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Thursday, May 19, 2022
MCDOT's Go Montgomery! Transportation-Related Newsletter - Thursday, May 19, 2022
Thursday, May 12, 2022
Ride On Transit Advisory Group (TAG) Member Spotlight: Patrick Benko
How long
have you been riding with Ride On and what year did you begin?
I grew up in
Montgomery County and I’ve been riding Ride On for 34 years, since 1988.
Why did you
or your family select Ride On to begin your public transit experience?
The first ride
was probably just for fun to get to the library. That morphed into getting to
the Metro for trips downtown. Then when I was a little older, I was able to
take solo trips on my own without having to ask for a ride. That was huge for a
kid in the suburbs.
What routes have you
ridden the most over the years and for what reasons?
The 76, which
runs along Rt 28, is the winner when measuring time and frequency. It was fun
when my mom would ride to her job from her house, and we’d randomly see each
other every so often.
What do you
like the most about your Ride On experiences?
I don’t think
it is luck that nearly all my experiences with Ride On have been positive. The
drivers are friendly and helpful. The buses are clean. And with all the new
technology there is more predictability and less guessing. So, what I like most
is that I can just focus on if Ride On is faster or easier than other options,
since the experience is just as given.
How has
Ride On changed over the years from a rider’s perspective?
In my eyes,
Ride On has always been an innovator, which means change has been constant. I
remember the first green buses hitting the streets and now we have on demand
buses. At the same time, Ride On has made it easier with apps and other tech to
just know when the bus is going to be there.
How has
riding changed during the pandemic?
My riding has
changed from a commute to running errands or leisure trips. Which means I’ve
been riding non-peak times. Just given that, the pace is a bit easier and the
space between folks is a little greater. Maybe a little less interaction
between people, which can be a positive or negative depending on the person and
the day.
What other
family members use the Ride On system and for what purposes?
My mom would
use Ride On as her primary mode of transportation. She’s also the one who took
me on those first trips 30+ years ago. More recently, I took my wife on her
very first Ride On ride even though she had grown up in Montgomery County as
well. And now with three boys who are enthralled with busses, we use any excuse
we can to take a ride.
What
recommendations do you have for Ride On?
I mentioned
the innovation and ideas coming out of MCDOT, I’d say if they continue to be
forward looking like that Ride On will be in great shape. I am really excited
about the route optimization project, which will hopefully cut down on the one
thing that gets me sometimes and that is trip times.
How do you
view your role as a Transit Advisory Group (TAG) member?
The role has
three parts for me. One is being part of a focus group that MCDOT can use for
quick and relevant feedback. Two, is bringing new ideas and being a
representative voice for riders. Third, is being a rider who can talk about my
experiences and report on actual happenings.
What have
you learned the most as a TAG member?
I’ve learned
how important it is to have a diverse group of voices in the room along with a
diverse group of listeners. MCDOT has been very good at giving opportunities
for TAG members to be part of the process and acting on our feedback. A new
member joining today would quickly also learn how important and powerful their
voice can be when in front of those in charge of when, how, and where the buses
go.
Feature Interview with MCDOT Transit Communications Leader – Gustavo Ilaja
Tell
us how long you have been with MCDOT and describe your career path within
MCDOT.
My
journey with MCDOT began fifteen years ago. I started working as a Ride On bus
operator, where I had the opportunity to interact with many members of my
community. I find it intrinsically rewarding being able to get them to their
destinations in a safe and timely fashion. A few years later, I became a
Transit Coordinator, where I helped operators resolve issues they encountered
and conducted the appropriate investigation to avoid those issues in the
future. Currently, I work as a Central Communications Leader at Central
Communications, where I help operators provide a smooth service to the
community by lowering the delay time, they could encounter from incidents like
road closures or broken-down buses.
Please
describe the day-to-day activities pertaining to your work.
One
of the most important parts of my work is relaying information. For that
reason, having missed routes uploaded in a timely manner to the internet is one
of my priorities. This allows the riders to be informed of any changes, as
quickly as possible.
Covering
open runs is another task I do. It involves calling operators that are at the
end of their runs and getting them to pick up runs that are still open due to
lack of personnel.
Other
everyday tasks include dealing with broken-down buses, incidents on buses, and
accidents involving our buses or roads closure/blocked. Broken-down buses are
dealt with using a two-step process. The first step is to find a replacement
bus and second is to call mechanics to fix the broken-down bus. Dealing with
incidents in the bus and with accidents, involves calling paramedics and police
if the situation requires it. Dealing with roads closed/blocked involves
sending the proper detours to the buses to minimize delays. Lastly, keeping
upper management abreast via calls and e-mails when serious incidents occur.
Please
provide some examples of the direct impact of your role on Ride On operations.
One
example, in the winter when snow falls and causes some roads to be hazardous, I
must immediately find alternative routes and send them to the buses as soon as
possible, to make sure that the riders do not experience much delay.
What
other organizations does your team interface with to ensure successful
operations?
We
always receive prompt assistance from the Montgomery County Police, Highway,
other Law enforcement and Paramedics.
Many
organizations were forced to close or suspend operations due to the pandemic,
but Ride On never shut down operations. What role did you and your team play to
ensure that Ride On continued its services?
During
the pandemic, my team and I made sure to work as efficiently as possible to
deal with the issues that happened on buses to keep the routes on schedule.
Such as coordinating the provision of sanitizing materials to our operators and
enforcing the use of masks by our customers while they were on the buses.
The
COVID-19 pandemic led many organizations to reevaluate their services and
operational protocols. What impact did that have on your team and how did they
respond?
At
Central Communications, we had a reduction of personnel on site for several
months that forced us to step up on our daily activities. Although it was a bit
challenging, we were able to fulfill all the tasks we were required to.
What
are the most challenging parts of your job?
I
think that dealing with people is the most challenging part of any job. For
that reason, I prioritize this area so I can positively affect the normal
development of their activities on a day-to-day basis.
What
is the best part of your job?
At
the end of the day, I feel great satisfaction of having helped our operators
solve issues they encountered during their workday. I feel it is very
rewarding.
What
experience and personal characteristics are the best matches for this job?
Some
personal characteristics that best match this job are patience and
perseverance. Other than that, being knowledgeable about the routes around the
County and having experience using computers is paramount to fulfill the tasks
for this position.
If
you could improve one thing about your job, what would it be?
The
only thing I always require in any job is to have the proper tools and enough
training to use these tools to provide the best service to our customers.
Thursday, May 5, 2022
MCDOT's Go Montgomery! Transportation Newsletter - May 5, 2022
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