General MBTA Topics (Multi Modal, Budget, MassDOT)

HenryAlan said:
If you are correct about the Chinatown location (and I think you are), then I do remember it, though the building had been torn down. I never noticed it disappearing, but I think it ultimately became this:

www.google.com

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Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
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Thank you!! That's very helpful. Trying to figure out which Essex/Chinatown renovation was when - and when the Hayward and Lagrange entrances closed - is very confusing.
 
chrisbrat said:
not sure if this is the right place for this, but it would seem that despite the many (and legit) complaints, the T ain't so bad.
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It is, and yeah living in Orlando, New York City and Syracuse have taught me how to appreciate the T.

The T has its issues, but its on time rating is significantly better than all but two systems...
 
i'll bite: what are the two systems you refer to? i assume you mean domestic, but going beyond the U.S. i've consistently been impressed by/with the subway systems in frankfurt, shanghai, and london. i know some disagree, but i'm with you that the mta in new york city sucks donkey balls. also a favorite for some, but i think san fran is garbage, too.
 
The MBTA is definitely one of the best systems in the US. I've extensively used transit in L.A., San Francisco, DC, and New York. All are pretty good, but only New York is comparable with Boston for overall coverage of the urban area.
 
^"Corruption" gets tossed around too easily these days. That's bad, unacceptable behavior. Probably indicative of a larger, more personal issue and it's a good thing he resigned. But it's not corrupt.

On a completely unrelated note, does anyone know what causes a train to overrun the platform? Is it purely operator error, or it it mechanical malfunction? Or maybe some combination of both? I've been on a handful of trains that have overrun the platform and had to back up which is a slow process and causes delays. Most recently, it happened Wednesday at Porter. No announcement, no nothing. Just a pause, then a huffy operator storming out of the cockpit, walking back a few cars, getting off on the platform, eventually moving the train back, then returning to the front and resuming operations as usual. All told about 5 minutes or so of a delay (not major, but not great). I assume operator error since the train wasn't taken out of service. And since it's never been taken out of service when it's happened in the past, I'm assuming it's generally operator error, but I'm curious.
 
HelloBostonHi said:
Venturing well outside of the infrastructure part of the T but I think this just goes to show the organization isn't corruption free just yet.

www.wcvb.com

5 Investigates tracks MBTA bigwig’s daytime drinking

5 Investigates’ cameras catch MBTA bigwig taking long lunches at local bars, tossing back drinks
www.wcvb.com www.wcvb.com
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This is 100% of the reason why people won't sign on for gas tax hikes, congestion pricing, or anything else until the entire MBTA is overhauled. Does anybody really think this guy is a one off issue? Or is he indicative of the entire organization - unaccountable, overpaid, and politically connected.

Put the MBTA through an orderly bankruptcy and clean it up from the debt to the pensions to the useless employees and start putting those $$$ towards system improvements. If any of us took 3 hour lunches and came back with booze on our breath regularly over 2 weeks time we'd be fired immediately. This is the kind of behavior that drives people nuts.
 
Somebody who drinks at work is indicative that alcoholism is a problem in this society. It is by no means something restricted to MBTA employees nor is it the fault of the MBTA that they hired a closet alcoholic. Why should we take this as an indication that highways need to be subsidized by general operating funds? The two things are completely unrelated.
 
Rover said:
...Or is he indicative of the entire organization - unaccountable, overpaid, and politically connected.
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Imagine if the MBTA rock was fully lifted the kinds of crawlies that would be exposed and running like hell for the nearest cover. Don't like to be this cynical but there is a mountain of justification for it. No government agency can be or ever will be completely free of dysfunctional behavior but passively accepting it or shrugging it off as hopeless to fix will of course only allow it to spread further and further, just like mold. Swamp creatures are very opportunistic.
 
Brad Plaid said:
Imagine if the MBTA rock was fully lifted the kinds of crawlies that would be exposed and running like hell for the nearest cover. Don't like to be this cynical but there is a mountain of justification for it. No government agency can be or ever will be completely free of dysfunctional behavior but passively accepting it or shrugging it off as hopeless to fix will of course only allow it to spread further and further, just like mold. Swamp creatures are very opportunistic.
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No human organization is. It isn't unique to government. I could sub out "MBTA" in your post for literally any company, organization, or government agency. I'm not really loving this "an alcoholic drinking during the day is proof that the MBTA is trash." An alcoholic executive isn't indicative of an institutional problem at the T, it's indicative of a dude with a problem. Jesus Christ.

Of course the T has problems, but this is a really really fucked up take.
 
HenryAlan said:
Somebody who drinks at work is indicative that alcoholism is a problem in this society. It is by no means something restricted to MBTA employees nor is it the fault of the MBTA that they hired a closet alcoholic. Why should we take this as an indication that highways need to be subsidized by general operating funds? The two things are completely unrelated.
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No they're not because this the like one billionth example of well connected T workers pulling shit like this. From the article, the guy who isn't a lawyer has double the salary of the woman who was that he replaced. If its not his credentials getting him double the salary, then what is it?

