Submitted by BmoreCityDOT t3_106vky2 in baltimore
Comments
Cunninghams_right t1_j3kfel8 wrote
The city should really just subsidize rental bikes and scooters. Some of the rental companies offer 3 wheeled seated scooters, so you can just sit and press the GO button. It would be cheaper than the buses.
BmoreCityDOT OP t1_j3m0snx wrote
Rental bikes and scooters and mobility chairs are already available in Baltimore.
[deleted] t1_j3m1lry wrote
The bird e-bikes and scooters are far too expensive to be practical for most people. I'm not even really sure they're much cheaper than an uber.
For a point of comparison -- I rode a Blue Bike e-bike in New Orleans a couple months ago for for 20 minutes and it was $4.38. I also rode it for 54 minutes a seperate time and it was only $12. I rode a Bird e-bike for 8 minutes in Baltimore and it was $4.50.
BmoreCityDOT OP t1_j3snauf wrote
Bird, Link, and Spin, as part of their agreement to be in Baltimore, all have to include low-income plans.
Bird's is called Bird Community Pricing, Link's is called Link-UP, and Spin's is called Spin Access.
All are available to apply for on our website: https://transportation.baltimorecity.gov/node/16117
Cunninghams_right t1_j3m7mqy wrote
FYI, the buses in Baltimore cost about $3 per passenger mile.
[deleted] t1_j3m92u5 wrote
So in my experience then the micro-mobility stuff in New Orleans beats the cost of the bus here per mile, but in Baltimore it's actually more expensive to use the bike share. The city really does need to subsidize this stuff more if they want it to be more useful. Bringing back the docked bikes would probably help if they could manage it correctly this time.
Cunninghams_right t1_j3mqp2b wrote
short rides cost more because there is a fixed fee to start. an 8min ride would be a much shorter distance than the average bus trip. also, many of those companies offer subscriptions that offer a handful of free rides per day. if memory serves, one of them was $16. compare that to the unsubsidized cost of a monthly transit pass of about $300-$350.
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the problem with the docked bikes is that they're more expensive to manage and not as convenient because they aren't as distributed. docked can work somewhat ok as long as an efficient company is running it. the city running it would be multiple times more expensive. simply not worth it, especially given that it's so unlikely that it would be done well.
instantcoffee69 t1_j3nq84w wrote
What are you talking about. It's how much people pay. Public transportation should not require ROI or break even. Roads certainly don't.
A charmpass daily is between $4.60 and $2.48.
Your comments are nonsensical. It's clean you have no idea who rides the buss in Baltimore or even taken it if you think scooters and bikes are a better system.
Cunninghams_right t1_j3p8bjl wrote
Why should bikes/scooters break even? If people prefer them to transit, we should subsidize them like buses. A monthly charm pass actually costs about $300-350.
Also, I'm not saying we should replace buses with scooters/bikes, we can have both.
Also, if you don't think bikes/scooters are good transportation, would you like to wager on a race? Throw some darts at a map of Baltimore city and see who gets to each location the fastest, you on transit and me on a bike.
instantcoffee69 t1_j3qocsn wrote
Sorry boss, that's Transit Link Card, which covers:
- WMATA Metrorail and Metrobus
- Montgomery County RideOn
- DASH – Alexandria, VA
- MTA CityLink, LocalLink, Express BusLink (up charge included), Metro SubwayLink and Light RailLink
So if you're going to take MTA bus, to MARC, to Metro I got a feeling it's going to beat your scooter.
This confirmed my suspicion, you don't take the bus. Keep to your scooters.
Cunninghams_right t1_j3qtnxx wrote
again, it't not an either-or situation. I don't know why I have to keep explaining this. for trips within the city, scooters and bikes are better. if you're commuting to DC, then bikes and scooters make a good first/last mile mode. traditional transit and bike/scooters complement each other.
you can try to ignore that I was talking about within Baltimore and be a douche for no reason if you want, but it's hardly useful to anything but feeding your own ego. honestly, what value do you get in intentionally misinterpreting what I said? does it actually make you feel good? I do't understand. please explain it to me.
you're right, I don't take Baltimore's transit because I don't work in DC and I own a bike, which means I can get anywhere in the city easier, faster, and cheaper than taking transit. if I do need to go to DC, I either bring my bike or I rent a scooter when I get there because a bike or scooter still outperforms DC's transit for trips of less than about 8 miles (depending on the route).
so I'll ask again, if you think there is no value at all in bikes or scooters, please, lets wager and have a race WITHIN BALTIMORE CITY. we can throw darts at a map and race between, say, 4-5 locations.
