fare hike

Un-fare

adamg — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:14:23 +0000

Also see: Riders of the Hull ferry talk about the proposed end of their commute:

No surprise: People don't want massive MBTA service cuts, fare hikes

adamg — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 04:36:15 +0000

Wicked Local Newton reports on the first MBTA meeting with riders. The Globe was there as well.

Public meetings begin on plans to decimate bus, commuter rail, ferry and Green Line service

adamg — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 03:14:27 +0000

The MBTA starts a series of public meetings on Tuesday to let the public ~~vent helplessly~~ pipe up about plans to cut a number of bus lines, all ferry service, weekend and post-10 p.m. commuter rail service and the E line on weekends.

The T says it also wants to hear from commuters on its plans to raise fares by at least 35% to help make up a $160 million projected shortfall in the fiscal year that begins July 1.

Background info and meeting schedule from the MBTA
The T needs more than fare increases - Conservation Law Foundation
So No to MBTA Fare Hikes and Service Reductions
Students Against T Cuts
Fare increases and service cuts are unwise, unfair and unnecessary - T Riders Union
Where Does the MBTA Go from Here? - Jeff Egnyczyk

Patrick says he can't justify T fare increases until people stop thinking it sucks

adamg — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:52:27 +0000

The Globe reports on comments Deval Patrick made this morning on WTKK.

He could accept a T fare hike under one condition

adamg — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:15:34 +0000

That Dan Grabauskas has to go, the Outraged Liberal explains.

MBTA still looking to increase fares or slash service

adamg — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:57:37 +0000

Looks like the extra revenue from the increase in the sales tax won't cut it for T officials, who have scheduled hearings on possible fare hikes of nearly 20%. Basic CharlieCard fares would go from $1.70 to $2.00, while bus fares would rise from $1.25 to $1.50. Commuter-rail riders would also see increases.

Without the increases, the T says it will have to cut service, including a reduction in bus service of 50% after 8 p.m. and on weekends, elimination of all weekend Mattapan line service, elimination of several "redundant" Green Line stops and the entire E line past Brigham Circle, reducing all midday and post-8 p.m. subway service by 50% and cancellation of all ferry service. Also: the last commuter rail trains out of Boston would leave by 7 p.m. and there would be no weekend service at all on commuter lines.

The first "workshop" on the T budget is Aug. 10 at 4 p.m. at the State House, followed by meetings on Aug. 11 in Revere, Aug. 12 in Braintree, and Aug. 13 in Somerville. The last three sessions all start at 5:30 p.m., which, of course, gives many working people little time to get to them.

More details from the MBTA (PDF document).

So, how much and how soon for another round of MBTA fare hikes?

adamg — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:07:01 +0000

Mike Mennonno sees the sudden honesty about operating expenses at the T as mere groundwork laying for new fare hikes next year, now that Gov. Patrick and the legislature have made it clear they won't do anything about the T's crippling debt:

... The only question is whether it'll be thirty-five or forty percent. How does $2.30 for a single subway trip with a charlie card sound? $2.80 with a paper ticket? And bus fare of $1.75 with a card, $2.10 with cash? $79 for a monthly pass.

I'm starting a pool. Get your guesstimates in now.

The downward slide of MBTA ridership this year

adamg — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 21:40:01 +0000

Beyond Red & Blue summarizes data from the American Public Transportation Association on public-transit usage for the first half of 2007: Nationally, ridership was up, but down in Boston (subway ridership was down 8%; the sharpest decline in the country; bus and trolley ridership was down less dramatically; commuter-rail use was actually up a bit). Hmm, what happened in the first six months of this year that could explain that?.

See the APTA data for yourself.

In a dream world, these new fees and taxes might actually happen

adamg — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 17:48:49 +0000

Casey Ross has the details on proposals to raise $20 billion over the next 20 years just to keep our existing roads, bridges, tunnels and public transit systems from falling apart even more. How about 5-cent/mile tolls on I-93, I-95, I-495, to start?

Vote on the new fare hike

T Riders Union — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 01:15:07 +0000

The T Riders Union set up a few polls over on our site on how riders feel about the fare hikes.

We're going to collect the results of how riders feel and present them to the MBTA, so head on over and feel free to leave comments as well: http://www.ace-ej.org

Her last T pass

adamg — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 15:52:33 +0000

Anali explains why the increase in T fares means she'll be driving to work all the time come Jan. 2.

Farewell, little token

adamg — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 02:59:17 +0000

Michael Burstein bids the T token adieu:

... I will miss the token. I grew up in New York City, not in Boston, but I remember the look and feel of the various subway tokens that the MTA issued as I was growing up. I loved looking at older tokens, ones that were no longer usable, as it was like looking at a piece of history. Somewhere, I've kept a collection of older tokens, both from New York City and Boston, and it saddens me to think that we'll no longer see new designs. ...

Plus, he adds: Tokens just work - e-cards sometimes don't.

Meanwhile, the Transport Avenger is pleasantly shocked to discover CharlieCards actually work well:

... It's great to just tap the card on the sensor. Getting on a bus takes a second, and the gates on the subway open with no delay. ...

Token ed. note: If only my laptop weren't awaiting a new brain, I could try to make a token flag flying at half mast for the top of Universal Hub.

The new T commuter pass makes his head spin

adamg — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 22:30:19 +0000

Train Mon makes the mistake of trying to figure out the new commuter-rail fare structure and why the Zone 1A Pass makes more sense than the LinkPass.

Mac Daniel explains the CharlieCard to us

adamg — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 18:15:37 +0000

The Globe's transportation reporter provides a handy video on how to use the new card - and shows why he desperately needs somebody at boston.com to change that dorky photo of him on his blog.

Has anybody at the T ever actually listened to "Charlie on the MTA?"

adamg — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 00:44:44 +0000

John Daley notes the T's fare increase is timed to coincide with the formal launch of CharlieCards, which, of course, are named for the protagonist of a song who will never return, no, he'll never return, because he couldn't get offa that train after a fare increase:

... I suppose it makes sense since, just like Charlie, a lot of working people now won't have enough money to pay the fare.

More than you'll ever want to know about the song.