General MBTA Topics (Multi Modal, Budget, MassDOT)
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Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos
Is the middle one charlie as a vampire?
Also, idea:
Start issuing new drivers license and state IDs with a built in charlie card chip. Why have two cards when you could have one?
(But continue to distribute charlie cards for tourists and short term residents)
Is the middle one charlie as a vampire?
Also, idea:
Start issuing new drivers license and state IDs with a built in charlie card chip. Why have two cards when you could have one?
(But continue to distribute charlie cards for tourists and short term residents)
statler
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Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos
^^ Though I think it is a good idea, I'm guessing privacy advocates would have a fit if the state starting putting RDIF chips in driver licenses.
Maybe they could do it as an opt-in program though.
^^ Though I think it is a good idea, I'm guessing privacy advocates would have a fit if the state starting putting RDIF chips in driver licenses.
Maybe they could do it as an opt-in program though.
kennedy
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Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos
The privacy advocated are going to have a fit when the federal government starts handing out national I.D. cards, with everything rolled into one.
Consolidation is key, my friends. As jass put it, why have two cards when you can have one?
The privacy advocated are going to have a fit when the federal government starts handing out national I.D. cards, with everything rolled into one.
Consolidation is key, my friends. As jass put it, why have two cards when you can have one?
czsz
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Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos
National IDs were rejected even in Britain, where people are okay with police cameras watching literally everything.
They're a total non-starter in the US, a country where any proposal to extend the control of the government is instantly compared to Stalinism (unless, of course, it's the extension of the government overseas in the form of foreign wars, which are always totally manly and necessary and cool).
National IDs were rejected even in Britain, where people are okay with police cameras watching literally everything.
They're a total non-starter in the US, a country where any proposal to extend the control of the government is instantly compared to Stalinism (unless, of course, it's the extension of the government overseas in the form of foreign wars, which are always totally manly and necessary and cool).
kennedy
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Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos
Do you live in Missouri? 'Cause I could swear I heard someone say that same exact thing just the other day.
Do you live in Missouri? 'Cause I could swear I heard someone say that same exact thing just the other day.
czsz
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Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos
I can't even pronounce Missouri properly, and refuse to.
Back on topic:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/07/boston-woman-dragged-by-t_n_382976.html
I can't even pronounce Missouri properly, and refuse to.
Back on topic:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/07/boston-woman-dragged-by-t_n_382976.html
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos
Dear terrorists:
When attacking the MBTA, 30 seconds in Word will allow you to avert all suspicion
Meanwhile, at Hynes, the illusion of security is apparently worth blocking one of the busiest bus stops in the system,
These cabs dont care about the 39
And mayor menino doesnt care about those without cars
Dear terrorists:
When attacking the MBTA, 30 seconds in Word will allow you to avert all suspicion
Meanwhile, at Hynes, the illusion of security is apparently worth blocking one of the busiest bus stops in the system,
These cabs dont care about the 39
And mayor menino doesnt care about those without cars
Shepard
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Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos
There's always a transit vehicle in the Hynes bus stop. Always. I've seen buses miss the Boylston Street signal because they can't use the lane. I keep wanting to "write to the top" about it... but... meh.
But seriously, there are hundreds of illegal parking spots they could take in the immediate vicinity that don't block one of the busiest bus routes.
There's always a transit vehicle in the Hynes bus stop. Always. I've seen buses miss the Boylston Street signal because they can't use the lane. I keep wanting to "write to the top" about it... but... meh.
But seriously, there are hundreds of illegal parking spots they could take in the immediate vicinity that don't block one of the busiest bus routes.
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos
Lazy pigs.
I also enjoy when they all meet at this stop for coffee and leave their machines idling for an hour.
Lazy pigs.
I also enjoy when they all meet at this stop for coffee and leave their machines idling for an hour.
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos
I worked for the DCR for 3 years between high school and college and this was a CONSTANT trend. I cringed when they'd park the trucks in front of the office and go inside for literally hours (up to 3 on occasion) with the truck sitting outside running. This doesn't include the fact that they'd fill up the trucks, bring them back to the station, siphon the gas into their personal vehicle (or just use the gas in the portable containers) and then refill again later that day. Moreover, if you consider the time they wasted "idling" trucks and siphoning gas or just napping in the office (or the truck) with vehicle running, the loss of money is absurd. I would love (hate?) to see an actual dollar figure if it were actually measurable.
