MTA Radio On The Air In Baltimore
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore has a new radio station. It's the brainchild of the Maryland Transit Administration, and it's aimed at commuters.
Ron Matz reports the format is designed to keep you moving.
WTTZ 93.5 is on the air.
"Normally a low power FM station might only cover a few miles, but we've got miles and miles of coverage--all of Baltimore City, all over Baltimore County, northern Anne Arundel, Howard and Harford--so it's great," said Paul Comfort, MTA administrator and CEO.
It's MTA Radio--all you need to know about your morning and afternoon commute.
"In the morning, we're giving traffic reports from 5 a.m. til 9 a.m. and then in the afternoon from 2 til 6 p.m.," said Comfort.
Marc Jones is MTA manager of broadcast operations.
"This is the first new licensed radio station in Baltimore in nearly 30 years. They're going to get a total picture of the status of traffic in all of the MDOT modals, state highways, BWI, aviation administration and the MDTA, the tunnel and road folks," said Jones.
From planes to trains and automobiles, it's being billed as the station that moves you.
"We're the only station in the marketplace providing regular rush hour transit reports. We can give details about what's happening with our transit routes. We also have highway traffic conditions. We're also the only station giving BWI Airport updates," said Paul Comfort, MTA administrator and CEO.
You'll hear drive time traffic reports weekday mornings and afternoons.
"We're on 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but it's only drive time traffic weekdays only, mornings 5 til 9 and afternoons 2 til 6, but the station is on 24 hours a day. So when we're not doing traffic and information on transportation, we have instrumental music," said Jones.
WTTZ's antenna is about 800 feet up on Television Hill.
"MARC was able to find a location on TV Hill to put our antenna. It's way up high, so now we've got great coverage of our core service area," said Comfort.
MTA Radio will air traffic reports during drive times each weekday morning from 5 til 9 and afternoons from 2 til 6.
