Maryland transit officials are making a second attempt at revising the schedule of one MARC commuter train line after riders and public officials complained about an earlier plan.
The Maryland Transit Administration proposed a new schedule for the Brunswick Line Tuesday. But this time, officials aren’t putting a start date on the proposal for the commuter trains that run from Martinsburg, W.Va., to Union Station.
“There is no target date for implementation — we want to first gather further feedback from our customers,” officials wrote in an advisory to riders.
The last proposal, issued in December, did not please riders and some local officials. The riders’ advisory group argued it was essentially a service cut — not a minor schedule change — for many riders, especially in Montgomery County.
The MTA had initially proposed changing the schedule on Jan. 30 but backed off the start date in late December. The state, which last overhauled the schedules in 2001, had argued that it needed changes to increase reliability and the overall speed of the service.
The agency is now seeking input on its revised version with an online survey. It plans to present the plan to riders at Brunswick Line stations next month and hold three town hall meetings:
- May 19, Charles Town, Old Charles Town Public Library, 200 East Washington Street, 1-4 p.m.
- May 22, Rockville, Council Office Building, Ground Level Auditorium, 100 Maryland Avenue, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
- May 23, Frederick, Frederick County Government Complex, Winchester Hall, 12 East Church Street, 6-9:00 p.m.
