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He rides the 30 so you don't have to

Jason, who blogs about rides on the T, reviews the 30 bus, which runs between Mattapan Square and Forest Hills via Roslindale Square:

In contrast to the 28 and 31, the 30 route itself is quite tranquil serving a mainly residential slice of western Mattapan and northern Roslindale, the parts of Boston no typical tourist would think could exist within Boston city limits. It also may be the only MBTA bus route that gets to cut through a cemetery which when coupled with the High Speed Line creates a double play of cemetery-cutting. ... The 30 keeps quiet and does its job and tries to not let delays get in its way.

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Comments

Unless you live on or near the route or work along it (and there isn’t that much outside of some light industrial and churches), there isn’t really a reason to take it unless you absolutely need to get from Roslindale to Mattapan.

I don't know about that. I take the 30 fairly often if I am heading to Dorchester. 30 to High Speed Line to Ashmont is a pretty quick route from Rozzie to Dot.

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The 30 used to run from Roslindale Square to Mattapan Square, with no true subway connection anywhere. Now it almost always continues up Washington St. to Forest Hills, giving a subway connection to everyone along Cummins.

I've used it to go to the Rozzie Stop & Shop, and on a 3 vehicle trip to Randolph that even the T's trip planner couldn't figure out (it worked, though). More often I've taken it to ride the trolleys, which do get me to work but it's really only one notch above sightseeing.

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If you have a Charlie Card but not a monthly pass, does this trip count as a single $1.70 fare (despite two transfers), or as two separate fares?

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meaning that it's $1.70.

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Due to a design flaw at Ashmont, that is not exactly the case.

If you are riding a bus, such as the 30, into Mattapan and then board the trolley your fare is $1.70 total ($1.25 on the bus, $0.45 reduced transfer on the trolley). However, if your ultimate destination is someplace like Fields Corner or Park Street, you must request a special Red Line transfer ticket from the motorman as you board the trolley. (So few people know of this option that many motormen have actually forgotten how to issue them, so I've heard.) Otherwise, when you tap your card at Ashmont, it will have an additional $1.70 deducted. Yeah, that's right, you end up paying $3.40 for a one-way trip from Cummins or River Street to Dorchester/Downtown Boston.

Personally, I'd rather see a modified version of the old trolley fare system: viz., passengers boarding eastbound trolleys betwixt Mattapan and Cedar Grove pay no fare (as many are likely to be transferring to the Red Line or local bus at Ashmont); local riders pay upon exit (i.e. a Capen --> Butler trip); westbound riders at Ashmont board w/o interacting at the farebox, and local westbound riders pay upon exit. That way, through riders from the Red Line who may be transferring to buses at Mattapan get their built-in transfers kept intact. Still have to figure out what folks from Ashmont buses (18, 22, 217, etc.) do when they board the trolley.

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This is the first I've heard of a Mattapan trolley transfer ticket. Is this mentioned on the T's website?

http://www.mbta.com/uploadedfiles/Documents/Schedu... says there's a free transfer at Ashmont, but it doesn't describe the procedure.

It also says you can ask for a paper transfer if you pay cash on board the Green Line and transfer to the SL1/SL2, or vice versa.

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Are you sure? I don't know of any other trips where you can swipe a CharlieCard three times but only pay one fare.

In practice, does anyone pay for the Mattapan trolley?

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My understanding of the system was that a trip was a trip, and as long as it was any combo of local bus and rail, it was $1.70. But since I have a pass, I have to admit, I don't really know what the actual charge is. Seems from a few other posts, that I'm probably mistaken about this.

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Ever since I was a Freshman in high school in 1986 I've caught a bus to Forest Hills station from the corner of Aldridge and Belgrade nearly every single day. And every bus that passed that stop... whether it was a #35, a #36 or a #37 bus... was a Forest Hills bus. It was a no-brainer. But these past several months I've had to put up with #30 buses... or #36 Buses that change into #30 buses when they hit the square. That in addition to the "out-of-service" buses, the "mystery[Oo-oo-oo-ooh.]" buses with no sign where you have to guess what they are as they're speeding by and the ones with non-existent routes on their signs. Dude, no offense, but I want my buses back. :/

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