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The Transportation Research board did a nice review of small bus operations in urban systems a few years ago: http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/tcrp/tsyn41.pdf Some of the issues are as noted: -Labor makes up a high percentage of per hour operating costs, the cost reduction with smaller...

It's more than just a few people that use the stops in that segment. http://www.mbta.com/uploadedfiles/About_the_T/T_Projects/T_Projects_List/Rt%2066%20Preliminary%20Recommendations.pdf In the Dudley-bound direction (inbound), the stop at Brighton Ave @ Cambridge St has 536 people getting on...

The MBTA has had a bi-annual service plan process for making changes to the bus network: http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/t_projects/?id=12769 The process got postponed by the fare increase and service reductions that were implemented in 2012 and continues to be delayed. The Route 9 has...

Per the FTA's National Transit Database, The MBTA direct-operated bus network has one of the highest numbers for passenger trips per vehicle revenue mile in a modal comparison to all other bus systems in urban areas (you can do calculations for the other modes as well). You can go to NTD Table...

The MBTA's unlinked passenger trips per vehicle revenue mile for bus have been going up since 2007: http://www.ntdprogram.gov/ntdprogram/pubs/profiles/2013/agency_profiles/1003.pdf CTA's improved but are on the way back down...

I believe its time and a half for the portion over 7. Customer Service Agents are part of the Carmen's Union and I believe are covered by this. Inspectors are a different union, I don't think they have the same provision in their contract.

The labor agreement states that driver pieces of work ending/beginning between 2-4 AM shall not be more than 7 hours long but drivers will receive 8 hours pay. If the total assignment is longer than 7 hours, drivers get time and a half. That part of the contract goes all the way back to the...

Not that many parts in common, the PA4s have Westinghouse motors and controls, the present MBTA Orange Line cars have General Electric motors/controls. Problems with running PA4s on Orange would be similar to the issues with old Blue Line cars, they would have to install ATO/ATC cab signal...

In the case of the Braintree line, when that train stalled between Quincy Center and Quincy Adams, the power was eventually cut so it could be evacuated (after people had been on the train for 2+ hours). They lost the line then, as the third rail became covered even more than it already was. The...

Re: MBTA & Regular Driving May Be Shut Down During Coming Snowstorm! I forget what the total weight is, but the axle load is about the same as the regular streetcar pushing it, that would put it in the 20,000-30,000 pound range (about a third of the 86,000 pound Type 7).

Re: MBTA & Regular Driving May Be Shut Down During Coming Snowstorm! As I mentioned in another thread, those "lead sleds" are weighted down to try to avoid derailments, however the size of that snow pile is enormous and should have been reduced with a front end loader before hitting it with...

Re: MBTA & Regular Driving May Be Shut Down During Coming Snowstorm! Note that the out of service car numbers from the WCVB graphic was a snapshot of the number of cars out of service at the low point. Most of the out of service cars are in shop for relatively minor issues, but it is a large...

Re: MBTA & Regular Driving May Be Shut Down During Coming Snowstorm! The Orange Line cars don't have electronic destination signs, the only rollsign choices are "Oak Grove", "Wellington", "Forest Hills", "No Stops" and "Not in Service". The older Rd Line cars don't have an "Andrew"...

Re: MBTA & Regular Driving May Be Shut Down During Coming Snowstorm! Wire has its downsides, heavy wind, or even the simple snagged pantograph (an issue from time to time on the Blue). I would say this winter serves as example of why it is wise to maintain the wire on the Blue, as every time...

Re: MBTA & Regular Driving May Be Shut Down During Coming Snowstorm! The entire Blue Line and the Riverside D-Line were in operation today. The MBTA was conservative and stated Sunday night that Blue would only run from Airport to Bowdoin and D-line would be bus, but in fact train service was...

That was the Thomas K Dyer report for the MBTA "Plan for Acquisition and Use of Railroad Rights of Way". Among other things, it was proposing extensions of rapid transit as a cheaper alternative to building a North Station-South Station connecting link. It did not get into important details...

Re: MBTA & Regular Driving May Be Shut Down During Coming Snowstorm! The Blue Line cars all have small plows and brooms on each car. The Blue Line does not have ATO/cab signals, so the plow does not interfere with the placement of the coils that pick up the signal codes which the Red/Orange...

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos Same issue as Braintree, once the third rail was lost when the decision was made to curtail service, the conventional snow trains couldn't keep it open. A jet snow blower is slowly making its way along the northbound rail. They have four jet blowers...

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos Once they lost the line to evacuate the dead train, the additional snow and drifts covered the third rail. The jet snow blowers and some other track maintenance equipment is slowly making its way along to clear the line. Once the tracks are back...

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos When they have enough working cars, the peak headway does briefly improve to about every 3 minutes. They run several extra Braintree trains in the "peak of the peak" As noted, the Harvard curve may be a limiting factor on major headway improvements...