Cunninghams_right t1_j3m6zal wrote
If they were subsidized like buses, they would be more energy efficient and faster.
Which rental mobility scooters are available?
Xanny t1_j3nxf3t wrote
Pretty sure drivers would go out of their way to try killing me if I tried to bike around southwest. There isn't a single protected bike lane that actually runs an entire street anywhere over here.
Cunninghams_right t1_j3p77a2 wrote
Unfortunately, it's a catch 22 where people don't want to build bike lane because they don't see people biking, but people don't like to bike without any separation. Subsidizing scooters and bike will help by letting the brave people have easy transportation
BmoreCityDOT OP t1_j3j497z wrote
We know, we apologize. We are doing our best.
The issue right now is not money, but time. We are working a quickly as possible. We made another post talking about the things we are working on to get service back to regular.
lsree t1_j3k34wg wrote
At the end of the day it is about money. If preventative maintenance had been done and drivers were paid more this wouldn't be an issue. In a well funded system these upgrades would've been done in a rolling manner so service wouldn't have been interrupted.
iwantjoebiden t1_j3j08xy wrote
How do we know the times when the buses will show up with this limited service? Is there somewhere to see a revised schedule? Thanks!
BmoreCityDOT OP t1_j3j1vlf wrote
The revised schedule is above; and is based how long a bus take to make a complete circuit.
We will be posting more updates as these frequency times get shorter and shorter until we are able to resume our regular schedule.
One of the updates we are making is a new GPS tracking system, but that won’t be fully operational for a while.
iwantjoebiden t1_j3jcuz4 wrote
For instance, though, if I finish work at 7:15 PM, how do I know when a bus is coming? I'm a 50-min walk from home, so if the bus isn't coming for 40-60 minutes, I'd just walk. But if it lines up with the bus coming in the next 20 minutes, I'd rather wait for the bus. Knowing it comes every 40-60 minutes isn't helpful unless I somehow knew when the last one came, which is impossible to tell when I'm inside without windows.
BmoreCityDOT OP t1_j3jo6mh wrote
Our apologies, until service is fully restored, the schedule will not be consistent. We expect to be releasing updates as more buses become available.
Therealsoulmate4dj t1_j3luu5r wrote
Just a question, not a criticism. What was wrong with the old GPS system? IIRC it did a fine job of letting me know where the buses were on their routes.
BmoreCityDOT OP t1_j3m0l5n wrote
It did not do a good job, unfortunately. We constantly had issues with it.
Not only that, the new system will have GFTS real-time feeds so you can see real time ETAs and bus positions on things like Google Maps
Therealsoulmate4dj t1_j3m8jap wrote
Copy that.
And sounds like a great improvement. Looking forward to it.
Thanks for the response!
BmoreCityDOT OP t1_j3m8myw wrote
You’re welcome!
[deleted] t1_j3k76ij wrote
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A_P_Dahset t1_j3jsmf3 wrote
For approximately how long does DOT think headways will be at 40-60 mins?
BmoreCityDOT OP t1_j3jstm7 wrote
We hope to have service fully restored by mid January. We will be posting updates as those frequency times increase.
A_P_Dahset t1_j3kf4q7 wrote
Noted. Thanks! Appreciate the reply on a Sunday 👍🏾
[deleted] t1_j3jngbs wrote
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instantcoffee69 t1_j3j3rxb wrote
This is such an embarrassment. The typical frequency:
> Rides come every 15 to 20 minutes, every 20-25 minutes for the Banner Route. All you have to do is step on and go.
Take money from BPD to pay more for drivers and repairs. People need to get places, I sure as hell don't need someone to harass me on on the street and show up 2hrs after crimes to shrug at me.