That's what I pay now. At 30% my monthly pass is going up to $325. Factoring in approximately $90 for parking makes my monthly commuting cost about $415 to enjoy the privilege of riding the T. This, plus a 20 mile ride to the nearest MBTA station (I live in New Bedford) is going to make me seriously consider any kind of alternative to the MBTA.
T fares are going up, tolls are going up, the gas tax is going up. Meanwhile, our bridges and streets are falling apart and T service is getting worse every year.
If it really goes up that much, I think they will either lose riders, or lose revenue as riders switch to less costly (but less convenient) modes of riding. I buy a zone 1 pass for $135. If that goes to $175, I'll switch to a link pass. It's already a questionable value at $135. Zone 1 is definitely not worth $175.
Top state transportation officials, including MBTA General Manager Daniel Grabauskas and the state’s transportation secretary, James Aloisi, have said prices could increase 25 percent to 30 percent even as they consider service cuts of up to 50 percent on weekends and during off-peak hours. No timetable has been set for either a rate hike or service cuts.
Do they really have a viable plan here? If there is no timetable, how do they know how much they need?
Despite what it called record ridership last year, the MBTA said the price hikes are needed to prevent layoffs, cuts in service or another equally unpalatable alternative.
Why should they prevent layoffs? I don't want to wish layoffs on anyone, but shouldn't that be a place that a business which is failing so badly to be financially viable look?
I think the bottom line is that the T is hemorrhaging money, and needs some radical reconstruction, not just a fare hike or a service cut.
With the ride-a-long conductors. Without their station announcements, how will we know when the automated announcement is wrong? Without them to let us know what side the doors are going to open on, how will we know which doors to get out?
30%? Holy cow. As a casual T-rider (i.e., I don't depend on it to commute) living in Newton, I already think the commuter rail is outrageous. (The express buses, when they show up are great. The green line is slow and it makes me motion sick)
If my husband and I want to go for dim sum in Chinatown on a Sunday afternoon, it will cost us $17 round trip, if we got off at South Station and walked to Chinatown. (If we wanted to transfer at Back Bay and switch the orange line, that's another $7 total) All that for a 20-25 minute ride.
If we drive, we can park in a lot for $10 after getting our parking validated from where we usually go for dim sum.
Using the commuter rail is simply not all that enticing. And the buses by my house don't run on Sundays, and to take the pukey green line from Woodland to Downtown and switch to the red line or walk from Downtown Crossing would take more than an hour.
I just don't see much of a reason to take the T anymore, unfortunately. I'd RATHER use public transportation, but between the prices going up and the sub-par service, I'd rather carpool.
By independentminded (not verified) - 3/15/09 - 11:09 am
A 30% increase in the MBTA fares is outrageous! Having a Charlie Card does make things easier, but it doesn't justify such a steep raise in the fares. If they're going to raise the fares on the T, two things should be done:
A) Improve the service so that they'll attract more ridership and not less.
B) If they have to raise the fares on the T in order to keep up with inflation, that's one thing, but, again, 30%, especially during these times, is an awful lot.
Comments
Really?
By DVDWow - 3/10/09 - 9:29 am
Could they pick a worse example than the guy complaining about his pass going from $20 to $26?
I pay $186 now for a commuter rail pass, a 30% hike is $250. At $250, I'm out. It's either driving or getting a new job.
$250? A mere pittance!
By Innismir - 3/10/09 - 9:44 am
That's what I pay now. At 30% my monthly pass is going up to $325. Factoring in approximately $90 for parking makes my monthly commuting cost about $415 to enjoy the privilege of riding the T. This, plus a 20 mile ride to the nearest MBTA station (I live in New Bedford) is going to make me seriously consider any kind of alternative to the MBTA.
Disgusting really.
T fares are going up, tolls
By anon (not verified) - 3/10/09 - 9:33 am
T fares are going up, tolls are going up, the gas tax is going up. Meanwhile, our bridges and streets are falling apart and T service is getting worse every year.
MA is such a great place to live.
It could be worse
By anon (not verified) - 3/10/09 - 9:55 am
You could live in California.
And yet...
By Stewart - 3/10/09 - 10:49 am
You're still here.
30% is rather steep
By HenryAlan - 3/10/09 - 9:46 am
If it really goes up that much, I think they will either lose riders, or lose revenue as riders switch to less costly (but less convenient) modes of riding. I buy a zone 1 pass for $135. If that goes to $175, I'll switch to a link pass. It's already a questionable value at $135. Zone 1 is definitely not worth $175.
Top state transportation
By Seth - 3/10/09 - 10:42 am
Do they really have a viable plan here? If there is no timetable, how do they know how much they need?
Why should they prevent layoffs? I don't want to wish layoffs on anyone, but shouldn't that be a place that a business which is failing so badly to be financially viable look?
I think the bottom line is that the T is hemorrhaging money, and needs some radical reconstruction, not just a fare hike or a service cut.
If they laid off the station
By pierce - 3/10/09 - 12:13 pm
If they laid off the station attendants standing around gabbing or talking on the phone the system would crumble
Same thing ....
By Matt L (not verified) - 3/10/09 - 2:17 pm
With the ride-a-long conductors. Without their station announcements, how will we know when the automated announcement is wrong? Without them to let us know what side the doors are going to open on, how will we know which doors to get out?
30%? Holy cow. As a casual
By Kristine (not verified) - 3/10/09 - 11:24 am
30%? Holy cow. As a casual T-rider (i.e., I don't depend on it to commute) living in Newton, I already think the commuter rail is outrageous. (The express buses, when they show up are great. The green line is slow and it makes me motion sick)
If my husband and I want to go for dim sum in Chinatown on a Sunday afternoon, it will cost us $17 round trip, if we got off at South Station and walked to Chinatown. (If we wanted to transfer at Back Bay and switch the orange line, that's another $7 total) All that for a 20-25 minute ride.
If we drive, we can park in a lot for $10 after getting our parking validated from where we usually go for dim sum.
Using the commuter rail is simply not all that enticing. And the buses by my house don't run on Sundays, and to take the pukey green line from Woodland to Downtown and switch to the red line or walk from Downtown Crossing would take more than an hour.
I just don't see much of a reason to take the T anymore, unfortunately. I'd RATHER use public transportation, but between the prices going up and the sub-par service, I'd rather carpool.
Youch!!
By independentminded (not verified) - 3/15/09 - 11:09 am
A 30% increase in the MBTA fares is outrageous! Having a Charlie Card does make things easier, but it doesn't justify such a steep raise in the fares. If they're going to raise the fares on the T, two things should be done:
A) Improve the service so that they'll attract more ridership and not less.
B) If they have to raise the fares on the T in order to keep up with inflation, that's one thing, but, again, 30%, especially during these times, is an awful lot.