What makes a city great? That’s easy. Efficient and accessible public transportation. The City of Baltimore has a wealth of public transportation options including local and express bus routes, Light Rail lines, the Metro Subway, MARC train and an array of taxi services.
In January, Baltimore is launching yet another system—the Charm City Circulator (CCC). It’s a fleet of 21 fare free shuttles that travel three routes and arrive every 10 minutes. What’s more, every circulator bus is clean and green. The CCC fleet is comprised of DesignLine 2009 EcoSaver IV LF Hybrid Electric vehicles—the first fleet of this type in a major metropolitan area.
So what does this mean exactly? That you can expect a smooth, quiet, eco-friendly ride. The EcoSaver IV runs on highly efficient electric motors to propel it. The jerking and growling of a large transmission and the growl of a
diesel engine are completely absent, because there is no transmission and there is no diesel engine. Expect it to be unlike any other public transportation experience.
“We are constantly seeking innovative and creative ways to alleviate traffic congestion and green house gases in our city. This new fleet of eco-friendly buses will provide everyone with a faster, more convenient, cleaner and greener way to move about Baltimore’s busy downtown neighborhoods,” states Mayor Sheila Dixon. “Similar systems in cities across the country have helped to moderate congestion and improve air quality.”
The shuttles will serve residents, downtown employees, students and tourists—anyone who wishes to ride. It is intended to reduce congestion and greenhouse gas pollution by offering a convenient, reliable and eco-friendly form of public transportation. The CCC consists of three separate routes. The Green Route connects City Hall to Fells Point and Johns Hopkins. The Purple Route runs from Penn Station to Federal Hill. CCC’s Orange Route links Hollins Market to Harbor East. Beginning on January 11, the Orange Route will make its debut.
How does it work? Let’s consider a few different scenarios. Say you’re a regular commuter from the county to downtown during the work week. You can hop on the Light Rail or MARC train and come into the city, at best walking one or two blocks to the nearest CCC stop. From there, you pick the best line and head into the office. And if you need to cross the Inner Harbor
to Tide Point, there’s a new Water Taxi Harbor Connector, which is easy to access from Maritime Park. There are two Harbor Connector routes: Maritime Park to Tide Point, and Canton Waterfront Park to Tide Point. This service is also free.
If your home isn’t accessible by either the Light Rail or MARC train and you drive into the city every day, the CCC offers a great way to avoid I-83 congestion. You can hop off the interstate as early as Penn Station at Midtown or at the parking lots along Fallsway, park in a cheaper lot and then head into the Inner Harbor to get to the office. The CCC’s website has a list of excellent parking options that are within one or two blocks of every stop.
If you’re already a lucky downtown resident, you can link to the CCC from a variety of neighborhoods. That’s what’s so different about the CCC—it connects many of the downtown neighborhoods that previously relied on local and express bus services to link them. The CCC may speed up your commute and save you the fare.
On the flip side, let’s say you plan to run errands downtown this weekend. The CCC offers the same reliable, free transportation on the weekends that it does weekdays. Just map out your route in advance if you’re new to the service.
Better yet, if you have friends or family in town but can’t be around to give them a personal tour, the city is now at their fingertips with these new routes. Just send them to the website to let them choose which major attractions to explore.
If you’re a dedicated biker, know that the CCC fleet respects all forms of transportation. To show it, the service will implement shared bus and bike lanes in support of Bike Baltimore. And there’s a clear policy: To use these lanes bicyclers should ride to the right and pass on the left. It’s that simple.
The service also supports the Americans with Disabilities Act. Each circulator is equipped with an ADA-compliant ramp that is manually activated by the driver, along with two interior locations for secure wheel chair placement. The driver can also lower the height of the bus to reduce the ramp’s incline while passengers are boarding. Don’t hesitate to ask the drivers for assistance.
The CCC is supported by a fully interactive website. It lists the routes and schedules, offers downloadable maps, has rider tools like a trip planner, bus tracker, mobile alerts and service updates, and keeps residents and tourists alike up to date with changes and improvements.
Although the Purple and Green Routes don’t have a definite service start date yet, the city plans to deploy them in 2010. All residents and visitors are encouraged to use this service—not only is it free, it’s efficient. A shuttle arrives approximately every 10 minutes at the designated stops on each route. Use it as your connector to your regular train, bus or commuter lot—or just to get a taste of all that Baltimore City has to offer.
Claire Patterson Blome
Charm City Circulator| www.charmcitycirculator.com
