Webchat Log: Your thoughts on the T

Posted by Meghna Chakrabarti, Saturday, March 1st, 2008

Our web conversation went on longer than the one hour Radio Boston is on the air. Supporters of the T said, hey, it’s better than NOT having it. But, frustations were best summed up with guest42290137’s smirk: “this forum explains the MBTA in a nutshell: NO ONE IS LISTENING.” Click on this post to read the entire transcript… Claudine How is your commute ? Do you take public transporation ? Do you have a question for MBTA General Manager Dan Grabauskas ? 11:12 guest422901 why aren't there more benches at stations where people are WAITING for trains? surely, loitering can be solved by other means if that is the issue. 11:18 guest36315 Funny you have a guest from Northeastern. My girlfriend is an associate prof. at Northeastern and it takes her an hour to an hour and a half to get there from Cambridge every day. She recently bought a scooter to never have to deal with the MBTA again. 11:19 guest146486 The MBTA/Commuter Rail expects its first delivery of newly purchased coaches by 2010. What is the MBTA's plan to make up the shortfall of locomotives and coaches that will no doubt plague (and in some cases already is) the commuter rail? 11:19 reverebeach i want to know why there is no connection between north and south station? 11:21 guest36315 Anyone who would say service is good either doesn't depend on the MBTA daily, or has extremely low expectations. My daily commute from Porter to Kendall Square took, on average, a half hour. I can walk it in forty minutes. It's pathetic. 11:22 MFD riders The T is great. I cant wait till the Green line comes to MFD hillside. my wife & I currently drive to work and sometimes walk 25 mins to get to Davis Sq T so the sooner the better. 11:24 guest36315 wait till you start commuting on that green line, MFD rider….then see how great you think it is. 11:25 guest4229013 Is there even a schedule for the trains? If there is, why isn't it posted at the stations? I guess it would just make people realize how late the trains often are. 11:28 guest274229 . I decided to take the bus a year and a half ago. I take the E line. I often wait at goverment center a minimum of 10 to 15 minutes for the e line. I sit there and see the number or times other lines like the Boston College line. 11:28 MFD riders hey, beats driving. lived in Somerville for years & think red line is great. 11:29 jennmjones Though I think this is a good time to re-examine service schedules and ridership demand 11:29 guest1896 Why did the MBTA purchase new Electric Busses for Cambridge that are so loud? Electric busses are supposed to be environment friendly. What was the logic behind this decision? 11:29 jennmjones First I suggest that the T should consider more direct bus routes 11:30 Emma from Waltham, MA To guest36315: I have been commuting on the green line for almost 20 years and the few problems I've experienced are usually caused by other passengers, not the MBTA. You are not going to convince me the “T” is not worth the fare. 11:31 jennmjones its takes 30 min to reach Copley Sq from City Point, a 2 mile drive 11:31 jennmjones that's unnecessary 11:31 guest742851 It would be great to have live route map displays in each subway station — showing exactly where cars are on the line at all times. Not knowing when the next train is coming is one of the most annoying things about riding the subway. 11:32 jennmjones Second,the T should use its new travel planning technology that is available on the T website and make it available remotely 11:33 jennmjones I would love a phone number where one could call in and the T could use speach to text technology to search the route (software and tech that's already available on mbta.com) 11:33 jennmjones so when one is out and about in town, one can find the best and most effective way home, without researching train and bus schedules before leaving ones home 11:33 guest7157221 Regarding the discussion about 24 hr service - I can understand that you need to some down time for repairs but shouldn't the T at least stay open until the bars close? It's like you want people to drive drunk. 11:34 jennmjones I honestly don't think there's the demand for 24 hour service 11:34 jennmjones or extended service 11:34 Emma from Waltham, MA 7157221:: How about just not getting drunk? 11:35 jennmjones but i think its an analysis that the mbta should do, to determine that demand, 11:35 jennmjones of hours 11:35 jennmjones and make that public 11:35 jennmjones for all i know its a demand analysis that's already been done 11:35 guest42290137 24 hour service would be nice but, the service in place needs to be improved first. 11:36 reverebeach i use to ride the night bus the 57 line was always packed in Allston, but by brighton, and oak square it was empty. 