I worked for the DCR for 3 years between high school and college and this was a CONSTANT trend. I cringed when they'd park the trucks in front of the office and go inside for literally hours (up to 3 on occasion) with the truck sitting outside running. This doesn't include the fact that they'd fill up the trucks, bring them back to the station, siphon the gas into their personal vehicle (or just use the gas in the portable containers) and then refill again later that day. Moreover, if you consider the time they wasted "idling" trucks and siphoning gas or just napping in the office (or the truck) with vehicle running, the loss of money is absurd. I would love (hate?) to see an actual dollar figure if it were actually measurable.
czsz
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Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos
^ I hate that. Usually at least the credit option works. And of course the T pays a maintenance person to stand there and tell hapless tourists to "come back at the end of the week when it's fixed".
^ I hate that. Usually at least the credit option works. And of course the T pays a maintenance person to stand there and tell hapless tourists to "come back at the end of the week when it's fixed".
Beton Brut
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Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos
Is anyone surprised...?
Secret nook, with TV and videos, found at rail yard
Extended breaks by workers cited
By Noah Bierman
Globe Staff / December 15, 2009
The new manager on the late shift at the Somerville facility immediately noticed something awry. Many of his workers seemed to be taking long dinner breaks when they were supposed to be fixing trains for the region?s commuter rail system.
An investigation led to a strange discovery hidden in a storage room: a makeshift entertainment center, including three televisions, two DVD players, one VHS player, surround-sound speakers, a video game system, and DVDs, some of them pornographic, a transportation official said yesterday.
The equipment, slyly camouflaged within the commuter rail?s massive Somerville maintenance facility, even had an illegal cable television connection that came through a 1,000-foot cable, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is not yet concluded.
?This was very much concealed among maintenance parts and equipment,?? said the official. ?Nobody was watching at the time [it was found], but all that property was confiscated.??
No employees have come forward to claim the property since it was found Dec. 8. But six who were absent during a roll call on the evening it was discovered have been suspended as part of the investigation, including one employee who is accused of spending long breaks on the night shift at a bar he is believed to own on the North Shore. It is not clear whether the employee was drinking at the bar while on duty.
?Clearly, being off property and at a bar for several hours, regardless of what you?re doing, is inappropriate?? while on duty, the transportation official said.
Attempts to reach union officials representing the suspended workers were unsuccessful yesterday.
The employees do not work for the MBTA. They work for a private consortium, the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad, which runs the T?s commuter rail service under a contract with the public agency. The employees work as mechanics at the Boston Engine Terminal, a 375,000-square-foot facility in Somerville used for locomotive and coach maintenance.
?As the result of an ongoing investigation, Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad has suspended six employees, indefinitely, for apparent violations of workplace rules and regulations,?? the company said in a statement. ?Pending final outcome of the investigation, these employees will face full disciplinary action, including termination. MBCR maintains a zero tolerance policy toward any inappropriate behavior in the workplace.??
The investigation began after the new manager took over the facility about six weeks ago and noticed that employees on the 4 p.m. to midnight shift were taking breaks of 1 1/2 to 2 hours at a time, instead of the customary 30 to 45 minutes, according to the official.
While searching for missing employees last week, managers severed two padlocks on the electrical cabinet to find the entertainment center. Two of 14 DVDs hidden in the cabinet were pornographic, the official said. The others were mainstream movies, including ?Rambo.?? Pornography is prohibited under the company?s harassment and discrimination policies, the official said.
The company also prohibits employees from bringing in equipment likely to distract them from their jobs. The facility has a break room, but the entertainment center was located far away from it, the official said.
The suspended employees, who have not been named, are on unpaid leave, but will be paid retroactively for lost time if cleared. They have not been accused of using the entertainment center. Five have been accused of taking long breaks; the sixth was accused specifically of spending time at the bar, the official said.
The company plans to donate the equipment and destroy the videos, the official said.
Noah Bierman can be reached at nbierman@globe.com.
Is anyone surprised...?
Secret nook, with TV and videos, found at rail yard
Extended breaks by workers cited
By Noah Bierman
Globe Staff / December 15, 2009
The new manager on the late shift at the Somerville facility immediately noticed something awry. Many of his workers seemed to be taking long dinner breaks when they were supposed to be fixing trains for the region?s commuter rail system.
