minutes away, but really the bus you were hoping to catch hasn't come yet... which means its decision time because I can walk to the Metrorail stop in about 20 minutes....)

But overall I give it an A-

Something seriously went wrong here....

I don't usually commute via the Red line. But whoa. Watching a press conference. General Manager Catoe seems to be vehement that the trains were not single tracking.

I was in SW DC when this happened (at happy hour!) and was actually in a place with a TV tuned to local news... and around 5:40 Breaking News alerts started coming in.

oddly enough never saw a metro alert that referred to the collision... only "mechanical difficulties" and "a police situation".

I have officially been commuting 100% using SmarTrip as my means of fare payment for the last 5 days (2 days last week I used my SmarTrip for bus, and Monthly MARC pass for rail).

I must admit I like the ease of use.... just tap the card to the SmarTrip reader, no need to even take it out of the case I use to carry it in.

But..... shortly after I got the SmarTrip card I registered it online. Now I want to update the mailing address, and check the balance. but you can't do that online. You need to call the SmartTrip people. Why??? If I can register my Starbucks card and reload it online I should be able to do these easy transactions for my SmarTrip card. Why does WMATA make it sooooo hard???

It has been a wacky week to be a MARC train commuter (PENN line especially!)

Tuesday....My usual MARC train pulled into New Carrollton during the AM commute, and the regulars that depart the train there and hop on the Orange line did just that. But as we sat on Metro train on the platform waiting to depart, we noticed the MARC train had not departed, and in fact people started pouring out of it! Uh-oh... packed orange train! Shortly there after I got an email alert from MTA stating that trains were terminating @ New Carrollton due to Amtrak/Police Activity between NC and Union Station. WMATA would have called it "Track Maintenance". (supposedly human remains were found near the tracks... but never really heard anything else except a nice email alert maybe an hour later that trains were now running to Union Station).

Wednesday.... Usual MARC morning train was running late... maybe 10 minutes. After we were picked up in Odenton I got an email alert that stated due to water main break near tracks Southbound trains would be delayed 10-15 minutes. Email alerts continued throughout the day (Situation deteriorated rapidly... shortly after my train left Odenton MARC rail traffic was suspended between West Baltimore and Odenton. But an email came out and relayed all of this info, and more indcating that shuttle busses were running, METRO (wmata) was accepting MARC tickets, and that the Camden lines were running.) Emails continued throughout the day, and started referring to which afternoon trains would be running and making all stops. (The afternoon train I caught was packed to the gills, 7 minutes prior to it leaving Uniod Station they announced it was packed and were not taking anymore passengers. Those of us that caught it at New Carrollton somehow managed to squish ourselves onboard.) MOre emails continued throughout the night... even ones that said normal service would continue tomorrow ( aka today) with some minor delays.

I guess MARC wants to give me lots of trouble before I depart for good :D

Yes for the 3rd time in less than 2 weeks a maintenance train has derailed on the Orange line. This time at Cheverly.

I am currently stuck on an orange train just outside of Cheverly.

Updates to follow!

UPDATE - 9:32am - Usually I catch the MARC from Odenton, but today I drove to New Carrollton, because I am meeting my realtor to look at houses. I knew there was a delay and single tracking on the Orange line, due to "Emergency Track Work". But I decided to go for it anyway. I made good time to NC, and as I approached the Metro car... it was packed... which I took as a good sign. If it had been sitting for a while.. it should be leaving soon! And I was right! So I only got to work about 5-10 minutes later that normal.

Check out my awesome picture of scene above.... maybe WaPo will hire me to be a reporter :P

Oh... and thanks to all the "gentlemen" that offered me their seat on the Metro ;)

Sent from my BlackBerry

Dear Metro -- what is so hard to understand about this concept??

This is the second time in 3 years that I have been commuting via Metrorail, that your email alert system has sent out vague communication in regards to a MAJOR delay, caused by a derailment.

Exhibit A....back when this happened, Metro sent out alerts warning of delays due to "mechanical difficulties".

Exhibit B... today ... I've been getting alerts (and Tweets!) all morning about "track maintenance".

WMATA.... what can you not understand that in order for commuters to properly plan their "Plan B" you need to describe the situation accurately?? How hard is it?

I forgot to charge my ipod at work today. So now I am charging it using a hallway outlet at the New Carrollton Marc station. While a homeless person watches me.

