General MBTA Topics (Multi Modal, Budget, MassDOT)

[AdamBC]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Checked out the bus that was redecorated by Wayfair when it was in front of South Station, only now pulling them off my phone.

 

[Downburst]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

For you- yes, you! A real-time tracker of our local subway system. Found it on Reddit. Happy 4th!

 

[metasyntactic]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

I don't remember if anyone posted about the "Sesame Ring" (a Charliecard you can wear) announced a while back, but they're now apparently on sale officially through the MBTA:

http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/blog/2014/07/17/sesame-ring-for-sale-mbta-gift-shop/

The price to purchase an MBTA pass for your CharlieCard might have recently gone up, but now your coolness-factor can too.

On Wednesday, officials from the MBTA Gift Store announced that they’re now selling “Sesame Rings,” 3D-printed wearable technology that acts as an MBTA pass, on their website and brick-and-mortar shop.

“We’re still 3-D printing them in moderate quantity, but [we] are gearing up the mass-production line for a [second] generation of wearable devices,” said one of the ring’s creators, Edward Tiong.

Tiong and a group of undergraduate MIT students teamed up with the Singapore University of Technology and Design to create the concept for the rings. Later, with the help of an extremely successful Kickstarter campaign and the support of the MBTA, they started to produce the jewelry.

“Since the MBTA has supported our product from the beginning, we thought it made sense to build our physical presence from their official store,” said Tiong.

He said the MBTA “linked them up” to WardMaps LLC, who manages the MBTA gift store online and in Cambridge, and they were “more than happy” to carry the Sesame Ring.

The colorful finger-passes, which can be worn on a person’s hand in order to “fist-bump” their way through an MBTA kiosk, use the RFID chip typically embedded in a CharlieCard to make access to the train stations a quick maneuver that doesn’t requiring rifling through a wallet for a pass.

The rings, developed by the Ring Theory, were initially only available to people that backed the original Kickstarter campaign, which ended last year. The creators later offered the rings for purchase through their website, but this week marked the first time they became available through the T’s gift shop.

The rings are going for $25 online, and in store, but do not come pre-loaded with an MBTA pass. They could soon be available at other locations. “We’re reaching out to stores to get the Sesame Ring into the hands of even more Bostonians,” said Tiong.

Future projects could include embedding the RFID chips into bracelets, smartphone covers, or even key chains.

 

[Matthew]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

I've decided to cancel my monthly pass. I should have done it last month but I forgot to turn it off in time. Going to run another experiment and see if $75/mo is really worthwhile when I now have my own bike in addition to Hubway, and the weather is nice.

Ventra has lots of issues but one nice thing it does is record all of your taps for reviewing online.

 

[Arlington]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

I've decided to cancel my monthly pass. I should have done it last month but I forgot to turn it off in time. Going to run another experiment and see if $75/mo is really worthwhile when I now have my own bike in addition to Hubway, and the weather is nice.

Ventra has lots of issues but one nice thing it does is record all of your taps for reviewing online.

What's Ventra? And how has (or will) reviewing taps change your behavior?

 

[bigeman312]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

What's Ventra? And how has (or will) reviewing taps change your behavior?

It's essentially Chicago's version of the Charlie Card. If you have a monthly pass Charlie Card (which I do) can you review your taps online? If so, how?

 

[jass]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Were the curb extensions for the 39 ever built?

They were supposed to go in during 2006, and then again for the key bus line project. Did it happen or did someone else throw a hissy fit about losing their illegal loading space?

 

[datadyne007]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Why hasn't the MBTA recorded an announcement for the GC closure on the Blue Line? It would be so much easier to just call up Frank Oglesby, record an announcement, and then have it play at Aquarium instead of having the conductors make long, incomprehensible speeches or in some cases give vague directions and confuse tourists further.

 

[BostonUrbEx]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Were the curb extensions for the 39 ever built?

They were supposed to go in during 2006, and then again for the key bus line project. Did it happen or did someone else throw a hissy fit about losing their illegal loading space?

I have yet to see any along Huntington or S Huntington. Doubtful it is any different further down.

 

[DigitalSciGuy]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Were the curb extensions for the 39 ever built?

They were supposed to go in during 2006, and then again for the key bus line project. Did it happen or did someone else throw a hissy fit about losing their illegal loading space?

