Too much T hatin'

You're absolutely right. The T is on time much of the time. I've had plenty of decent rides, and I've spoken with several employees who seem to know what is going on.

However, in terms of the stuff that's even bigger than merely being on time (such as letting people get stuck in the doors) and putting mysterious - and hefty - charges on people's credit cards, the T ain't cuttin' it.

... the T is not exactly the best version of same. Though compared to most of the US, it's pretty damn good.

For anyone who's ever ridden the Bus in Sydney, the streetcars in Genéve, the entire public transit system in München, the Metro in Paris, or the busses and Underground in London, we see every flaw in the T system. The bizarre way that fares are collected (I can't begin to describe my frustration with the Windoze-based system that the current CharlieTickets and I assume CharlieCards use for the bus and subway) to how transfers require operator intervention... jeez.

I've also navigated my way around the NYC subway system, the commuter rail in the Bay area, whatever transit is called in Montréal and the El in Chicago (not to mention local bus lines throughout the midwest), so I'm well aware that Boston is not a universal embarassment. But it damn well requires improvement.

IMHO, we'd be better off with the EU system of having transit inspectors checking for cards/tickets (been checked in both Munich and Geneva, myself), or the "print what's been used" system used on the Sydney bus cards -- with two entry boxes in front on one at the back door -- but that's me. I like low-tech for transit systems, given a choice.

...until I moved off the green line. I never understood the T-hate when I took the red line everywhere...but now that I live towards the end of the green line, I think the T leaves much to be desired!