11:37 guest36315 I agree with Emma on 24 hour service. I'd much rather see the time and money spend on improved daytime service… 11:37 michael from boston5 Does the METRO paper pay a fee to help the clean up of all the tra***** generates on the T? I hear it is being sold or going out of business–thank god! 11:39 reverebeach people need to be better about picking up after themselves 11:39 guest36315 sorry, I meant I agree with jenna. I'd only being lying to myself I said I agreed with emma…about not getting drunk, anyway. 11:40 Emma from Waltham, MA Funny Revere! 11:40 guest42290137 what schedule?!?!?! 11:40 Emma from Waltham, MA Actually I meant, Funny 36315. 11:41 guest3654019 hmmmmmmmm 11:41 reverebeach more of a guide than a schedule really 11:41 michael from boston5 People don't pick up after themselves–but the source can be taxed to help defray what taxpayers must endure when we cannot go after individuals to improve their vision of their environment. Since the Democratic Convention trash containers disappeared. 11:42 DMK-Roslindale Si is anyone on the radio actually answering things here? 11:43 reverebeach i do not think they are, and the lines are busy, every time I call 11:43 RozzieRider Doesn't seem to be 11:43 Emma from Waltham, MA I agree with Reverebeach. What happened to a little personal accountability? Why should the “T” have to use resources to clean up the passenger's garbage? Take it with you and dispose of your garbage properly. 11:43 DMK-Roslindale same here…sort of useless having chat live then.. 11:43 michael from boston5 apparently not–just our opinions back and forth. 11:44 DMK-Roslindale SEPTA announced today a 4 month delay in deliveries from ROTAM. I want to know if that will cause a 4-months delay in the MBTA purchase of bilevel coaches. The situation as presented in the press suggests that will be th ecase if you connect the dots. 11:44 DMK-Roslindale sb ROTEM' 11:45 michael from boston5 Personal acoountability is learned. I notice there is no education on garbage and its effects on our vision of the city. Watch the kids on the T, the next generation of polluters at work. 11:45 Eda I missed it earlier but have they said anything about the frequent delays on the orange line caused by “signal problems” in wellington? 11:46 guest42290137 this forum explains the MBTA in a nutshell: NO ONE IS LISTENING 11:46 raker On the Franklin commuter line, the train is NEVER on schedule. The train coasts instead of accelerating, to save fuel. There are so few cars at rush hour they're packed full. Heaps of indignities,for which we pay $200 a month. 11:46 reverebeach and saying something to a polluters and their parents - oh boy problems 11:48 michael from boston5 The parents are dumping their METRO on the train and the kids pay attention. 11:48 Peter I stopped taking the com rail because of the price 11:48 Joanie_in_MiddleMass6 < 11:53 Peter I understand my problem here, it takes me nearly 2 hours for my commute 11:53 jennmjones think of the average ridership on the commuter rail 11:53 jennmjones its working professionals 11:53 reverebeach that is already happening on the red line, people getting their phone snatched out of their hands 11:53 Joanie_in_MiddleMass6 it think it is just getting up to speed with the rest of the world 11:53 jennmjones who have limited time 11:53 mdr hey, bob, ask dan g about the circle line to connect the outer branches of the green line and the south end! 11:54 jennmjones you mean the north south link? 11:54 Peter I would argue, think of the people that depend on the T 11:54 mdr no, there was a proposal to make a circular line that would connect the branches of Green and down to south station or so 11:55 Joanie_in_MiddleMass6 I am talking about the fitchburg line which is well over an hour ride 11:55 mdr to avoid the necessity of traveling all the way into downtown to switch back out to lower orange line or red 11:55 guesty4 What did MBCR do to provoke the commuter rail job action last year? 11:56 Peter These are the people who depend on the T 11:56 DMK-Roslindale No time - they won't get to my call 11:56 reverebeach i wonder if they made sure the bus with the reporter on it made the trip with no problems. 11:57 guesty4 Buses are grueling in Boston. The bus routes and names are not clear 11:57 Emma from Waltham, MA How exactly would the MBTA control traffic like that, Revere? 11:57 DMK-Roslindale I also told them it was bad form to not have a mbta person answering stuff here so someone at the radio station knows that. 11:57 Peter revere- bus 1 is usually on time around 1:00pm 11:57 Peter take the bus on Saturday, 11:57 Peter sometimes they're 40 minutes late 11:58 guest422901374 this program should run weekly. maybe then improvements would be made. 11:58 guest113393 I am concerned in this age of terrorism why we are pulled off trains and crowded onto platforms where no one can move. Isn't there a better way to handle this????? 11:58 DMK-Roslindale Take the 32 into Forest Hills afternoons after 1 pm. If you are along the last statute mile of the line its a crap shoot that you will get on. I've complained at least 6 times in 6 months 11:58 reverebeach by running extra buses before it, by having people at busy intersections 11:58 guest1896 very disappointing show - did not discuss the real problems. 