In no way am I voting to give more money to these people to waste. I for one don't believe for a second that the T has the same level of personnel problems of any other organization. Its a shitty run fiefdom of unemployable relatives of politicians who only occasionally show up for work, and I say this not as a conspiracy theorist but as a regular rider since 1990 and a pretty liberal guy. Either clean up the T or continue to suffer from the (real, in my opinion) perception that any additional dollars will be going to waste.
 
Rover said:
Its a shitty run fiefdom of unemployable relatives of politicians who only occasionally show up for work, and I say this not as a conspiracy theorist but as a regular rider since 1990 and a pretty liberal guy.
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Wow, I didn't realize riders could view employee timecards or could keep tabs on the comings-and-goings at the offices.

(I say sarcastically.)
 
Riverside said:
Wow, I didn't realize riders could view employee timecards or could keep tabs on the comings-and-goings at the offices.

(I say sarcastically.)
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It helps if you hang around at local bars 2 hours after lunchtime. Usually the only people still there work for the T! :D
 
Rover said:
This is 100% of the reason why people won't sign on for gas tax hikes, congestion pricing, or anything else until the entire MBTA is overhauled. Does anybody really think this guy is a one off issue? Or is he indicative of the entire organization - unaccountable, overpaid, and politically connected.

Put the MBTA through an orderly bankruptcy and clean it up from the debt to the pensions to the useless employees and start putting those $$$ towards system improvements. If any of us took 3 hour lunches and came back with booze on our breath regularly over 2 weeks time we'd be fired immediately. This is the kind of behavior that drives people nuts.
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Rover -- you can't put the T through an orderly or disorderly bankruptcy without putting Massachusetts through the same

The T is not a corporation chartered by Massachusetts -- it is organized as an independent authority -- in fact it is a department of the Commonwealth in the same way as the Department of Conservation and Recreation

Ultimately all of the T-s bonds are backed by the Full Faith and Credit of the Commonwealth aka the Tax Payers of Massachusetts --

However -- the desire to control what is happening at the T is why we now have another layer of bureaucracy on top of the T -- in other words the T's Financial Control Board -- which was given relatively extraordinary powers by the Great and General Court as signed by the Governor

BUT -- the Financial Control Board is a temporary measure and some of the most agregious aspects of the T were not released to their control as certain members of the Legislature are still strongly linked to the T Unions -- remember even though Whitey [err Billy] Bulger is gone -- the MBTA still hearkens back to days when the translation of MBTA was Mr Bulger's Transit Agency and people poured quarters into their pants in the counting room
 
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Rover said:
This is 100% of the reason why people won't sign on for gas tax hikes, congestion pricing, or anything else until the entire MBTA is overhauled. Does anybody really think this guy is a one off issue? Or is he indicative of the entire organization - unaccountable, overpaid, and politically connected.

Put the MBTA through an orderly bankruptcy and clean it up from the debt to the pensions to the useless employees and start putting those $$$ towards system improvements. If any of us took 3 hour lunches and came back with booze on our breath regularly over 2 weeks time we'd be fired immediately. This is the kind of behavior that drives people nuts.
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Well said. Drastic times require drastic situations.
 
whighlander said:
Rover -- you can't put the T through an orderly or disorderly bankruptcy without putting Massachusetts through the same

The T is not a corporation chartered by Massachusetts -- it is organized as an independent authority -- in fact it is a department of the Commonwealth in the same way as the Department of Conservation and Recreation

Ultimately all of the T-s bonds are backed by the Full Faith and Credit of the Commonwealth aka the Tax Payers of Massachusetts --

However -- the desire to control what is happening at the T is why we now have another layer of bureaucracy on top of the T -- in other words the T's Financial Control Board -- which was given relatively extraordinary powers by the Great and General Court as signed by the Governor

BUT -- the Financial Control Board is a temporary measure and some of the most agregious aspects of the T were not released to their control as certain members of the Legislature are still strongly linked to the T Unions -- remember even though Whitey [err Billy] Bulger is gone -- the MBTA still hearkens back to days when the translation of MBTA was Mr Bulger's Transit Agency and people poured quarters into their pants in the counting room
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did some digging and this is what I came up with:

Can a State, County, or City Government File for Bankruptcy? | Bay Area Bankruptcy Buzz

The answer is no, yes, and yes. During recent budget sessions in the California assembly a representative suggested that the State of California should file bankruptcy. It is not possible under the United States Constitution for a state to file for bankruptcy and discharge debts. County...
www.westcoastbk.com

"Chapter 9 provides that municipalities may reorganize their debts. The Bankruptcy Code defines a municipality as a “political subdivision or public agency or instrumentality of a State.” Municipalities include cities, towns, villages, counties, taxing districts municipal utilities, water districts, school districts, bridge authorities, highway authorities and gas authorities. "

While not knowing if anything specific in Mass law would prevent this, it looks like its kosher under federal law.
 
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