Where's the New Charm City Circulator?


It's the summer now, some may even call this the "late summer". It is around this time that Baltimore is supposed to roll out the brand spanking new Charm City Circulator, but where is this free bus service.

The one thing I've learned about Baltimore is that press releases, news updates, and service reminders come few and far between in this town. It's mid-August. We got the new name back in June, but no official route map, no official stops, nor schedule. I haven't seen any signs around the downtown area. I live down here now, I haven't seen anything.

How do you expect anyone to use this services if it's not being advertised?

There were rumors floating back earlier this summer that dedicated bus lanes were going to be painted on Lombard and Pratt Street for not only this service, but the MTA buses that use the same roads, but it doesn't look like that has happened yet.

Seems like this thing will get rolled out, without any long term warning, just in time for the major tourist season to be done, and commuters well entrenched in their normal morning and afternoon routine.

Comments

  1. AnonymousAugust 24, 2009 at 9:13 AM

    I agree, everything I've heard was late summer, but I've yet to see a sign anywhere along the supposed routes indicating stops. I was really excited about this as I normally walk everywhere and loved the idea of having a frequently running alternate (as opposed to the infrequent 1 bus!) But, my excitement is waning....

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousSeptember 16, 2009 at 2:47 PM

    I was on the website today but looking for some other information and your blog popped up. The bus company (which is new to the states as far as production goes) was having some issue rolling out the fleet. They have more information about this on the site.

    www.yournameyourride.com

    Hope this helps!

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousOctober 4, 2009 at 1:31 PM

    DO YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE THIS CITY IS GOING TO DELIVER WHAT IT PROMISES?

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousOctober 21, 2009 at 7:31 AM

    It does seem like this just keeps getting pushed back further and further. At first the buses were supposed to be up and running by July, then August, then late September. I have yet to see the buses and it is now October. Hopefully it won't just get swept under the rug.

    I was really hoping to use the buses for cutting my run commute to work from an 8 mile run to a 4 miler (round trip).

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousJanuary 2, 2010 at 6:22 PM

    They are launching January 11!
    www.charmcitycirculator.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousJanuary 13, 2010 at 2:47 PM

    I have ridden the new Charm City Circulator a few times since it started. The new buses are really nice, they are quiet and very smooth. The service is very convenient and the drivers have been very friendly.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousJanuary 16, 2010 at 6:54 AM

    Reading this blog, it doesn't seem that there is much interest in this new Charm City Circulator, and I have to wonder why that is. The idea of a green bus service in a major city should draw a lot of attention. People who don't live in the city, can park and ride for FREE. This just seems like a very practical solution in a lot of ways. It's FREE and comes every 10 minutes.

    ReplyDelete
  8. T.A.GeigerJanuary 16, 2010 at 10:27 AM

    Free? Another burden for the taxpayers of Baltimore City. Another reason for individuals, families, and businesses to reconsider Baltimore City as a locale for residence. This program will be wildly successful, and viewed as such by the riders and management. Yet it adds one more line item to the Baltimore City budget, one more expense which the taxpayers of Baltimore City will be expected to cover without regard to their individual economic situations. Typical of collectivist Maryland.

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousJanuary 29, 2010 at 11:46 AM

    This system is funded supported by a parking tax already in place.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

When Club One was the House of Welsh

Image
 House of Welsh in 1943. Note the Guilford Elevated streetcar line. At one time, what was 301 Guilford Avenue (at some point over time the address was switched to 300 E. Saratoga St) was called the House of Welsh a long time Baltimore steakhouse and restaurant. Originally opened in 1900 it occupied the corner buildings for 98 years. A 1998 article in The Baltimore Sun details the history of the House of Welsh on the eve of its closure. With the demolition of these three buildings yesterday marks the end of some of the oldest houses that stood near downtown. The houses were build in the 1830s, some of the only other houses of the same period were on St. Paul Street and were demolished to make way for the new Mercy Medical Center tower. Inside these buildings make have taken place some of the more little known, but nonetheless interesting stories in Baltimore's history. In 1904, at the height of the Great Baltimore Fire, a telegraph line was hooked up inside the building...
Read more

Small Improvements to Light Rail That Could Make a Big Impact

Image
S equence lights on Howard Street so trains can move between stations without having to stop at red lights. This would significantly cut down on the travel time between Mt. Royal/UB and Camden Yards. The technology is there, it just needs to be implemented in a more sensible way.  Improve passenger information at each station. This would include updating the maps to reflect the current light rail operation. The maps at most stations outside of downtown are poorly designed and show the light rail configuration when the extensions to Penn Station and BWI first opened in 1997. Way-finding and neighborhood maps showing immediate transit connections and local attractions are a must. Posted schedules should be updated immediately whenever a new version of the timetable is made. Newer Light Rail map at downtown stations. Update signs at all stations. A few years back the downtown stations had new signs that replaced the originals from 1992. In addition the stations feature a sy...
Read more