General MBTA Topics (Multi Modal, Budget, MassDOT)

[whighlander]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

^ That's encouraging for the Green Line corridors. Hopefully Waze data will also show how necessary T under D is. Heck, even if they could just prioritize the signal at D, it would be an improvement.

Data -- T should take a leaf from the Archdiocese of Boston -- offer to lease Silver Line Way Station land to a developer -- only requirements other than 0$ cost to the T:

• 1. Dig under D street without interrupting existing service
• 2. Build underground or at least weatherproof Silver Line Way station with turn-around loop and storage for 5 to 10 vehicles
• 3. provide for potential future underground Silver Line connections

 

[Matthew]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

That line in Paris shared a tunnel with another line; during peak hours, 32 trains ran each way through the tunnel, or more than one per minute.

Sorry, I might be a bit fuzzy. How is 32 trains per hour equal to more than "1 per minute"? There are still 60 minutes in an hour, amirite?

I like the snail though. Maybe we can get some of those to work over here?

 

[saulblum]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Sorry, I might be a bit fuzzy. How is 32 trains per hour equal to more than "1 per minute"? There are still 60 minutes in an hour, amirite?

… during peak hours, 32 trains ran each way through the tunnel …

 

[Matthew]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Sorry, definitely fuzzy

But yeah, leave it to journalists to add up two numbers that don't make sense to add up: trains on completely different tracks.

 

[FK4]

Re: Gov't Center Station Rebuild

RE: sight lines - The headhouse as it is now is very visible from Faneuil. A big black and white Ⓣ on it would pretty much eliminate tourist confusion of how to get from the T to the Faneuil area.

This is off topic and actually should probably have its own thread, but the T does an exceedingly poor job of branding. I suppose we're too attached to the black T inside a white circle (too discreet, in my opinion) but the signage is the bigger problem. The T signs should be enormous. The commuter rail is really where this is a problem, though - on highways and roads, the signs for CR stations are tiny and very drab. All those signs should be replaced to be large, colorful and appealing.

 

[vanshnookenraggen]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Moved that post here because that is a great point of discussion.

When the MBTA was created it came with a whole new design package which is what we have today. IMO the MBTA has a solid brand but you are right, it can certainly improve. It's very hard to find stations when you don't know where to look. One of the nice things they did back in the 70s and 80s was new stations became landmarks for their neighborhoods (Alewife, Quincy, Malden, the OL Southwest, etc). That was a good brand move, though it would have been nice if they kept them in better shape.

The commuter rail brand is treated separately from the T in both design and operations. This should be addressed, though I think a top down reworking of the commuter rail is in order.

 

[FK4]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

^ thx for the move, van, this is a thread im on infrequently (didnt realize it was related to general T-related feedback)... I like how in the SW corridor, where I live, the T stations are landmarks AND there are nice big "T" circles mounted on poles. I think changing the colors for the subway lines would be silly (having color coded logos, too goofy) but perhaps the CR could develop its own logo - like a bright purple "T" - and place them all around the stations at major intersections and on roads. I just remember always growing up around here and seeing those pathetic highway signs on 128 for CR stations, they look so anemic and unappealing. Like the T isnt even trying to get your business, which kind of makes you not think its a service worth using if youre a typical consumer (beyond someone who HAS to use CR as the only option).

I also recall from a year in London that the London Underground had frequent, excellently produced commercials on TV and in movie theaters. We're nowhere near this right now with the budget issues but it's something to think about going forward... again, something that could be heavily weighted toward CR marketing.

 

[Matthew]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

On the topic of MBTA signs, does anyone know why there is a big (T) sign alongside the Minuteman bike path in the middle of Arlington? It almost looks like it's in someone's back yard, nowhere near any station. Anyone else seen that?

 

[The EGE]

Re: Gov't Center Station Rebuild

The T roundel is absolutely perfect branding - it's a very intuitive way of marking transit. The problem is that it isn't used enough. I want to see it plastered on every single station headhouse, and used on every directional sign to commuter rail stations.

 

[Tombstoner]

Re: Gov't Center Station Rebuild

The T roundel is absolutely perfect branding - it's a very intuitive way of marking transit. The problem is that it isn't used enough. I want to see it plastered on every single station headhouse, and used on every directional sign to commuter rail stations.

I agree; I think it's super-elegant. I would also add that in addition to being more widely used, in most cases it needs to be much bigger. Right now it seems to aim at being discreet--not an appealing quality in a public transit logo. It would also be cool if at key stations (GC, for instance), the logo was a lighting fixture slowly spinning atop a pole or on the peak of a tall headhouse.

 

[datadyne007]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

The glass "S" in Potsdamer Platz comes to mind for good branding at a major hub. Also note the large "U" directional sign. Signs like that pointing to stations should be posted on major corridors such as Washington, Tremont, Congress, etc.

 

[sm89]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Part of the problem is coordination and jurisdiction. With the MBTA being a separate agency, things like signage outside of the station area is tricky. I know the MBTA won't touch a BTD sign and vice versa. Now try to coordinate additional signs and it would turn into some big project.

