General MBTA Topics (Multi Modal, Budget, MassDOT)

KentXie said:
Does the silver line occasionally skip stops at terminals? Waiting at terminal E when the sign says it's due. It never arrives and the timer resets to 13 minutes. 5 minutes later the sign resets to 18 minutes. Wtf. Fuck the silver lie

Update: a non airport dedicated silver line bus shows up. What a welcome back to Boston
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I think there was a car fire tonight in the Ted Williams which really screwed up the Silver Line.
 
Speaking of Transit Matters, Jim Aloisi and Ari Ofsevit wrote an op-ed piece that appears on the Commonwealth magazine site today.

Dear Gov. Raimondo: Express trains wrong ask
Let’s improve existing service and help all passengers

DEAR GOVERNOR GINA RAIMONDO:

We read with interest your call for express rail service from Providence to Boston. You are spot-on in thinking that improved rail connections regionally will be beneficial to the people, the economies, and the environments of our respective states. But rather than single express trains serving a few commuters, we respectfully suggest low-cost, common-sense improvements that would benefit everyone.

At our non-profit TransitMatters, we’ve been doing a lot of thinking about how to improve intercity rail in Massachusetts (we will be rolling out a regional rail white paper before the end of the year). We believe that better service is a combination of improved speed and frequency, providing a wider range of benefits in many corridors. The good news is that in the Boston-to-Providence corridor, there are two relatively low-cost steps—high-level platforms and electrification—that the MBTA can take (perhaps with Rhode Island’s help) that would significantly improve service between these two dynamic cities.

Here’s how we would do it.
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.. Continues

Short answer: at-level platforms allowing passengers to board faster and using EMUs.
 
datadyne007 said:
We'll (TransitMatters) be dropping a bombshell of a regional rail/electrification white paper/report early next month! Stay tuned. ;-)
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Does it tie into Ari's letter on EMU service on the Providence Line? I must say it was a pretty well argued piece - just wondering if there is even more to it coming up :)
 
bakgwailo said:
Does it tie into Ari's letter on EMU service on the Providence Line? I must say it was a pretty well argued piece - just wondering if there is even more to it coming up :)
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Jim & Ari's open letter to Gov Raimondo of RI was a teaser/hype mechanism for the Regional Rail rollout. She happened to make those comments at the perfect time for us to respond. It's all strategic. ;-)
 
I'm going to respond here to a tiff going on in the Summer St. Gondola thread:

jass said:
Silver (1) to Purple (2)

You folks are coming off as tourists.
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JeffDowntown said:
I've lived here for 40 years and never made that connection, because it is too low frequency. It is NOT rapid transit.

If you HAPPEN to be at South Station at the magical witching hour when it works, great, otherwise the triple connection is faster and more reliable.
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jass said:
https://d3044s2alrsxog.cloudfront.n...nts_and_Press_Releases/BackBay WEB 052316.pdf

8:00
8:01
8:04
8:10
8:12
8:14

If this is a problem for you, I dont think public transit is for you.

And that "magical witching hour" is commonly referred to as "peak demand hour".

After 10pm? Yeah, take the subways. But thats not when most people are moving between the stations is it?
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^ This is a great example of some definite low-hanging fruit for easy transit improvements.

Travelling on CR within Zone 1A can be really fast, easy, and convenient. But most people--even T-savvy people--simply don't consider it as an option. Ask 100 people in Dewey Square how best to take the T to Fenway Park, and I bet almost everyone would say the Green Line. Those who think of CR to Yawkey are probably Framingham/Worcester commuters. But if you're getting off of work in the area of South Station and want to catch the first pitch, Yawkey is probably your best option.

I blame this in large part on the CR fare system being (mostly) separated from Charlie. This will be (eventually) addressed with the next fare redesign (even though it could have been addressed long ago with the current Charlie system and the T chose not to). But I also blame it on the CR being seen as "different" and, to a degree, scary. Plenty of daily T riders don't get how the CR "works". They don't know where the different trains go, how fare payment works, if riders need to signal for a stop, where on the train they should get on/off at different stops, etc. T signage and public outreach could do a lot to address this. Running ads and public service announcements within the T's system is basically free for the MBTA. I'm picturing an announcement that plays every 10 minutes or so over station speakers that sounds something like this:
"Hey! Did you know that your T pass includes local trips on the commuter rail from here to (Fenway Park/Back Bay/Porter Square/JFK UMass/etc.)? And if you don't have a monthly pass, the trip is the same price as a ride on the T! It's fast and convenient and easy! Ask a friendly T representative for details."​
The message would be customized so, for example, announcements on the Porter Red Line platform mention North Station while announcements on the South Station Red Line platform mention JFK/UMass, Yakwey, etc.
 
