Gov. Jim Justice has agreed to provide the remaining funding Maryland officials requested to keep the Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) in the Eastern Panhandle at its current service. The governor is also hopeful to expand the service to promote tourism in the region.
After months of uncertainty, Gov. Jim Justice, along with Eastern Panhandle municipalities, have pulled together the remaining $2.3 million to keep the MARC train running in West Virginia at six trains per weekday.
The announcement was made Thursday at a press conference at the Martinsburg Train Station.
The $2.3 million joins $1.1 million the West Virginia Legislature already provided during the 2019 session.
The governor said in a press release that he’s grateful to everyone who worked together to provide the funding needed to “keep this vital connection between our state and Washington D.C. alive.”
Gov. Justice and West Virginia leaders are in ongoing contract negotiations with the Maryland Transit Administration to reach a multi-year agreement.
The governor has also directed Tourism Commissioner Chelsea Ruby to research and pursue increasing tourism-related MARC train ridership in West Virginia.
Nov. 30 was the deadline for West Virginia to provide $2.3 million to the Maryland Department of Transportation to keep the Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) at its current service. Otherwise, the service in West Virginia would be reduced from six trains per weekday to two.
But it’s unclear if an agreement was reached.
In an emailed statement to West Virginia Public Broadcasting, the Maryland Transit Administration said that MARC is still operating normally in West Virginia, and they would not “implement any change in service without first issuing a 30-day notice.”
The MTA also stated that they remain open to discussions with the West Virginia Rail Authority on “any concerns regarding the proposed service change.”
During the 2019 state Legislative session, Maryland requested $3.4 million to keep the MARC service in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle, and the Legislature agreed to fund $1.1 million. In August, Maryland announced they would reduce service unless the remaining amount was paid.
In October, Gov. Jim Justice told local municipalities in Jefferson and Berkeley Counties that if they managed to come up with $300,000, his office would fund the remaining $2 million. But, only about $260,000 was pulled together before the Nov. 30 deadline.
The Governor’s office did not respond to requests for comment before this story was published.
In Morgan County, the Economic Development Authority approved a resolution last week asking Maryland to extend MARC service into Morgan County as a possible funding solution.
The Morgan County EDA cited increased ridership opportunities, increased revenues and increased job opportunities as a few of the benefits of expansion.
Executive Director Daryl Cowles, who’s also a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, said they haven’t received a response from Maryland or Gov. Justice on this proposal.
Currently, the MARC train only serves two counties in West Virginia: Berkeley and Jefferson.
Today, at least 250 West Virginians commute to work using the MARC train during the week, according to the Maryland Transit Administration. It’s been serving West Virginia commuters living in the Eastern Panhandle since the 1970s, but West Virginia has largely never paid for the service except through tickets and upkeep of its West Virginia stations.
Local municipalities in the Eastern Panhandle have come together to provide some funding for the Maryland Area Regional Commuter, or MARC train, but it remains unclear if it will be enough to keep the service in West Virginia.
On Tuesday, the Shepherdstown Town Council approved $2,800 toward funding the MARC train service.
Shepherdstown’s contribution joins seven others made by local municipalities in the area. Those eight entities — Shepherdstown, Ranson, Charles Town, Harpers Ferry, Bolivar, Martinsburg, the Berkeley County Council, and the Jefferson County Commission — collectively agreed in October to pull together a one-time amount of $300,000 to put toward keeping MARC in the area through this fiscal year.
During the 2019 West Virginia Legislative session, Maryland requested $3.4 million to keep the MARC service in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle. The Legislature agreed to fund $1.1 million.
Maryland accepted that at the time, but then in August, announced there would be a reduction in MARC service in West Virginia if the entire amount was not paid by Nov. 4. Recently, that deadline was extended to the end of the month.
Credit Liz McCormick / West Virginia Public Broadcasting
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West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Shepherdstown, W.Va. Mayor Jim Auxer addresses attendees at the Shepherdstown Town Council’s Nov. 12, 2019 meeting. The council voted to approve $2,800 toward keeping the MARC train service.
At least 250 West Virginians ride the MARC train, daily throughout the work week, according to the Maryland Transit Authority. Eastern Panhandle state lawmakers argue, however, that number is between 300 and 400.
Finding A Funding Fix For MARC In W.Va.
The $300,000 contribution from local communities in the Eastern Panhandle is part of a larger funding fix.
According to Chief of Staff Mike Hall, the Justice administration agreed to fund the remaining $2 million Maryland is requesting if local entities came up with $300,000.
