County Not Ready to Give Up on 'M Route' Bus

County transportation planners said they would continue to try and find ways to boost ridership of the "M Route" bus in order to keep it in operation.

The bus, which transports rush hour passengers from Piney Orchard to the MARC station, has seen roughly 15 riders per day.

It needs a total of 50 riders to be worthwhile, according to George Cardwell, the county's chief transportation planner. 

"I have an interest in making this thing work and I'm not willing to give up on it," he said. "There may be some things we can do to make it better. Anything we can do, we should do."

Cardwell and other planners held a public meeting Thursday to discuss ways to improve the route, but only two people attended. But Cardwell said the county still got some valuable feedback that could result in higher ridership. 

Ira Dassa is one loyal rider who urged the county to try and keep the route in operation. He said that tweaks to the schedule last year have made the route very convenient for MARC commuters like himself. 

"It's been running very smoothly," he said. "My biggest fear is that the route will cease."

Dassa offered a few suggestions to improve service. He said riders would benefit if drivers were more aware of delays on the MARC Penn Line. He also said drivers should not hesitate to try and get to the MARC station early if no one is waiting. Saving even a minute or two on a bus trip could be the difference between making or missing a train, he said. 

Cardwell said the county would also look into making the bus schedule more available and promoting the route more in the community. 

Cardwell said he'd like to see increased ridership soon, because there are other bus routes in the county that would benefit from extra service. But he said there was no timeline for a final decision on whether to keep the "M Route" alive.

"At some point, we have to make a decision but we want to do what we can to keep it going," he said. "I'm a stubborn person."