What would you do to get the T out of its financial mess?

JohnAKeith said:
There's a "student rate"? Explain.
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MBTA Reduced Fare Programs Information said:
Students ride the T for 50% off the price of standard T fares and are eligible for a $20/month Student T-Pass good for unlimited travel on Bus, Subway, Express Bus, and Commuter Rail Zones 1A, 1 and 2 until 11:00 p.m. on school days.

Discounted rides or passes require a Student CharlieCard or CharlieTicket, available at participating junior high and high schools. See your school administrator for details.
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I believe certain colleges and universities also offer the discounted fare options. Mine does not.
 
Hmmm. I don't know if I could support charging public school students the full-price. This is how high school students get to and from school.

I don't know how many colleges have programs; I've never heard of it.
 
I think MIT probably just subsidizes T-Passes, but through MIT it's 50% off...
 
Just a note - sponsored stations were already tried and failed - at least a couple times. Maybe an "Adopt a Subway" program with a smaller donation threshold would be helpful, though.

Oh, and there's already MBTA merchandise: http://www.mbtagifts.com/shop.php
 
I don't know when they started doing this, but I noticed the MBTA is selling antique maps and signs on its web site...
 
cozzyd said:
I don't know when they started doing this, but I noticed the MBTA is selling antique maps and signs on its web site...
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It's via a third part (the Ward Maps stores on Mass Ave in Cambridge).
 
Commuting Boston Student said:
1) Are there even any public transit agencies running at a profit? If there aren't, can you really say 'study the three most profitable agencies' and not 'study the guys who aren't losing money as fast as we are?'
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I would not study an agency that is losing money, even if it is at a slower rate. If your goal is to be profitbale only study agencies that are profitable. If there aren't any profitable public agency, then find the closest business model that resembles your organizational structure and study that.

Commuting Boston Student said:
3d) Sure, I'd throw $40 down or thereabouts for an MBTA hoodie. Maybe one with a map of the subway on it? (I don't actually own any hoodies.) I do wonder if that'd really put all that large of a dent in the problem, though, and I also don't really consider this a 'drastic' proposal.
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You are right- this is not drastic, but I bet there would be a cult like following for these items.
 
shockingboston said:
I would not study an agency that is losing money, even if it is at a slower rate. If your goal is to be profitbale only study agencies that are profitable. If there aren't any profitable public agency, then find the closest business model that resembles your organizational structure and study that.



You are right- this is not drastic, but I bet there would be a cult like following for these items.
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I sitll suggest that there's a market on cable channels for 'Reality programs' related to heavy, dangerous and dirty work. If there is a demand for fishing, logging and digging there should be a oportuity to sell the challlenge of keeping the T running -- such as the following promo:

"Witness the constant battle in the wee hours every night to keep the T running for its million riders of trains, busses, trolleys, tracklesss trolleys and subways. Each night in just 4 hours a small army decends into the voids to perform routine and emergency care on the T's 100 year old tunnels underneath Boston's historic streets nd buildings, elevated structures, tracks in busy streets and the overhead wires powering trackless and tracked trolleys. See T-men and T-gals welding, diging, sawing, replacing wiring, filling sinking ground under the tracks, pumping out tunnels filling with water and beset with rats, etc. Watch the commuter rail and trolley mainternnce crews battle downed tree limbs, snow (some years), freeaing and thawing ground. "

I'd bet that such a program would really spur the sale to T-shirts, flashlights and hoodies

Some other highlight from the wiki article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MBTA


the subway averaged 598,200 riders -- fourth busiest subway system in the United States.
the combined Green Line and Ashmont–Mattapan High Speed Line -- the busiest light-rail system in the U.S, with a weekday ridership of 255,100

In 2006, 31.60% of workers in the city proper commuted by public transport.

one of only two U.S. transit agencies that operate all of the five major types of transit vehicles: regional (commuter) rail trains, "heavy" rapid transit (subway/elevated) trains, light rail vehicles (trolleys), electric trolleybuses and motor buses. The other is Philadelphia's Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA).

the largest consumer of electricity in Massachusetts,
the second-largest land owner after the Department of Conservation and Recreation
the CNG bus fleet was the largest consumer of alternative fuels in the state
 
shockingboston said:
I would not study an agency that is losing money, even if it is at a slower rate. If your goal is to be profitbale only study agencies that are profitable. If there aren't any profitable public agency, then find the closest business model that resembles your organizational structure and study that.



You are right- this is not drastic, but I bet there would be a cult like following for these items.
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Isn't the "profitable public agency" you're looking for an oxymoron? Running in balance? Sure, but the word "profitable" makes me cringe. If there was profit to be found, private enterprise would've stepped in long ago.
 
bbfen said:
Isn't the "profitable public agency" you're looking for an oxymoron? Running in balance? Sure, but the word "profitable" makes me cringe. If there was profit to be found, private enterprise would've stepped in long ago.
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I think "reasonable loss" (60% of costs covered by users vs 25% now) is a fair goal for a public agency.
 