Sent from my BlackBerry

Man found with assault rifle...

(i was not on this train)

Great way to start the day!

So I usually take one of two MARC trains - the 5:52 or 6:20 (yes that is a.m.). This morning I rolled into the station around 5:58 and saw a train at the platform ... I thought sweet I am going to make the early train! Except the conductors aren't outside telling people to run or they are going to close the doors. Then I pass a guy smoking a cig with one foot in the train door... I said "Is it broke?" He replies "It is now!" So I keep walking down the platform towards my usual car. Now all the doors are closed. So I turn around and go back to the front... 1 conductor is telling people "They closed the doors to fix the brakes... we don't want anyone getting hurt, they will open the doors when the problems are fixed." So I turn back around and head to the back.

About 10-15 minutes pass... the train makes this start up noise... and they start on their way... without the doors opening! Luckily the next train showed up about 5 minutes later (otherwise there may have been a riot!!!!).

Sent from my BlackBerry

fyi. I just got this in my inbox!


Sent from my BlackBerry


-----Original Message-----

From: Maryland Transit Administration <mta@alerts.marylandmail.com>


Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:33:53

To: XXXXX

Subject: MTA: October 16, 2008 3:30 PM


Important Information for MARC Train and Commuter Bus Riders


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 our administrative budget some MARC Train and Commuter Bus services are proposed for elimination. The proposed service reductions are listed below.



Service reductions are proposed to take effect on January 12, 2009 or sooner if the service reduction is based on a holiday.


MTA will hold public hearings throughout the State to receive public comments on these proposals. Click www.mtamaryland.com/Commuter_MARC_Hearings.cfm for a list of public hearings. Citizens may provide comments at any hearing that it is convenient, or may send comments directly to the MTA by mail or email. No matter how it is sent, any comment received by December 26, 2008 will be considered before proposals are finalized.



By mail, please address comments to:


Mr. Glenn Litsinger

MTA Office of Customer Information

6 St. Paul Street

Baltimore MD 21202


By email, address comments regarding Commuter Bus proposals to commuterbus@mtamaryland.com with "Hearing Comments" as the subject heading. Address comments regarding MARC Train proposals to marc@mtamaryland.com with "Hearing Comments" as the subject heading.


The following services are proposed for elimination:


Commuter Bus


· All service from Baltimore to Columbia on the Nos. 310 and 311 Lines

· All service on the No. 320 Line from Laurel to Baltimore

· All service on the No. 412 Line from Bel Air to Baltimore

· One round trip from Harford County to Baltimore on the Nos. 410, 411 and 420 lines

· All service on the No. 913 Line from Waldorf to the Suitland Metrorail Station

· All service on the No. 921 Line from Annapolis to New Carrollton Metrorail Station

· One round trip on the No. 995 Line from Columbia to Washington, DC and the branch of the line serving Oakland Mills

· Saturday service and one weekday mid-morning round trip on the No. 929 Line from Columbia to Washington, DC

· In addition to these service reductions, MTA proposes, effective Veterans' Day, to:

· Eliminate all holiday service (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Columbus Day, Veterans' Day and the day after Thanksgiving)

· Eliminate all service on the day after Christmas

· Operate holiday service rather than full service on Christmas Eve and the day after New Year's Day.


MARC Train


· The last two evening round trip trains on the Penn Line (Trains #445, 446, 447 and 448)

· All service on Mondays through Thursdays on Brunswick Line train #871 (Friday service to continue)

· Termination of Brunswick Line train #883 at Brunswick

· All service on the mid-day bus shuttle between Odenton and Laurel

· In addition to these service reductions, MTA proposes, effective Veterans' Day, to:

· Eliminate all holiday service on all lines (Columbus Day, Veterans' Day and the day after Thanksgiving)

· Eliminate service on all lines on the day after Christmas

· Operate holiday service rather than full service on Christmas Eve and the week between Christmas and New Year's Day

· Operate holiday service rather than full service on the day after New Year's Day.

· The MTA also proposes to eliminate the MARC Ten-Trip Ticket.

An answer to why no email alerts about Friday's Major Disruptions....(basically they blamed it on technical difficulties).