The plan is a short-term fix that will hopefully lead to a permanent funding solution, said Del. John Doyle, a Democrat from Jefferson County, who attended the Shepherdstown Town Council meeting this week
“If we’re gonna have a long-term plan, we have to save it in the short run,” he said. “And the only way to save it in the short run was to come up with enough money so that the governor said, yes we’ll do it.”
While the eight municipalities have raised most of the required $300,000, the Jefferson County Commission only provided $40,000, or half of its share, according to Doyle.
In an emailed statement from the Jefferson County Commission, Commission President Patricia Noland said the MARC train funding was an “unbudgeted expense.” She said funding came from a contingency fund, and their contribution was all the commission felt it could afford.
In a phone conversation with Del. Eric Householder, chairman of the House Finance Committee, he said he’s hopeful the governor will support the MARC service despite not having a total amount of $300,000 from local entities, and he said, going forward, a solution for MARC has to be found.
“I think it’s imperative that we increase the ridership,” Householder said. “That’s the number one goal, I believe, for the MARC train to be sustainable for us here in the Eastern Panhandle.”
Moving forward, Householder said having local municipalities take on some of the costs each year should be part of the overall budget for MARC in West Virginia. He argues, this will make it easier to secure funding from the Legislature if other lawmakers see Eastern Panhandle entities paying part of the bill.
Del. Doyle, however, disagrees and feels the cost should fall on the state. He argues many other major public transportation systems in other states are paid for completely by their state legislatures and not local municipalities.
West Virginia Public Broadcasting reached out to the governor’s office to ask if Gov. Justice would still be willing to fund the MARC train, despite the current shortfall. A spokesperson said they do not have a statement at this time.
West Virginia has until Nov. 30 to provide the remaining funding request to Maryland, otherwise, the service to West Virginia will be reduced from six trains per day to two.
A few hundred people attended a public hearing in Charles Town over the weekend regarding the future of the MARC train service, or Maryland Area Regional Commuter, in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle. Maryland is asking West Virginia to either foot the bill or see a reduction in service.
The MARC train, based in Maryland, has six trains that service West Virginia every weekday. It’s been serving West Virginia commuters living in the Eastern Panhandle since the 1970s, but West Virginia has largely never paid for the service. Ridership over the years has declined, but an estimated 250 West Virginians use the train daily, according to the Maryland Transit Administration, or MTA.
The MTA is requesting $3.4 million from West Virginia or it will cut four of those six trains starting on Nov. 4.
Del. John Doyle, D-Jefferson, said many at the hearing want the MTA to give West Virginia at least one more year to find the money and keep the service as it is.
“If it is cut back, some people would probably lose their jobs. Many people would in fact clog the highways with even more cars than there are now,” Doyle said.
Sen. Finance Chairman Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, said the MARC train is a positive for West Virginia, and he agrees that more time would be helpful to sort out the situation, however, he said he thinks it is unlikely the MTA will give that additional time.
Blair urges local municipalities and stakeholders to work together to find a local funding solution to keep the train service running.
“They need to actually help, too, and that’s where the money could potentially come from,” he said.
Blair also said he feels the West Virginia State Rail Authority should collect a “true” headcount of West Virginia riders. Blair and other officials argue there are more riders than the 250 claimed by the MTA.
Maryland Department of Transportation MTA will accept written comments through Oct. 7. Comments can be sent by mail emailed to HearingComments@mdot.maryland.gov.
During this public comment period, the agency said it is open to discussions with the West Virginia Rail Authority regarding the proposed changes.
The MARC Train, or Maryland Area Regional Commuter, serves about 250 West Virginians who live in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties.
The train has been serving the area for more than 30 years, but Maryland has always paid the bills. West Virginia was only responsible for upkeep of its three West Virginia stations.
Recently, that changed.
For the last two years, Maryland has requested a little more than $3 million in funding – otherwise, they’d end the service into West Virginia.
Below is an extended version of this interview:
In 2018, the West Virginia Legislature secured $1.5 million, and Maryland accepted it. This year, lawmakers successfully put $1.1 million in the budget, but it’s unclear if Maryland will accept the offer.
West Virginia Public Broadcasting spoke with Del. Paul Espinosa, R-Jefferson, the House Majority Whip and member of the House Finance Committee, to discuss the future of MARC in West Virginia.
Hundreds of West Virginians travel from the Eastern Panhandle to Maryland or Washington D.C. every weekday for work. These commuters catch the Maryland-based MARC train, or Maryland Area Regional Commuter.
