TOWSON, Md. — For the past year, "The Loop" circulator bus has been offering free rides around Towson.
The new bus service has been struggling to attract enough riders - as has most public transit in the wake of COVID - but Baltimore County leaders already have plans to launch similar bus circulators in other neighborhoods.
"We started feasibility studies for a possible loop in Owings Mills and Catonsville, and we're working with [Maryland Transit Administration] on a study to provide service at [Tradepoint Atlantic in Sparrows Point]," explained D'Andrea Walker, acting director for the county's Department of Public Works and Transportation. "I do see there is a need, based on our Transit Development Plan that told us there's communities that really want it in Owings Mills and Catonsville."
The Towson Loop is costing $3.7 million a year to operate. The county got a $1.65 million federal grant for the pilot program. Walker says her department hopes to apply for more grants to fund the Loop's long hours (it runs until midnight). In the meantime, Walker got about $100,000 to do each of the feasibility studies for Owings Mills and Catonsville buses; those studies were just launched recently.
The projections had shown that the Towson Loop could ultimately attract 250,000 riders a year - but Walker said the bus service was hit hard by COVID, along with all other public transit.
The ridership for MTA overall has been down by 60 percent since COVID, and is just starting to come back slowly, said Walker.
"Considering that we started service in the middle of COVID and we have over 50,000 rides, I would consider that as being successful," she said, noting: "It is still my baby, I would say. I specifically came to Baltimore County to do The Loop. I'm really excited with what we've been able to do with The Loop so far."
Nevertheless, her department has to regroup to figure out what ridership will look like going forward.
Most people didn't even know the bus was free, so the county put a big "Free" sign on the buses. Walker said they're also trying new ideas, like putting a QR code on the bus for people to look up the route, and doing more advertising around the holidays.
She doesn't know whether the Towson Loop will be able to hit 250,000 riders, but if it does, it isn't expected to happen for about three years.
Walker said:
"The change in patterns have been drastic, in terms of people offering to work from home, telework, even with school. We depended a lot on the Towson students, who were not in school. A lot of things have changed... We really have to readjust how we're doing things."
Asked who's been using the bus, Walker said: "Our seniors are using it a lot. They're using it a lot to get around Towson. It's surprising, I thought my heavy days would be Saturdays. It's actually the middle of the week. So, the trends have definitely surprised us."
Meanwhile, there haven't been any possible routes mapped out for the prospective bus loops in Owings Mills and Catonsville. Those feasibility studies are expected to be done by the end of this fiscal year.
