Originally published July 3, 2008 in Owings Mills Times.

In the face of record high gas prices, more area residents and employees of local businesses are choosing to take mass transit instead of driving to their destination to cut their fuel bills.

“It’s been very helpful,” said Irene Azu, a city resident who commutes several days a week to the Bank of America in Owings Mills. “The monthly pass (good for bus, Metro or light rail) is about $64, so it’s been very helpful.”

Owings Mills is home to the western terminus of Baltimore’s Metro Subway line, which travels southeast through downtown Baltimore to Johns Hopkins Hospital. The Maryland Transit Administration also operates several local bus lines in the area.

Ridership on Metro has seen a “solid increase,” according to spokeswoman Jo Greene. Between March and April, the last month for which statistics were available, the daily number of riders rose from 47,000 to 49,600.

“I think what you’re seeing is a combination of gas prices but also this awareness about the environment,” Greene said.

Many area residents who commute downtown are choosing to leave their cars at the park-and-ride and take the train to downtown Baltimore.

Some residents, however, feel the service falls short of what it could be.

Chris Curry, a 29-year-old Las Vegas native, recently moved to Owings Mills with her husband. The bus service in the Baltimore area is more limited, she said.

“The buses (in Las Vegas) run all night,” Curry said.

Greene said the agency is always working on improving service. The agency relies on feedback from customers and operators, as well as regular public hearings.

“We are closely monitoring the ridership levels on the M-line buses that service the Metro stations, where we can increase frequency and capacity, so we have our fingers on the pulse of what our customers are asking for,” she said.

Also discussed at recent public hearings was the possibility of increasing service on the 56 and 59 bus lines. The two lines provide all-day service throughout the Owings Mills area every 20 minutes at peak times, as opposed to the M lines, which operate mainly at rush hour.

Nate Payer, director of public information for Transit Riders Action Council of Baltimore, said that part of the difficulty in increasing service stems from the availability of vehicles.

“There’s a finite amount of buses, and that limitation creates the situation we have now,” he said.

Payer said he hopes that the recent pressure at the pump sparks a renewed interest in mass transit and its advantages.

“A lot of people might ride it disgruntledly, but it is our hope that as gas prices go up, ridership will increase,” he said.

Payer said that MTA’s flat fare system is a great advantage to local riders.

“For those who travel long distances on mass transit and have the flat fare, people traveling from Owings Mills to downtown, they’re only paying $1.60. In that situation, economics are a no-brainer.”

Azu feels it’s worth it.

“The buses don’t come on time, but it’s still better than buying gas every day,” she said.