I have yet to see any along Huntington or S Huntington. Doubtful it is any different further down.

Yes, down on Centre Street a number of curb extensions were installed. I have not seen any on Huntington Ave. The only one installed on South Huntington was the one in front of the MSPCA on the far side of the intersection for northbound service.

The extension that was installed on my block at St John Street was installed improperly or with inconsistent plans. The whole block on the east side of the street was cut up, but instead they left 2 parking spaces adjacent the St. John St intersection. THEN, they installed the bus stop sign at the still recessed corner of St. John and Centre St and the forward stop sign about 10 metres back (2 car lengths) from the Pond Street intersection. Naturally, because there is no exclusionary signage saying that you can't park in the bike lane adjacent the extended curb, people would park there and NOT in the set back curb cut area. When I reported it to MBTA PD and Boston City Hall through both respective apps, both pointed at each other as to whose jurisdiction it was to ticket violators and fix the signs.

I just ended up telling the head of operations planning and it should get fixed soon. Underwhelming and disappointing to say the least...at least they consolidated some stops... The shelter at the southbound Opera Place stop is still missing a pane of glass (now also missing two fixtures on the shelter for holding the glass) and the actual nameplate for the stop. Who did they even hire to install this stuff? Incredibly unprofessional job.

Why hasn't the MBTA recorded an announcement for the GC closure on the Blue Line? It would be so much easier to just call up Frank Oglesby, record an announcement, and then have it play at Aquarium instead of having the conductors make long, incomprehensible speeches or in some cases give vague directions and confuse tourists further.

I just came back from a week of riding the subway in New York City (I was visiting my hometown for my birthday weekend) and I must say I much prefer the voices and intonation of professional radio personalities. I know that they probably have voice over coaches helping him out in the studio, but his voice sometimes just has really really low registers that are awful to make out in cars or on station platforms. I'd love to hear some folks from WGBH instead or even Carolyn Hopkins herself; she has a lovely and pleasant voice.

[youtube]_ALH5KwR788[/youtube]

Research in human factors also indicates that women's voices are better received and a few others suggest that information is best received and better retained when given by a woman's voice. Likewise, men's voices are better where authoritative information or commands need to be given, which reminds me: trains need an actual recorded voice announcement that the doors are closing - the beeping is incredibly jarring and almost rude where everyone else gives the courtesy of saying the doors will be closing.

Suffice it to say, yes, the T needs to automate the message since it'll be in use for 2 years...

 

[davem]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Staaand clearrr of the clooosing dooooors pleaaseee

 

[Matthew]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

I don't mind the beeping the T normally uses. Sometimes closing door messages get monotonous and annoying, since they're repeated constantly and frequently. I'm not a fan of the NYCT closing doors message for that reason. Not to mention that it usually takes several attempts to close the doors at any station.

I think the most annoying closing door sound I heard actually was in Madrid, where it is VERY loud and ear piercing. That's just obnoxious to riders, and a glaring flaw in the otherwise remarkable Spanish transit system.

I also don't like the way the Blue Line beeps when the doors open, it usually makes me jump, because it sounds like the doors are going to close before I get there.

 

[datadyne007]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

I don't mind the beeping the T normally uses. Sometimes closing door messages get monotonous and annoying, since they're repeated constantly and frequently. I'm not a fan of the NYCT closing doors message for that reason. Not to mention that it usually takes several attempts to close the doors at any station.

Einsteigen bitte! Zurückbleiben bitte!

I also don't like the way the Blue Line beeps when the doors open, it usually makes me jump, because it sounds like the doors are going to close before I get there.

The dings are actually different and are part of ADA accommodations. DING-DONG (drops a note) is opening. DING-DING (same note) is closing. My problem with the Blue Line dinging is actually with the really poor timing. I don't know if it's a computer glitch or what, but sometimes the doors close, the train leaves and then it decides to do all the dinging when you've already left the station.

 

[Matthew]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Yeah I would probably get used to it if I was a frequent Blue Line rider but I'm primarily a Green Line rider (yea go ahead and laugh) and an infrequent Blue Line rider (especially with Gov't Center closed, I really miss it going to Logan, as well as East Boston restaurants). The tones aren't consistent across lines right now, maybe when they replace the Green Line vehicles...

