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There's another train right behind this one, no doubt
By adamg on Tue, 09/21/2021 - 9:27am
For the first time since the Before Times, Johnmcboston couldn't get on a Red Line train because it was too crowded, although if you look closely, it might be that people just don't want to get as close as they might once have before the virus.
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Comments
It will get better once the T
It will get better once the T is free.
It will
Why should people pay $$$ for service which sucks. At least if there's no cost to riders they won't feel like they wasted their money.
You get what you pay for
I am old enough to remember sewage washing up on beaches because no money was put into fixing the sewer system. Then there were massive increases in water and sewage rates to rebuild the system. Now we have one of the best sewer systems in the country.
But I'd love to read about how the T will magically have the money to fix the system when a third of its revenue is taken away.
Taxes would be a good start
A majority of the fares collected go toward collecting fares. The T wouldn't loose 100% of the fare revenue since they'd save all the money that is spent processing payments, entry gates, etc. The new fare system is years behind schedule is already a $1B project. It's a huge waste of money that should go toward improving service, not just collecting money.
And yes, raise income/property taxes, tolls, etc to compensate for the lost revenue.
The T's current spending on capital improvements is nearly 100% from the feds and state taxes anyway. That wouldn't change.
I'm sure that'll happen
The 88% of Massachusetts workers who don't use public transportation would love to have their taxes go up so we can take the T for free.
As for capital spending, you may want to read up on how the T typically gets funding for things like maintaining signals and track. You're thinking about those shiny things like new rail lines and stations, but the gritty things that need to get done tend not to get such lavishing.
Traffic
Those alleged 88% of Mass workers will probably appreciate a reduction in traffic in the event of a well-funded functioning public transportation system. I don't know if you've ever driven...well anywhere at any time... and seen what's going on on the roads these days.
How do we get them to start using it?
Making it free would be a good start. Traffic congestion and the occasional road rage incident will help, too.
Maintenance, yes
This is a capital project per the MBTA's website:
https://www.mbta.com/projects/green-line-d-track-and-signal-replacement
The 88%
Would whine about how backward Massachusetts was because the Boston metro public transportation failed.
Hm, according to US census the Mass population is 6,892,503. However, the Boston metro area, including Newton and Cambridge, at least according to the Statista site, 4,878,503.
Include Quincy, etc. and the per centage that can use the T increases. But as the public transportation system deteriorates the quality of life for the everyone who uses the highway, gets stuck, wastes gas and the wear and tear on their cars, and the T riders who have to deal with subway and bus massholes (with ear bleed and incessant cell phone yammering), well, transportation in Boston is gross, wretched and reason enough for a new Biblical flood.
Bizarre how much we tightly hold onto money to buy adult toys of electronics and yet willingly accept daily minor but incessant pummeling to our lives.
Death by a thousand annoyances.
T
The "new normal."
The red line has been
The red line has been distinctly more crowded in the afternoon trips. First train of the day broke down today so the train was jammed. Guessing this picture is from then.
afternoons
Yah, afternoons are strange - I think a lot of folks leave early, as rush should seems to be from 3:30 on now.