WBUR reports on packed hearings yesterday on the state's plans to cut service and raise fares on the MBTA:
There appears little support on Beacon Hill for a funding alternative to the fare hikes and service cuts.
Don't look to Deval Patrick for any leadership on the issue: His state of the state address didn't mention the T crisis once, unless you count a glancing reference to our "crumbling infrastructure."
T ad campaign that started last year.
Ed. note: Percentage adjusted due to error in figures originally provided by the T.
Latest crime stats from the MBTA show that property crimes, such as larceny, increased 26% on the regional transportation system in 2011 over the year before.
Smart phones, bicycles and catalytic converters on cars parked in station lots account for much of the increase, the T says in a statement:
A roving UHub tweeter forwarded this Twitter screen capture during the pre-game show today. Needless to say, the tweet is no longer online.
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.
The Supreme Judicial Court ruled today an alleged Red Line groper's admission to police can't be used against him because he gave it after shaking his head no after his arrest when asked if he wanted to talk to police.
Brandon Clarke was arrested by MBTA Transit Police in 2008 on charges he groped a man on an outbound Braintree train. After he "shook his head back and forth in a negative fashion," an MBTA detective kept asking him if he was sure and, eventually, he gave an incriminating statement.
Edited to reflect fact incident was on commuter rail, not Orange Line.
Jessica Keener reports on an incident shortly before 10 a.m. on the outbound side at Back Bay station:
My husband + 3 others just pulled a blind man who fell down into the train tracks + saved this man's life in Boston today!!!!
Not long after, she tweeted at acting MBTA General Manager Jonathan Davis:
My husband & 3 other men saved a man from Back Bay train tracks. No MBTA people were there. Why not???
It's a wonder nobody thought of this before: Mr. mbTa:
Train delays?! bettah make 'em go faster, I got fools to pity!
Quit yo chattin' on yo cellular device. Nobody cares whatcha did last night, fool.
When fare increases go up, so does my tempah, fool!
The state Department of Transportation and the city of Boston today announced a competition for applications that let users navigate between the T and the Hubway bike system and find the location of the nearest food trucks.
State and city officials are hoping the real-time MBTA and Hubway data, coupled with information about food trucks, will lead to the same sorts of applications that emerged after a similar competition in 2009, then based just on data for certain bus routes.
Channel 25 reports MBTA officials are investigating a photo by a channel viewer that appears to show a T worker asleep at Wollaston during rush hour yesterday.
The morning after No Pants Day, Gretchen Bostrom tweets (don't read if eating):
Just witnessed a guy blow snot into his hand & wipe it on a bench at Charles MGH station, Alewife side. Seriously? No wonder we get sick!
Now I will NEVER sit on a public bench if I can help it!
I think I'm going to be that crazy lady who buys small tissue packets at CVS and hands them out to people I see sniffling.
Meanwhile, over on the Orange Line, Cara reports this morning:
BosGuy photographed, videoed the annual No Pants T ride, has exclusive photo of a planker sans pants on the Red Line.
The annual No Pants subway ride kicks off at 2 p.m. at South Station tomorrow. And remember, no thongs:
This is NOT illegal. Regular underwear does not constitute indecent exposure.
BostInnovation interviews Shawn Dufour, who's taken lots of photos of abandoned (and some active) tunnels and station areas in Boston.
Students Against T Cuts is just what it sounds like: Area college students working to fight proposed cuts at the T. Repeal forward funding, they argue.
Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) contribution.