11:58 guesty4 Dan sounded like he was entirely blaming the workers for the commuter rail slow downs last yr. What did MBCR do to provoke the job action—there are usually 2 sides to these disputes 11:59 reverebeach holding back other busses 11:59 DMK-Roslindale MBCR is mostly former Amtrak people. RR jobs are federally protected. 11:59 Peter One innovation that I would argue, round trip commuter passes with subway access 11:59 guest422901374 what a waste of time. 11:59 Adrienne D9 I agree Dan on the radio every week. I haven't heard a single honest comment yet. It's all roses and sunshine. You've got to be kidding me. It's all spin. 11:59 Peter rather suggest 11:59 Peter Pay a round trip ticket, use the subway, go home 12:00 Peter with an all inclusive fee 12:00 reverebeach they only get an hour each week, the rest of the station is all outside 12:01 christian scott one gets the feeling that dan is a powerless glad-handler 12:01 guesty4 Forget the pagers and the wifi and start by making the trains reliable. 12:01 Emma from Waltham, MA I wish Bob would do the show every week. David always cuts people off. 12:02 guesty4 I want to be fair to Dan–there are too many T problems to address in detail in a one hour show 12:02 Eda many of the cellular vendors have started putting “cells” in the downtown tunnels. do you think it is successful? will expand? 12:02 Peter guesty- I agree 12:03 Emma from Waltham, MA Me, too 12:03 guest1896 i disagree - David “calls” people on their stuff - the T guy would have had to answer the real questions, which he did not. 12:03 christian scott he's just as hollow in “starts and stops” in the globe 12:03 christian scott where he has one paragraph to respond to 12:03 Eric from Somerville Here's what I want to know: How did we manage to spend $9 billion digging a giant tunnel directly from South Station to North Station and not put a train in it? 12:04 Emma from Waltham, MA Great question Eric. 12:04 guest422901374 the MBTA just hasn't shown enough initiative to hear out the riders. this program should be the first of many attempts to reach out and listen to the riders. 12:04 christian scott commuter rail to the casinos! 12:05 guesty4 guest1896: I dont think David could have pinned him down any better–there are just too many aspects from financing to bus problems to commuter rail to address much in one hour — plus doing the reporting from the train. 12:06 jennmjones but to create a north south link, we'd need atleast four train tracks 12:06 jennmjones i don't think the size of the big dig could handle that as well 12:07 jennmjones as an engineer, i know that there had not ever been a civil works road construction project that exceeded the desigh/resources as the big dig 12:07 jennmjones and to assume that it could easily support the addition of four train tracks as well is obsurd 12:08 jennmjones i think we need to aknowledge that the problems of the T are complex 12:08 Eric from Somerville jennmjones: it would certainly have been monumentally expensive, but not nearly as expensive as it will be to do it separately from the big dig if we ever want to try it later on down the road. 12:08 guest422901374 jennmjones, you should take a trip to Berlin. after the reunification, Berlin had a project similar to the big dig that was 80% public transportation infrastructure. it made the big dig look like a pothole being fixed. 12:09 jennmjones i completely disagree with you 12:09 Adrienne D9 I think we need to acknolwedge that due to the complexities of the problems involved, the T needs more competent and effective management. 12:09 jennmjones yes, and i agree it has problems 12:09 christian scott what would Sir Topham Hatt do? 12:09 Eric from Somerville jennmjones: how so? 12:10 jennmjones but lets give the T constructive critism. as residents we need to communicate what we need 12:10 guest422901374 we've tried that. there not listening. 12:11 Eric from Somerville jennmjones: That's fair. I think one of the most frustrating things about the T is how where they spend their money rarely seems to coincide with what riders are looking for 12:11 Eric from Somerville Also, related: Dan G doesn't take the train to work! 12:11 Adrienne D9 Ok. Need trains and buses that actually show up and get to station when they're suppose to. Staff which are actually helpful and not in need of psychiatric intervention, oh and competen responsible management. 12:12 jennmjones i think they have the technology now, to see how people move, wiht the new charlie card system it would be easy to analyze the data for the current ridership patterns and demand 12:12 jennmjones i'm not sure that's ever really been done 12:12 Emma from Waltham, MA Yikes Adrienne! Psychiatric intervention? 12:12 Peter Yeah Eric, it's true, but which riders are most important? The areas that seem to be neglected are low income urban areas. 