I had totally forgotten that BOS-BBY was free on the T. Is it free to Yawkey?
 
Arlington said:
I had totally forgotten that BOS-BBY was free on the T. Is it free to Yawkey?
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Not free, subway fare. But you cannot use a stored value Charlie Card. Only a Charlie Ticket.

So one of the reasons I don't bother with it -- extra hassle.
 
So I recently had the pleasure of being introduced to the T's Lost & Found system.

It... could use some work.
 
When I was at BU, I was one of less than two people who would take the train from Yawkey to South Station when heading to that part of town, when the schedule made sense (thats when only a few trains stopped at Yawkey).

Hell, I remember knowing people who wanted to go to Worcester and would go to Back Bay because they didnt know Yawkey existed.

But I completely agree with JumboBuc. MBTA needs to run some marketing to let people know commuter rail is an option, and a damn good option for 1A stations, including Porter.

Most people just think of the commuter rail lines in terms of the outer stations, not local travel.

Another way to market it would be to have screens exclusively showing "Next departure to Back Bay" or "Next departure to Yawkey (Fenway/Kenmore)" at South Station with the time and track. Admittedly, it can be confusing trying to remember what line goes where. These screens should be located on the red line platform, before the gates, and somewhere in the main concourse.
 
JeffDowntown said:
Not free, subway fare. But you cannot use a stored value Charlie Card. Only a Charlie Ticket.

So one of the reasons I don't bother with it -- extra hassle.
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As linked by the OP in the other thread, it says here (2006 source) that [between BBY & SS] is free:
At no cost, commuters and visitors alike can take advantage of boarding a commuter rail train at Back Bay Station and travel one stop to the Financial District
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Did that change? (has it been defeated at BOS outbound by the new "ticket check"?) Seems like they simply told conductors not to collect fares after BBY inbound or until after BBY outbound. I've never tried it, myself (in 2006 or ever)
 
Arlington said:
As linked by the OP in the other thread, it says here (2006 source) that [between BBY & SS] is free:


Did that change? (has it been defeated at BOS outbound by the new "ticket check"?) Seems like they simply told conductors not to collect fares after BBY inbound or until after BBY outbound. I've never tried it, myself (in 2006 or ever)
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Not sure. One of those T anomalies. T fare website clearly says subway fare for all Zone 1A transfers on Commuter Rail.
 
Also, if you use the new Commuter Rail fare calculator and select
Origin: South Station
Destination: Back Bay

It says $2.25.
 
There's not enough time to check fares between BBY and SST so they functionally don't. On the Providence/Stoughton line, at least, this actually applies out to Ruggles.
 
Arlington said:
I had totally forgotten that BOS-BBY was free on the T. Is it free to Yawkey?
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No, its 1A so the same price as the subway. That said, I would say they have only checked my pass maybe once or twice. It is the best way to get to Fenway, but, the schedule doesn't always line up and they don't run any extra train for the game so it isn't as great as it could be.
 
Shepard said:
There's not enough time to check fares between BBY and SST so they functionally don't. On the Providence/Stoughton line, at least, this actually applies out to Ruggles.
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Correct, Back Bay to South Station was promoted as free as a weak attempt to advertise the service..

It has functionally been free forever because tickets never have been and never will be checked between the two.There is not enough time. So why not use it as a selling point?

Same reason SEPTA has free travel between the three underground urban stations. There is simply no time to check fares.

Ironically, the new fare system would allow them to charge for this free ride.

Back in the day, they WOULD collect fares coming inbound from Yawkey because it was a low floor platform so the conductor would easily see the 2 people who got on. I am guessing with full high platforms and automated doors, fares are rarely collected inbound.
 
Shepard said:
There's not enough time to check fares between BBY and SST so they functionally don't. On the Providence/Stoughton line, at least, this actually applies out to Ruggles.
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I don't think they check fares on any of the NEC lines until after Ruggles. The stops are just too close together for the conductors to engage in that before having to run off to operate a door (another pet peeve of mine). I also know plenty of people who buy the 1A pass, which is checked before Forest Hills, but then actually deboard at Roslindale, Belvue, etc., because the trains are still too crowded for a second check or review of whether people rode too far.
 
HenryAlan said:
I don't think they check fares on any of the NEC lines until after Ruggles. The stops are just too close together for the conductors to engage in that before having to run off to operate a door (another pet peeve of mine). I also know plenty of people who buy the 1A pass, which is checked before Forest Hills, but then actually deboard at Roslindale, Belvue, etc., because the trains are still too crowded for a second check or review of whether people rode too far.
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Lately I have seen them checking again after Forest Hills - but generally that has been true (if they even checked at all by Rozzie Square/Bellevue).
 
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