BALTIMORE— The BWI Airport Marriott recently upgraded its shuttle service with new vehicles and expanded service as part of an $8-million renovation of the property’s 310 guestrooms and public spaces. Four new airport shuttle vehicles were purchased to replace the existing vehicles. They include one 13-seat and three 14-seat vehicles, which were all custom made by ElDorado National, A Thor Company. “We also combined our fleet with the two vehicles at the Courtyard so we can run more often,” said Patrick Manley, director of operations at the BWI Airport Marriott. The 149-room Courtyard Baltimore BWI Airport has two shuttle vehicles, one with a 15-seat capacity and the other with 13 seats. As a result, shuttle service is now available every 15 minutes to and from the Baltimore-Washington International Airport, which is one mile away. In the past, the shuttle ran every 20 minutes. “The shuttle runs continuously from 4 a.m. to 1 a.m.,” Manley said, adding that it is dispatched on demand between the hours of 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. “The peak times for the shuttle service is from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and again from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.,” he added. During regular operating hours, there are always two shuttle vehicles on the road, he noted. Customers wait outside the baggage claim area at the airport for pick up or can summon the shuttle from one of five different phones within the airport. The red and white vehicles feature the hotels’ logos for easy identification by guests. The six-vehicle shuttle fleet also serves the 120-suite Residence Inn Baltimore BWI Airport, Manley noted. “On average, the shuttle serves about 250 guests a day,” he said. To make the short ride more comfortable, bottled water, newspapers and magazines are available. “We also have a jazz station playing on the radio,” Manley said. The shuttle service has five drivers who are specially trained by Marriott. Despite escalating gasoline prices, Manley doesn’t anticipate cutting back on shuttle service from the airport to the three hotels that are served. “Customer service is a top priority. That is always our main focus. We intend to maintain the same level of service,” he said.