 

[Savin Hill]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

A short and long-term plan:
Calls for debt transfer, highway fund reallocation, and congestion toll pricing

THE RECENT MBTA meltdown has impressed upon the general public the critical importance of a reliable transit system to their daily lives. The T’s utter failure to provide reliable service during and following the recent extraordinary winter weather conditions signals an urgent need to address the issues that led or contributed to the crisis – issues that, if not properly and fully addressed, will recur with potentially devastating impacts on our economy, our public safety and our overall quality of life. I want to use this opportunity to address these issues candidly and in some depth, in an effort to set the stage for what could become a bipartisan approach to MBTA recovery and renewal. Reliable and safe transit mobility is not a left or right issue. It is in our collective best interests to bridge the ideological divide to develop and implement solutions that respond directly and effectively to critical needs.

http://commonwealthmagazine.org/transportation/short-long-term-plan/

 

[datadyne007]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

^ This should be posted in the winter thread.

 

[393b40]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

I have absolutely zero confidence in the state government to fix the MBTA. This entire situation will be quietly forgotten by May and without resolution.

 

[Arlington]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Rather than bog down the Winter thread, we bring you this update on what a real Proof-of-Payment system would look like, from Norfolk VA. It includes getting employers to pre-pay for 100% of their workers to ride free, thereby making them all effortlessly honest at an honor-system-with-inspectors system. The original 2011 pricing *per person per year* was crazy cheap:

Employers with 500 or more workers pay $75 per employee to be part of the program. Employers with less than 500 pay $125 per head. Educational institutions pay $6.50.

*PER YEAR*
In a metro area where 1-in-10 might ride transit, that's as if an annual pass for those who actually ride was $900 or $1500 or $78 per rider per year...a good price, except now every employer can easily/honestly ride transit.

They have amended the program since:

In the original program, any employee or student carrying a company or institutional ID and a GoPasss could board. Institutions are still participating but not on a universal level. Each participating company or institution chose to buy a limited number of passes which are issued on a first-come, first-serve bases. Contact your school or employer to find out if passes are still available.

But the idea is the same: broad-based, pre-committed, pass-holdership is a better way of ensuring revenue.

 

[George_Apley]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Following Arlington's lead, I'm moving my PoP post from "Winter 2015" to here.

Attempting to reach perfection is a foolish resource drain. There have been quite a few number of times that I have boarded a bus in the past year and the driver was refusing to collect fares. I'm unsure if this is because of malfunction equipment or an irresponsible bus driver. Either way, THIS is what should be addressed, not the couple of people who manage to sneak on a very crowded bus/trolley occasionally.

I've never seen that exactly, but I have seen drivers wave on people who don't have exact change. Especially when there's a line, or they're already on the moving bus when they realize they only have a buck in cash. Of course... get a damn CharlieCard already!

And time-variable pricing. There's also a strong case that the T should be free from opening until 6:30am when low-wage people make their trips to their early-start service jobs, not unlike the variable tolls going to zero on dynamically-tolled roads.

How is variable pricing accomplished with proof-of-purchase? PoP means you buy a pass and need to have it in case you get inspected, but you don't have to "tap in" to gain access. Variable pricing doesn't really work with that model does it? I guess a policy that doesn't run the random inspections until after 6:30am would effectively accomplish that specific goal of making very early/late rides free, but it wouldn't allow higher rates for peak hours.

 

[Arlington]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

How is variable pricing accomplished with proof-of-purchase? ... I guess a policy that doesn't run the random inspections until after 6:30am would effectively accomplish that specific goal of making very early/late rides free, but it wouldn't allow higher rates for peak hours.

You've got the idea. Inspectors should swarm over the rush hours when habitual fare beaters might be going to their daily commute <snark> or class at BU </snark> (and taking a seat from a real fare payer). Increased enforcement effectively raises the "cost" at peak times.

Lax enforcement before 6:30am and, say, between 8pm and 10pm, would be an invitation to make one's own discount by not paying. But these fare beaters are costless to carry,They sit in a vehicle that was going to be running anyway and take a seat that would have gone empty. And their lives suck if they really are at work that long or are really desparate enough to commute like that. Chasing them down has the same bad payback as staffing toll booths all night. Control agents would come back online at 10pm to chase out the homeless and to make late night revelers pay for keeping the system open that late.

Its unlikely that anyone's life is so predicticable that they could ride at the free times every day for their whole career. Eventually, they'd upgrade to a real farecard. It is basically the Freemium pricing model.

 

[akmags]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

I find this funny considering they are partly to blame for this entire situation:

http://www.boston.com/news/weather/2015/02/26/lawmakers-seek-answers-boston-transit-troubles/wZhCa6WYYTSDmYRNbu96jN/story.html?p1=feature_stack_1_hp

 

[George_Apley]

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Boston.com really is useless isn't it?