And yeah I've noticed that timing issue on occasion...

 

[datadyne007]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Yeah I would probably get used to it if I was a frequent Blue Line rider but I'm primarily a Green Line rider (yea go ahead and laugh) and an infrequent Blue Line rider (especially with Gov't Center closed, I really miss it going to Logan, as well as East Boston restaurants). The tones aren't consistent across lines right now, maybe when they replace the Green Line vehicles...

And yeah I've noticed that timing issue on occasion...

Actually new Green, Red, and Orange stock. The Orange Line especially desperately needs automated announcements. You can't hear a word any driver says on the Orange Line because the PA systems on the trains are sooooo broken. Some of the door dings are hilarious too because they're sooooo out of tune. The MBTA right now is a mess in terms of announcement standards. The new stock should hopefully allow them to standardize the lines.

The one thing I didn't love about Berlin's U-Bahn was the super annoying horn alarm door closing on the new and old trains. I didn't mind the "enter please!" and "stand back please!" announcements that play before and after the horn as much. The S-Bahn chime was much more pleasing to the ear and doesn't have the verbal commands.

 

[Matthew]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

The buzzy fuzzy intercom on the Orange Line is part of the charm. "I'm having trouble with the radar, sir!"

 

[F-Line to Dudley]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

The buzzy fuzzy intercom on the Orange Line is part of the charm. "I'm having trouble with the radar, sir!"

I admit...I'm going to miss the drunk door chimes when they're gone.

 

[DigitalSciGuy]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Actually new Green, Red, and Orange stock. The Orange Line especially desperately needs automated announcements. You can't hear a word any driver says on the Orange Line because the PA systems on the trains are sooooo broken. Some of the door dings are hilarious too because they're sooooo out of tune. The MBTA right now is a mess in terms of announcement standards. The new stock should hopefully allow them to standardize the lines.

The one thing I didn't love about Berlin's U-Bahn was the super annoying horn alarm door closing on the new and old trains. I didn't mind the "enter please!" and "stand back please!" announcements that play before and after the horn as much. The S-Bahn chime was much more pleasing to the ear and doesn't have the verbal commands.

[youtube]DRXyxbr7OIw[/youtube]

Jesus that's irritating.

This was posted to the /r/transit subreddit a few weeks ago and it's interesting to see the different chimes from systems around the world.

[youtube]2fi0m8ei_B4[/youtube]

This is also a perfect opportunity to call attention to how janky our doors are. Whatever door mechanism we specified to Siemens, it's got me wondering if the people providing the specs are doing it right. Even on the new Blue Line cars, the doors wiggle side to side when closed, instead of meeting in the middle and closing with purpose and confidence. Call me crazy, OCD, whatever, but no other system has doors that close as clumsily as ours (as far as I've seen). This can't possibly be good for the door mechanisms. Why do the doors on our new trains close as clumsily as that on the oldest trains in the fleet?

In any case... door rant aside, some other systems definitely have much more irritating door closing chimes than us, but it certainly could be better. I'm personally fine with New York City's door closing announcement by Charlie Pellett.

http://vimeo.com/51655496

The announcement provides much more context and has a much more human touch than loud beeping and flashing alone. Maybe a multi-tone chime would be nice, like Montreal's 3-tone chime that mimics the sound of the traction motors as the train accelerates.

[youtube]NoS41srXgHU[/youtube]

I just really want some attention to detail. The MBTA touts the name of this thread as its motto: Driven by Customer Service. One major element of that is attention to detail. I say the MBTA needs to hire one of us as the Director of Details...

 

[Downburst]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

I admit...I'm going to miss the drunk door chimes when they're gone.

I thought I was the only one! They make me smile every time.

 

[omaja]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

I thought I was the only one, too!

Sometimes if it's out of tune enough, it reminds me a bit of Paris' sound:
[youtube]SkmllqxapBs[/youtube]

Speaking of the details... I would really like to see them adopt a uniform rolling stock livery across all four lines. Painting the trains the color of the line makes even the new Blue Line trains look really dated. Same thing for stations: not everything needs to be painted the same as the line. Accents like the green tile at Kenmore are cool, but the green support beams at Arlington/Copley/Hynes, for example, are u-g-l-y.