Hong Kong's system is in the real estate business, and spectacularly profitable as a result. Imagine if the MBTA could build dense mini-cities around Alewife or Wellington. Even just speaking in terms of land it owns, imagine if the MBTA could itself build towers on air rights over the Reservoir yards by Cleveland Circle.

I have a great picture somewhere of the elevated rail being constructed over Queens Boulevard - in the middle of agricultural farmland. Even in this country the heyday of transit went hand in hand with real estate speculation.
 
Shepard said:
Hong Kong's system is in the real estate business, and spectacularly profitable as a result. Imagine if the MBTA could build dense mini-cities around Alewife or Wellington. Even just speaking in terms of land it owns, imagine if the MBTA could itself build towers on air rights over the Reservoir yards by Cleveland Circle.

I have a great picture somewhere of the elevated rail being constructed over Queens Boulevard - in the middle of agricultural farmland. Even in this country the heyday of transit went hand in hand with real estate speculation.
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The MBTA building it's own developments? They'd run into terrible cost overruns, look like shit (if not, they will after 10 years), will not be structurally sound in 10 years, and will function poorly.
 
Shepard said:
Hong Kong's system is in the real estate business, and spectacularly profitable as a result. Imagine if the MBTA could build dense mini-cities around Alewife or Wellington. Even just speaking in terms of land it owns, imagine if the MBTA could itself build towers on air rights over the Reservoir yards by Cleveland Circle.

I have a great picture somewhere of the elevated rail being constructed over Queens Boulevard - in the middle of agricultural farmland. Even in this country the heyday of transit went hand in hand with real estate speculation.
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Shep -- in cae you haven't been to Alewife lately I heartily coment a walk about -- in the past decade there has been a significant amount of development around Alewife -- housing, restaurants, office and research and park land

what Alewife lacks:
1) better road connections to Lake Street and the other side of the tracks
2) a nice suite hotel
3) a couple of more restaurants
 
^ Not disputing that things are happening at Alewife. I'm saying that in a better world the MBTA would be in on the financial upside.
 
Shepard said:
^ Not disputing that things are happening at Alewife. I'm saying that in a better world the MBTA would be in on the financial upside.
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Sounds - like -- T Incremenal Financing

Perhaps there is a germ of an idea -- not that the T should do or even control the development -- but that the development around a place such as Alewife, Wellington, Riverside could be tied financially to the presense of the T Station and the developers would somehow "pay" for the T facilities in their midst

Perhaps the model is a Business Improvement District -- this would be the Transit Improvement District where as the developer or owner of a structure in a T-nexus you would pay and get in exchange a role in planning for enhanements

there could be 3 rings:
1) inner -- your project can connect to the T station
2) middle -- your project has a substantial number of commuters arriving at your premises from the station
3) outer -- your project has a significant number of commters boarding through the T station

Each ring gets assessed at a rate based on the magniude of the project and the appropriate ring

Anyway -- an idea
 
JohnAKeith said:
Hmmm. I don't know if I could support charging public school students the full-price. This is how high school students get to and from school.

I don't know how many colleges have programs; I've never heard of it.
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Some college do have discount passes. I do recall hearing Northeastern for example. However, if you're a student that wants in, you *must* sign up early--- in the school year though. I believe the lady expects to have all forms by August if not September... If you wait until October to try to sign-up I think you'll be told you must wait until November or January? to sign up?
 
Looks like protests have started in Somerville. Perhaps an "occupy the T movement"? lol
--
Protesters Rally in Somerville
By Mercer R. Cook and Kerry M. Flynn, CRIMSON STAFF WRITERS
Published: Wednesday, February 29, 2012
http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2012/2/29/protesters-rally-somerville/

(Snip)
Over 100 people gathered in front of Somerville High School to protest service cuts and fare increases proposed by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Services before a public hearing with the MBTA scheduled to be held on Tuesday.
(end Snip)
 
Digital_Islandboy said:
Looks like protests have started in Somerville. Perhaps an "occupy the T movement"? lol
--
Protesters Rally in Somerville
By Mercer R. Cook and Kerry M. Flynn, CRIMSON STAFF WRITERS
Published: Wednesday, February 29, 2012
http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2012/2/29/protesters-rally-somerville/

(Snip)
Over 100 people gathered in front of Somerville High School to protest service cuts and fare increases proposed by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Services before a public hearing with the MBTA scheduled to be held on Tuesday.
(end Snip)
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Digi--- Here's a novel idea for a protest -- the new "Charlie on the MBTA" -- board a subway or LRV and start camping in it until the T Boses are willing to listen to your ideas

Note -- I'm not advocating the above -- just musing on how the media might cover it
 
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