But during this year’s West Virginia Legislative session, lawmakers debated the future of the MARC train in the state.
Maryland threatened to discontinue MARC service to West Virginia unless certain provisions were met.
Commuting on the MARC Train
It’s almost 7 o’clock in the morning. The MARC train approaches Harpers Ferry; its last West Virginia stop before making several stops in Maryland. The final destination of the morning is Union Station in Washington, D.C.
The closer we get to D.C., the fuller the train gets. From Martinsburg to Union Station – it’s a two-hour commute.
The passengers from West Virginia say the MARC train is one of the main reasons they decided to live or stay in West Virginia — like 27-year-old Matt Myers.
“When we were looking for places, we found one that was only a mile-in-a-half from the train station,” he said, “so it’s been helpful having the MARC extend out that far. It definitely helped inform my choice to live there.”
The train is comfortable, well-lit, clean and air-conditioned. There are big windows and power outlets to charge a phone or a laptop. There’s a bathroom in the first car, and I’m told there’s one car labeled the “Quiet Car,” where you aren’t supposed to talk.
Some passengers read, some work or chat, and others sleep.
Credit Liz McCormick / West Virginia Public Broadcasting
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West Virginia Public Broadcasting
The MARC train’s Brunswick Line parked at the Martinsburg Train Station.
Another Martinsburg resident, 29-year-old Amber Darlington, actually moved from Maryland to Martinsburg for the lower cost of living and access to the MARC train for her job.
“My partner and I really couldn’t afford to live in Germantown for what we wanted,” she said, “so we chose Martinsburg mainly because of the train, and we could actually afford to live there.”
Maryland Demands Funding from West Virginia
The MARC train serves 300 to 400 West Virginia residents just like Matt and Amber every weekday.
For more than 30 years, Maryland paid for the trains into West Virginia, while West Virginia paid for its three local stations — Martinsburg, Duffields and Harpers Ferry.
But after 2010, Maryland requested funding from West Virginia if it wanted to keep the MARC train in the Eastern Panhandle.
In 2013, the Commuter Rail Access Fund was created by the West Virginia Legislature for this purpose…but each budget year, for one reason or another, funding was never added.
So, Maryland began imposing a fare increase on tickets purchased in West Virginia, and over time, fewer and fewer stops were scheduled in-state.
Jefferson County Delegate Riley Moore says in 2018, Maryland insisted that West Virginia lawmakers take action to fill the line item in the budget.
“MARC says, okay, look, you all have never paid us for this, and here’s the bill, and the bill originally starts off from Maryland at $3.8 million,” Moore said.
Maryland told West Virginia lawmakers if they didn’t receive that $3.8 million, MARC service in West Virginia would end as early as July of this year.
During the session, lawmakers didn’t find $3.8 million, but they did secure $1.5 million for MARC services…which Maryland accepted, for now.
“In the intervening year,” Moore explained, “what we are going to do is bring all the stakeholders to the table, which would be the counties, the towns, the state, and the federal level to see where we can find funding from each source to have a permanent solution here for funding for the MARC train and also expand that service.”
Moore says he’s hopeful they can come to an agreement, and notes ticket prices will not increase on West Virginia riders this year.
Credit Liz McCormick / West Virginia Public Broadcasting
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West Virginia Public Broadcasting
“Martinsburg, WV” flashes on the destination sign inside the MARC train car. Martinsburg is the first stop for MARC’s Brunswick Line Eastbound and the last stop for MARC’s Brunswick Line Westbound.
Future of MARC in West Virginia
Meanwhile, commuters like Matt Myers and Amber Darlington are still concerned about losing the train.
What would they do without the service?
“[Make] the longer commute to Brunswick? But that [would be] about 45 minutes in the car, an hour-in-a-half on the train, and then 30 minutes on the bike,” Myers said, “so I’m not sure. We [might consider] moving; kind of hard to even think about really.”
“I moved to West Virginia because of the train, because of the MARC train,” Darlington explained, “and if they cut the service, I’d have to drive to work, which is 65 miles one way, both ways, five days a week, and that’s going to take such a toll on my car, and I hate driving.”
The Maryland Department of Transportation’s Public Affairs Director Erin Henson was not available for an interview but said in a statement to West Virginia Public Broadcasting on April 5, 2018, “a formal agreement has not yet been signed,” however, the Department is working with the West Virginia State Rail Authority to come up with a deal.
***Editor’s Note: The headline was tweaked on April 12, 2018 for clarification.
