[Greater-Baltimore] MTA offering half priced passes in June for launch of BaltimoreLink

[Cheryl Fogle-Hatch]

The press release below has details on MTA's half priced June passes
and fares as well as free rides from June 18-30 for the launch of
BaltimoreLink.

Free Rides Offered for Two Weeks on Local Bus, Express Bus, Light Rail
and Metro Subway to Celebrate BaltimoreLink

FOR IMMEDIATE:

MDOT MTA Riders Offered Free Transit Service June 18-30

BALTIMORE, MD (MAY 24, 2017) – The Maryland Department of
Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) will offer
two weeks of free transit
rides June 18 through June 30 as part of the official launch of
BaltimoreLink. Free rides will be offered on Local Bus, Express Bus,
Light Rail and Metro
Subway.

BaltimoreLink is Governor Larry Hogan Administration's multi-phase
plan to create an interconnected transit system by redesigning the
entire local and
express bus systems throughout Baltimore. It adds 12 new
high-frequency, color-coded bus routes to improve connections to jobs
and to MARC Train, Metro
Subway and Light Rail. BaltimoreLink transforms Baltimore's
half-a-century-old and outdated transit network with implementation of
bus-only dedicated lanes,
installation of transit signal priority, construction of a transfer
hub network, rebranding and replacement of more than 5,000 transit
signs, expanded
commuter bus service, new shared bicycle availability, access to
car-sharing options and more.

In advance of the BaltimoreLink official launch on June 18, New
Express BusLink launched suburb-to-suburb service in June 2016 and new
expanded Commuter
Bus service in the summer and fall of 2016, with additional
improvements coming this spring.

"We are committed to transforming our transit system to better connect
our riders to jobs and our various transit modes to help ease
congestion in the
Baltimore area," said MDOT MTA Administrator and CEO Paul Comfort. "We
encourage everyone to try our new system by riding free of charge for
the first
two weeks. This new system will be a dramatic improvement that will
give residents choices to leave their cars at home and ease congestion
on our streets."

During MDOT MTA's free fare period June 18 through June 30, the June
monthly pass and all CharmCard® 31-day passes will be half-price.
These reduced fare
passes can be purchased May 25 through June 24. During this time,
weekly passes will not be sold.

Half-price fares will be offered at all MDOT MTA ticket vending
machines, through online ticket sales, at the MDOT MTA Transit Store
and at all walk-in
MDOT MTA ticket vendors.

MDOT MTA is one of the largest multi-modal transit systems in the
United States operating Local and Commuter buses, Light Rail, Metro
Subway, Maryland
Area Regional Commuter (MARC) Train service, and a comprehensive
Paratransit (Mobility) system. MTA also manages the Taxi Access system
and directs funding
and statewide assistance to Locally Operated Transit Systems (LOTS) in
each of Maryland’s 23 counties, Annapolis, Baltimore City and Ocean
City. MDOT is
a customer-driven leader that delivers safe, sustainable, intelligent
and exceptional transportation solutions in order to connect our
customers to life’s
opportunities. MTA’s goal is to provide safe, efficient and reliable
transit across Maryland with world-class customer service. To learn
more, visit
mdot.maryland.gov
or
mta.maryland.gov,
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