Maryland Offers Free Transit for State’s Federal Workers During Shutdown

Since the federal government shut down on Oct. 1, the state of Maryland has provided the state’s affected federal workers with a range of resources designed to help them weather the storm.

In early October, for instance, the Maryland Department of Labor launched the Federal Shutdown Loan Program. The Department has also offered support for federal talent looking to transition to private sector employment, along with recruitment events and weekly virtual workshops geared toward helping displaced federal workers figure out their next professional steps.

Most recently, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore announced that the Maryland Transit Administration will provide free Maryland Area Rail Commuter and Commuter Bus service to the state’s federal workers for as long as the federal government remains closed. According to Moore’s office, any individual with a federal ID badge can ride for free by showing their badge to the operator.

“This is what Maryland does in times of crisis: We band together and we help each other out,” said Moore, in a statement. “But while Maryland is mobilizing to ease the shutdown’s burden on our people, let’s be clear, no state can fill the gap created by the federal government. The longer this shutdown lasts, the more pain we will feel, so it’s time for Donald Trump to come to the negotiating table on health care and open the government.”

That same statement noted that the federal government is the largest employer in the state of Maryland, with the 2018-2019 shutdown costing Marylanders $778 million in wages.

“Marylanders make up a large share of the federal workforce, so we fully understand the financial strain many of our riders are experiencing,” said Maryland Department of Transportation Acting Secretary Samantha J. Biddle, in a statement.

“Free rides on MARC and Commuter Bus ensure that federal workers who are still reporting to the office have one less thing to worry about.”