2019 CIIP Program Book CIIP Booklet 2019 | Page 36

Community Partner: Maryland
Transit Administration
Intern: Sam Mollin
Site Supervisor: Teddy Krolik
What is the MTA?
The Maryland Transit Admin-
istration (MTA) is a division of
the Maryland Department of
Transportation, and one of the
largest multi-modal transit sys-
tems in the United States. MTA
operates Local Buses (CityLink
and LocalLink), Commuter Buses,
Light RailLink, Metro SubwayLink,
Maryland Area Regional Com-
muter (MARC) Train Service, and
a comprehensive Paratransit (Mo-
bilityLink) system. MTA also man-
ages the Taxi Access system, and
directs funding and statewide
assistance to Locally Operated
Transit Systems (LOTS) in each of
Maryland’s 23 counties, Baltimore
City, Annapolis and Ocean City.
My time as a public engagement intern at the MTA has been as varied as it has been enlight-
ening. My biggest day to day tasks were creating and improving stakeholder databases to
keep track of people who come to our events, talking to software salespeople and preparing
a memo on a new cloud-based database system to purchase, and helping to staff and pre-
pare for the public events I attended multiple times a week. Along with that, I found myself
leaping out of cars to take down meeting signs across Baltimore, attending meetings regard-
ing everything from sustainability to inclusive sign design, and digging through old files to
research info for projects.
Looking back, the single biggest lesson I’ve learned during my internship is that everyone has
something to say and their voice is worth listening to. The culture of the MTA Office of Plan-
ning is to not just gather feedback from the people who use their services, but to be humble
enough to accept when a community wants to change what a project offers and adjust ac-
cordingly. Through my experiences at all the different kinds of public events I helped run, I’ve
realized that the best way to actually help the people you want to serve, no matter where you
are, is to just listen to what they have to say.
Spending time in the office and out helped me realize that whatever I do after Hopkins, I want
to make sure I’m using my education to help people who are worse off than I am. Govern-
ment services like transit are more important than anyone who doesn’t use them can ever un-
derstand, and I’m thankful to have gained the perspective of how key it is to invest in effective
transit. I’m excited to use the research and engagement skills I’ve learned in this internship to
continue helping communities that I’m a part of, and above all, I’m incredibly thankful to have
gotten to work with such amazing and passionate staff for a summer to ensure that the peo-
ple of Baltimore are allowed to actively shape the transit system where they live.
• Helped run and prepare for Open Houses, pop-up events, and workshops meant to
increase public engagement with the Maryland Transit
Administration
• Compiled data from sign-in sheets to create a con-
stituent database for the Regional Transit Plan to help
with efforts to solicit public input
• Evaluated different options for the purchase of a new
stakeholder management system and prepared a memo recommending the best
choice
• Prepared summaries of files on paratransit and bus shelters to aide ongoing projects
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