It’s 2018 and the transit station is still built for 1999.
You decide to take a trip to New York City for a weekend getaway. You choose not to drive because road trips are no fun alone so you plan to buy a bus ticket. You order your ticket and are set to leave on Friday evening, as long as you make it to the downtown station on time. Your bus leaves at 9 PM. You catch a ride to the station about 20 minutes before departure. You’re sitting outside on the little bench until you notice, it starts to rain. You go inside the station but only momentarily, they’re closing soon. They tell you the bus will be here soon — after they close their doors. So you wait under the small awning outside as it begins to pour down. You check your bus schedule online. The bus is now going to be an hour or more late because of the weather. Your phone is dying, it’s beginning to get cold, and you have to pee…
But our means and modes of transportation are lacking compared to other areas in Maryland that receive as much traffic as we do.
40 and Downtown are the only walkable areas in town. Frederick is not walker-friendly. In order to get in, around, and out of the city, your best bet is driving yourself.
Frederick is no longer rural ground. It is no longer the countryside. It can’t deny its placement and position in the region no matter how inaccessible it is.
Frederick is not an island.
It is interconnected with the rest of the DMV as well as New York, Philly, and other larger metropolitan areas.
So why hasn’t Frederick updated the only station in the city?
I used to be an avid user of public transportation as a teenager and college student. I was always traveling on weekends out of town, crossing off my bucket list one by one. New York, Oklahoma City, South Carolina, the list goes on. This year, I lost my car and had to revert back to old methods. And I see ain’t sh*t change.
No Wifi.
I hate to sound like a millennial but really? A place where wifi is essential to connect with friends, families, or employers who are expecting you and need to know your whereabouts — is nonexistent here. Not only is it an oversight in good business, (wifi attracts customers) it’s actually a necessity here folks.
No outlets.
All traveling companies whether by plane, bus, train, or boat need electrical outlets at their locations. Because electronics are necessary for travel. A dead phone while en route is the worst.
No space.
Once the station is closed, it’s closed for the night. I remember when the station refused to stay open past the afternoon. So many passengers who needed assistance with booked trips in the evening were left hanging. At least they updated the hours for better accommodations.
But we need an outdoor waiting area for passengers.
Standing outside is not suitable for extreme weather conditions. Imagine expecting to wait in the freezing cold, rain, or snow until your ride arrives. There are no bathrooms to use and no vending machines. What is this 1959?!
No parking.
The cramped one-way in, one-way out design of the lot makes waiting for, picking up, and dropping off passengers inconvenient and chaotic. If it serves three businesses: Marc train, Greyhound, and Transit, then why so small?!