Bus route to continue despite strain

The City of Annapolis is working with the Maryland Transit Administration to find funding for next year to accommodate bus riders who work in Annapolis and live in the Washington area, as well as Annapolitans commuting to D.C., Mayor Ellen O. Moyer said.

The "Capital to Capital" bus route was under the threat of shutting down, but Dillon's Bus Service, the company that provides the commuter bus line from Annapolis to New Carrollton, where the closest Metro station is located, decided to continue the service despite cuts in MTA funding.

Moyer met with MTA officials Wednesday to discuss marketing Route 921 to those working in Annapolis' service industry but living in New Carrollton or other areas accessible by the Metro system. The plan would also concentrate on Annapolis' low-income residents and tourists.

"The interesting thing is, if you can get to New Carrollton ... you can go anywhere in the world, because it connects to those lines that get you to Amtrak and all of the airlines," Moyer said. "That's information that generally isn't known."

The city and MTA are looking at grants and other revenue sources, including possible money from a stimulus package, to help fund the service for next year, Moyer said.

Ron Dillon Sr., company president, said the 921 will continue regardless.

"It's so important to keep the 921 running because it fuels the growth on the 922 and the 950, and I don't want to see that stop," Dillon said, referring to the two commuter routes that go into downtown Washington.

The 921 line served more than 47,000 riders last year, Dillon said.