From: csvc@wmata.com <csvc@wmata.com>
Subject: RE: RAIL ANNOUNCE ORANG
To: XXXXXXX
Date: Monday, September 15, 2008, 1:00 PM

Dear Ms. XXXXXXXX:

Metro¿s Blue-Orange Line Team received your email of concern regarding not
receiving subscribed e-alerts this past Friday, 09/12, morning. I apologize for
the inconvenience of not knowing ahead of time of the delays, which caused you
not to be able to make alternate travel arrangements. Metro experienced a
temporary technical problem with the systems that provide the electronic
messages. The situation was corrected later that morning. We appreciate your
patience and thank you for riding Metro.


Sincerely,
Marjorie Strother
Customer Service Representative
Blue-Orange Line Team
Case number 432186

To speak to a Blue-Orange Line Customer Service Representative for Comments,
Complaints, Suggestions, or Concerns, please call 301 562-4606 weekdays between
the hours of 8:00 am - 5:00pm or email us at blue-orangeline @wmata.com.

Please call 202-637-7000 for trip schedules, fare information, general
information and customer assistance between the hours of 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.



**** DISCLAIMER **** "This e-mail and any attachments thereto may contain
information which is confidential and/or protected by intellectual property
rights and are intended for the sole use of the recipient(s) named above. Any
use of the information contained herein (including, but not limited to, total or
partial reproduction, communication or distribution in any form) by persons
other than the designated recipient(s) is prohibited. If you have received this
e-mail in error, please notify the sender either by telephone or by e-mail and
delete the material from any computer. Thank you for your cooperation.

When I arrive at New Carrollton after my MARC ride - there is usually an 8 car train waiting... today it was 6.... I though oh well ... maybe less cars because its Friday. In the rush from the MARC platform to the Metro platform I noticed 1 Bright yellow sign on 1 faregate ( about the size of an 8x11 in piece of paper) that mentioned major delays, and you may want to reconsider swiping your farecard. I didn't think much of it at the time... and proceeded on my way to the train.

Aside - Saw a dude taking up as much space as possible reading newspaper and with his messenger bag sitting on the other seat, this of course was my cue "Excuse me...." And with a huff of exasperation he moved his bag and then sat with his arms crossed... What a baby! LOL!

Anyway I pulled out my book, and started reading....Crackle-Crackle.... "If you have just arrived we have a situation... " I think uh -oh! The Metro guy proceeds to tell us that there is a suspicious package at Benning Road area, and he is only going as far as Minn Ave... where there will be shuttle busses to Stadium-Armory. I check my phone -- no alert from Metro ( which if they had sent one I possibly could have taken MARC all the way into DC) - (its now 8am - still no email alert from Metro)

We are on our way... after Landover, Metro guy announces... we are single tracking (so we switched to the Northbound track) due to a train already at Minn Ave. Ok... then we pull into Cheverly... where people heading into DC are on the opposite side of the track ... Metro guy "Well people are on the other side of the track... guess that's way it goes sometimes.." LOL - everyone on the train laughs!

We get to Minn Ave - Rush to shuttle bus ... (I actually made it in the second one!) While waiting for the shuttle, Not in service bus pulls up... Driver starts shouting I am heading to Deanwood! Everyone around me "Why is the bus going to Deanwood, the trains are running to Deanwood!"

On the shuttle bus... we get cut of by a silver Durango - Metro driver lays on horn... Durango lays on brakes... Shuttle bus riders laugh... this continued for a while.

Arrive at Stadium Armory - go through faregates... which are all labeled with the Yellow Major Delays signs... Train headed for Vienna comes through, I get on, figure out the situation at Benning Road is resolved ... and here I am !

It only took me about 1 hour and 50 minutes to get to work today... could have been worse, But Metro really needs to improve communications!

Sent from my BlackBerry

I was checking my online account this am....$4.25 was deducted for parking.... If I had used the SmarTrip card it would have been $8.25....

what a waste of money for the SmartTrip card. Oh well now I know...

Lesson Learned Metro and SmarTrip suck!!

So on my way home yesterday I checked my SmarTrip Card balance using one of the farecard readers....

Balance of $6.75. So the problem from Thursday wasn't a demagnetized card or any other card problem. It was that the technology SmarTrip uses isn't advanced enough to tell me that my balance was too low.... I only got a generic Card Error message!

YAY!

so I drove to New Carrollton and tried to pay for my parking after happy hour, with my newly purchased SmarTrip card... Denied! i had to pay with a credit card :P


It's probably demagnetized :P