Alsobrooks, County Launch New Local Transportation Initiative

For thousands of county residents, public transportation will soon be an easier ride – another reason to look forward to the New Year.

Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and the county’s Department of Public Works & Transportation (DPW&T) announced the launch of the Prince George’s County Transit Transformation (PGC TT) initiative in October.

The County Executive and agency leadership were joined by U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld, and other elected and public officials for a press conference.

“Reliable, safe public transportation is a critical part of any growing community, which is why we’ve continued to focus on enhancing our local transit services,” Alsobrooks said. “Today, we are Prince George’s Proud to take additional steps forward to connect our community. We are building a world-class, integrated, equitable, public transit network that expands access to opportunity, reconnects communities, and makes public transit a more convenient and competitive way to navigate the county.”

More About The Prince George’s County Transit Transformation (PGC TT)

The PGC TT initiative includes the successful launch of the County’s Zero Emission Bus Program and several transformative initiatives: the new Transit Vision Plan, Transit Forward, and Fall Service Changes. The four major initiatives of PGC TT will revolutionize the county’s public transit experience for riders and employees. The project is designed to optimize public travel by analyzing the current transit network, identifying gaps and deficiencies in service operations, and adapting to the ever-growing changes of a diverse community.

Transit Vision Plan (TVP): Aims to comprehensively review the current transit system (paratransit, T-transit, and bus network) and provide recommendations to improve transit service throughout Prince George’s County over the next five years. The plan will be completed by Summer 2024.
·Transit Forward: A new and innovative approach analyzing the quality, effectiveness, and delivery of TheBus services. Using data and community feedback, the county is moving transit forward by prioritizing the performance of the services we provide. The approach is designed to evaluate operational processes, transit facilities and amenities, and the customer experience.
·Zero-Emission Bus (ZEB): Prince Georgians deserve cleaner air, quieter buses, and improved energy infrastructure. The county is excited to transition nearly 70% of the fleet to zero-emissions by 2035 and 100% by 2040. Transitioning to zero-emission requires the county to invest in green, resilient energy resources while updating facilities and infrastructure. ZEB ties into core values of equity and sustainability.
Service Changes: The service change process allows DPW&T to assess transit services bi-annually. Following a data-focused approach and a deep look at transit operations, the Department will implement a major fall service change in December 2023. The transit service changes include maximized travel time savings and improved quality of service for customers.

“The Department of Public Works and Transportation is committed to creating a comprehensive, integrated multi-modal transportation network accessible to everyone,” said DPW&T Director Michael Johnson. “During the project’s implementation, we will continue to work with our critical regional partner, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (WMATA). In addition to pursuits with local transit systems, TheBus and Call-A-Bus, the Transit Transformation initiative is projected to prioritize transit performance, enhance accessibility to jobs, schools and essential services, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

The Prince George’s County Transit Transformation initiative represents the latest step forward for one of the County Executive’s Proud Priorities, “Enhanced Bus Service.” The Alsobrooks Administration is committed to increasing bus service on TheBus in high need areas to support mobility for essential workers and County residents. The Administration is also transitioning the County’s transit fleet to clean-energy technologies to combat climate change.

Proud Priorities represent County Executive Alsobrooks’ commitment to building and maintaining a 21st century County Government infrastructure that meets the wholistic needs of Prince Georgians. The Proud Priorities fall under six categories: Education, Youth Development, Quality of Life, Economic Development, Healthy Communities, and Safe Neighborhoods. Of the 176 projects that have been identified, 164 are completed or ongoing.