An investigation led to a strange discovery hidden in a storage room: a makeshift entertainment center, including three televisions, two DVD players, one VHS player, surround-sound speakers, a video game system, and DVDs, some of them pornographic, a transportation official said yesterday.
The equipment, slyly camouflaged within the commuter rail?s massive Somerville maintenance facility, even had an illegal cable television connection that came through a 1,000-foot cable, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is not yet concluded.
?This was very much concealed among maintenance parts and equipment,?? said the official. ?Nobody was watching at the time [it was found], but all that property was confiscated.??
No employees have come forward to claim the property since it was found Dec. 8. But six who were absent during a roll call on the evening it was discovered have been suspended as part of the investigation, including one employee who is accused of spending long breaks on the night shift at a bar he is believed to own on the North Shore. It is not clear whether the employee was drinking at the bar while on duty.
?Clearly, being off property and at a bar for several hours, regardless of what you?re doing, is inappropriate?? while on duty, the transportation official said.
Attempts to reach union officials representing the suspended workers were unsuccessful yesterday.
The employees do not work for the MBTA. They work for a private consortium, the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad, which runs the T?s commuter rail service under a contract with the public agency. The employees work as mechanics at the Boston Engine Terminal, a 375,000-square-foot facility in Somerville used for locomotive and coach maintenance.
?As the result of an ongoing investigation, Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad has suspended six employees, indefinitely, for apparent violations of workplace rules and regulations,?? the company said in a statement. ?Pending final outcome of the investigation, these employees will face full disciplinary action, including termination. MBCR maintains a zero tolerance policy toward any inappropriate behavior in the workplace.??
The investigation began after the new manager took over the facility about six weeks ago and noticed that employees on the 4 p.m. to midnight shift were taking breaks of 1 1/2 to 2 hours at a time, instead of the customary 30 to 45 minutes, according to the official.
While searching for missing employees last week, managers severed two padlocks on the electrical cabinet to find the entertainment center. Two of 14 DVDs hidden in the cabinet were pornographic, the official said. The others were mainstream movies, including ?Rambo.?? Pornography is prohibited under the company?s harassment and discrimination policies, the official said.
The company also prohibits employees from bringing in equipment likely to distract them from their jobs. The facility has a break room, but the entertainment center was located far away from it, the official said.
The suspended employees, who have not been named, are on unpaid leave, but will be paid retroactively for lost time if cleared. They have not been accused of using the entertainment center. Five have been accused of taking long breaks; the sixth was accused specifically of spending time at the bar, the official said.
The company plans to donate the equipment and destroy the videos, the official said.
Noah Bierman can be reached at nbierman@globe.com.
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R
Riverworks
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Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos
It's the T, of course they'll be "cleared".
It's the T, of course they'll be "cleared".
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos
I am surprised the Herald did not break this first....they have been on a tear lately slamming the state government.
In any event, this is pretty pathetic and sad. State workers wonder why they are given the lazy moniker.
I am surprised the Herald did not break this first....they have been on a tear lately slamming the state government.
In any event, this is pretty pathetic and sad. State workers wonder why they are given the lazy moniker.
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos
Three cheers for our hard-working union employees!
When will enough people realize that unions serve only to perpetuate mediocrity and laziness. They are a major reason many businesses are not competitive in a variety of industries.
Three cheers for our hard-working union employees!
When will enough people realize that unions serve only to perpetuate mediocrity and laziness. They are a major reason many businesses are not competitive in a variety of industries.
czsz
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Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos
Uh, see the anti-shadow law thread, where unions are against the law because they support the construction projects that give them jobs.
Unions play a major role counterbalancing underinformed people whose pet positions threaten to drag down the economy.
Uh, see the anti-shadow law thread, where unions are against the law because they support the construction projects that give them jobs.
Unions play a major role counterbalancing underinformed people whose pet positions threaten to drag down the economy.
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos
The entire MBTA commuter rail operation is contracted out to the MBCR (a private joint venture of Veolia Transportation, Bombardier, and ACI). These workers are contractors and not state employees. I'm sure most of the trades are union. This one can't be blamed on state employees but clearly the MBTA should exercise greater oversight of it's contractors.
The entire MBTA commuter rail operation is contracted out to the MBCR (a private joint venture of Veolia Transportation, Bombardier, and ACI). These workers are contractors and not state employees. I'm sure most of the trades are union. This one can't be blamed on state employees but clearly the MBTA should exercise greater oversight of it's contractors.
statler
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