T riders to get official advocate under transportation bill
By adamg - 4/9/09 - 10:03 pm
The Medford Green Line Neighborhood Alliance reports that Rep. Carl Sciortino of Somerville managed to get language in the House version of the transportation reform bill to create a "ridership advocate" at the new transportation uber-authority.
"The riders of the T are the ones who know best what is working and what needs improvement," said Sciortino. "It's important that this new transportation authority have someone looking out for those who actually ride the trains and buses."
Ed. question: What does this mean for the T's existing Ridership Oversight Committee, which seems to consist of people who actually ride the trains and buses?
Comments
Force T Officials to Ride the T
"The riders of the T are the ones who know best what is working and what needs improvement," said Sciortino. "It's important that this new transportation authority have someone looking out for those who actually ride the trains and buses."
That is exactly why the top T officials should be forced to ride the T. Without riding the T, they're clueless as to the real needs and failures of the system.
Adam's right.
If they ride it they'll see what is bad and then they'll want to make changes to improve it. Dukakis rode it and it improved under his reign.
Job Duties
Anybody serving in an executive capacity at the T who has a car/parking provided must do the following:
On a randomly selected day during during a specified week of the month, they will be given a randomly selected commuting assignment.
They can plan their own start time and route as they see fit, but will be expected to reach their destination within 1/2 mile of a transit stop by a specified time or they will be docked pay.
At least once per year, during the months of December through March, this assignment would have to be completed using a wheelchair.
They will not be allowed to use anything but a charlie ticket or charlie card to complete this journey.
My bet: this would result in pretty swift improvement of the system.
Swirly, I agree with you (for once)
To walk in another man's shoes (or roll on their wheels) would definitely be a learning experience for them.
I agree he should eat his own dogfood, but...
I'm sure Grabauskas understands well enough how lousy the T is for many people.
I think the reason he should commute via T every day is not so to understand, but there are three other reasons:
1. Show by example that public transit is not only for the poor and the students.
2. Show of solidarity with people who have to put up with lousy service. He might not have to spend over 2 hours to travel 6 geographic miles, as I did once last year, but a commuter rail that's late for Grabauskas several times every week -- causing at least one missed connections, resulting in a missed appointment -- will at least make the other marginalized people feel better.
3. I think it should be implied (if not expressed) as part of the job offer to head public transit that you will ride public transit. I'm sure we won't have to ask anyone to reapply for their own job, like happens in the private sector... :)
Gah! I thought one advantage of not being in high tech anymore
Was never hearing that awful metaphor ever again :-).
Please, let's not also have Grabauskas open his kimono at 30,000 feet ...
Focusing on our core competencies, GOING FORWARD...
...(30 seconds elapse)... STOP going forward, for another Green Line station.
If you use "seamless," I will scream
Or "net-net," "win-win" or "at the end of the day" :-).
You present
a good take-home message, Adam. Thanks.
Management should use the system they manage
It'll be hard to get any meaningful changes through as long as the top transportation officials (INCLUDING Dan Grabauskas) do not actually use (and rely on) the system that they manage. That's one thing I'd like to see changed: Hire someone to run the system who is at least committed enough to public transportation to be using it themselves.
Dukakis took it when he was Governor
and he still takes it to this day.
And he's remembered for the
And he's remembered for the great job he did as governor.
Was he a good Governor?
His term(s) were a little before my time...was he considered good?