Martz 650 - Unsanitary?

NBF

Member
I searched before posting this and see people have had good experiences with Martz vice other commuter buses. However, this morning the odor on this bus the odor is overwhelming. Sadly, this is not the first time. The bus driver blames the garage and the garage blames the bus driver. I take the bus out of necessity and I do not receive any compensation and even if I did, I still expect top notch professionalism from this and any other company operating commuter buses. This needs to stop as I'm afraid people - to include myself - are going to be affected by inhaling these terrible odors. Hopefully the more people write the more Martz will correct this travesty. If I could avoid taking a bus I would. But this is my life. People are coughing and complaining all around me but nothing seems to make Martz correct this situation from occurring again and again.
 

tommyjo

New Member
I searched before posting this and see people have had good experiences with Martz vice other commuter buses. However, this morning the odor on this bus the odor is overwhelming. Sadly, this is not the first time. The bus driver blames the garage and the garage blames the bus driver. I take the bus out of necessity and I do not receive any compensation and even if I did, I still expect top notch professionalism from this and any other company operating commuter buses. This needs to stop as I'm afraid people - to include myself - are going to be affected by inhaling these terrible odors. Hopefully the more people write the more Martz will correct this travesty. If I could avoid taking a bus I would. But this is my life. People are coughing and complaining all around me but nothing seems to make Martz correct this situation from occurring again and again.

Why do you think posting this on here will change anything?
 

Justme2

Member
SMELL Describe the smell and then mentioning it here might make more sense. Gas fumes? Body odor? Puke? Burn't oil? Nail polish remover?
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
Sometimes people just need to vent. An online forum is a good place to do that. You seem to do it all the time.

Well, THAT, and the fact that she does it in such an obnoxious, rude and condescending way as to ensure that NOTHING will be accomplished - so that the ONLY purpose could be - to vent.
 

NBF

Member
SMELL Describe the smell and then mentioning it here might make more sense. Gas fumes? Body odor? Puke? Burn't oil? Nail polish remover?

Poop and urine. Trying to keep it civilized here, but this is what it smelled like. Don't understand how this happens if the toilet is "drained" from the outside. Maybe someone else would know. Also, I posted this topic for all of us commuter bus riders who may have been through the same situation and what they did, if anything to address it. I think it's called social media. I felt a need to get this publicized also in the hopes that someone with authority can make a change and address why it happens and if it can be prevented.
 

JazCat

New Member
Hi NBF,

You must have been riding on the same bus (620) that I had the luck of riding about 2 weeks ago. The toilet hadn't been cleaned out either. When I got on at Foggy Bottom, the smell wasn't too noticeable, but once the bus started rolling down 395/295/210, the smell was nauseating. Covered my face with my coat and tried not to breath too hard. When I got home I washed my coat and took a shower. I could still smell the stench even after I got off the bus. All the driver could do was apologize for the smell. I've been told that some of the newer buses are used as charters during the middle of the day and then converted back to commuter buses in the evenings. So there's no time to empty the john. Also, if there's a Saturday/Sunday charter, and the bus is returned late, the john is not dumped out. In other words, we (commuters) are not the moneymakers for Martz. I've gotten used to being considered a third-world citizen on those buses.

Go the MTA website for MD and fill out a complaint form. You'll get back an automatic message that your complaint is being forwarded to Martz. I've done this and so have others. So maybe you will have some luck and someone from Martz will actually contact you. Other than taking that route, it may be time to get the local TV outlets involved. But on the bright side, we do have Wifi.
 
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