TR A N S P ORTAT I ON
A METRO COMMUTER’S
GUIDE TO ALTERNATIVES
BY: KENDALL K TIFFANY, COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER, TRANSIT SERVICES OF FREDERICK COUNTY
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has created a plan to repair and replace faulty
equipment within their Metrorail System, a long overdue and necessary maintenance plan. SafeTrack accelerates
about three years’ worth of track work into one year.
WMATA has condensed the plan into 15 “Safety Surges” with the
first segment, which began in June. The final segment concludes
work in late March 2017. Commuters who currently use Metrorail
will experience extended delays, reduced service hours, and track
closures during which bus service will be provided to fill the void.
To provide commuters with updates on SafeTrack, WMATA has
created a blog at PlanItMetro.com.
WMATA has encouraged Metrorail commuters during the next
year to make alternative travel accommodations. Rather than
driving alone and spending hours in your car, TransIT Services of
Frederick County has multiple solutions to assist with the transition.
RIDESHARING
Looking for someone with a similar commute to yours, but
are not sure how to find them? Register for ridesharing at
commuterconnections.org. Commuter Connections has a free
commuter database covering the metropolitan region from
Frederick to Baltimore, Frederick to Washington, D.C. and
Frederick to Northern Virginia. Once you are registered in the
database with all necessary information—including work hours
and commute locations—a match list can be generated based on
similar commute patterns.
VANPOOLING
Know a group of people doing a similar commute? Vanpooling
may be the economical solution. There are three different types of
vanpools: owner-operated vans, third-party vans, and employerprovided vans; all of which have incentives. Potential incentives
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for vanpoolers include pre-tax transportation benefits provided by
the employer and a financial subsidy for empty seats in the van for
the first year of operation from TransIT.
MARC TRAIN
Prefer to sit back and enjoy the scenery? The MARC Train
Brunswick Line runs from Martinsburg, W.Va., and Frederick
(with stops in between) into D.C., Monday through Friday
mornings with return service in the afternoon. TransIT also has
multiple Meet the MARC shuttles to connect commuters at
park and ride lots in both Walkersville and Point of Rocks to the
MARC stations in the area. he Meet the MARC service is free for
MARC commuters with a train ticket.
GUARANTEED RIDE HOME
Worried about an unexpected emergency as a commuter with no
way to get home? If you use an alternative commute at least twice
a week, you are eligible for Guaranteed Ride Home. Guaranteed
Ride Home provides commuters up to four free rides per year for
unexpected emergencies or unscheduled overtime. Sign up for
Guaranteed Ride Home at commuterconnections.org.
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For more information on commuter assistance services
provided by TransIT, visit frederickcountymd.gov/transit or
contact a rideshare coordinator at 301-600-RIDE or by email
at [email protected].