12:13 guest422901374 'there is another train directly behind this one' hah! 12:16 reverebeach depends on how you define directly 12:17 Peter I've seen that for busses as well 12:17 Peter typically the number 1 bus, sometimes three in a row 12:18 Emma from Waltham, MA Or the 57… 12:19 Peter It happens often. 12:19 Adrienne D9 What the MBTA problems run deep and are brad in scope and is in desperate need of a complete shakeup. Political or nepotisic cronies need to get the axe and more competent, smarter managementand staff need to be installed imediatmente compadres. 12:20 Emma from Waltham, MA Maybe I've just learned to make allowances for delays over the years. I still would rather have this MBTA than no MBTA at all. 12:20 Peter Seriously Emma- 12:21 Peter very true, I would pay nearly $100 a week to drive and park (in Alewife Station) 12:21 Emma from Waltham, MA Yes? I'm a glass half full sort of person. 12:21 Peter I just pay $15 a week for the bus/subway pass and drive half way 12:22 Peter Without the MBTA, I'd be broke 12:22 Emma from Waltham, MA Without the MBTA our air would look like L.A. 12:23 Peter well thats true but L.A.'s smog is also associated with the climate 12:23 Peter sometimes I think that without New England weather our air would look like LA 12:24 Peter hmmm… New England weather.. sounds like a good topic for a new show 12:24 Emma from Waltham, MA We've had a few air caution days even this winter. Can you imagine everyone in cars? 12:24 Peter I think at the rate we're going, everyone is in cars 12:25 Peter it's sort of a cultural problem 12:26 Emma from Waltham, MA Now that is a good topic for Radio Boston…Boston drivers. Arrggh. 12:27 Peter my commute to school from North Billerica by car via 93 is nearly 1 1/2 hours 12:27 Peter sometimes more, sometimes less 12:27 Emma from Waltham, MA I pity you. Maybe you should move? 12:28 Peter Well I am trying my best to save money by taking the bus from Bedford 12:28 JasonInSomerville has anyone see this petition/strike?: https://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/fix-the-mbta 12:29 Peter I can drive 10 miles to the bus and get to school using the $15 weekly pass 12:31 Emma from Waltham, MA Well, that's a good deal. If you get a seat you can get things done on the bus whereas you can't when driving. (Although I wonder when I see some people drive.) 12:32 Emma from Waltham, MA Thanks for pointing out the petition, Jason. Interesting. 12:37 Emma from Waltham, MA Jason, you need to publicize this more. You don't have many adherants. 12:39 JasonInSomerville I wasn't sure I liked the wording 12:39 JasonInSomerville It was more of a response to a college's complaint 12:40 JasonInSomerville do you think it's good enough? or should I re-word and try again later 12:40 JasonInSomerville and are the numbers reasonable? 12:40 Emma from Waltham, MA I don't think there is anything wrong with the wording. You just need to change the second fairs to fares. 12:42 JasonInSomerville Yea, the problem is I have to contat the webmaster to change anything. I wish I hadn't rused the write up, but I did it during a finals week. 12:43 JasonInSomerville It seems like the T riders union isn't really dealing with late trains (which is actually somthing that can be controlled) 12:47 guest557915 i'd like to see the T run later, like till 3am 12:49 Emma from Waltham, MA I think they are flailing under all that debt and really don't know where to start improvements. 12:52 guest557915 probably. but improved service/reliability should equal increased ridership and increased income, making that a good place to start. 12:54 Emma from Waltham, MA I would agree except that the fare you pay doesn't come close to covering the cost of the transportation. The subsidies would need increasing, too. 12:56 guest557915 raise the gas tax. the prices here are artificially low. and it would more people consider using public transportation. 13:00 guest557915 did i try and ban someone? sorry if i did, my cat just climbed over my keyboard 13:01 Emma from Waltham, MA Good in theory but tax increases in this state never go to what they have been earmarked for. They inevitably end up getting funneled off elsewhere. 13:02 guest557915 which is why the people need to get more involved in government, starting at the local level. 13:04 Emma from Waltham, MA Hear, hear. 13:05 guest557915 okay, so we've solved the problem.

13:06 Emma from Waltham, MA At least we know what needs to be done! 13:29 JasonInSomerville over thow the goverment? 13:29 JasonInSomerville that may fly in NH, but not here 13:30 JasonInSomerville So why is it that the trains only run till 1:30? 14:38 JH from Dorchester gas tax is a good start, as is relieving the t of the debt that it probably shouldnt have been saddled with in the first place 14:38 JH from Dorchester the big dig environmental mitigation project costs (2.9 billion) 19:43 guest625326 has left 19:46 meghna1571 has left Logged out 19:59 guest413220 has left

« previous

5/16/2008

Suggest a show