Wednesday, May 8, 2013
There have been 28 reported assaults on MBTA employees during the first four months of 2013.
The MBTA wants the public to know that if they attack a driver who is working, there will be serious consequences. The MBTA’s new “Don’t Touch The Driver” public relations campaign features posters on the ceilings and backs of chairs inside buses depicting hands in handcuffs, and messages warning that an attacker will be sought after, arrested and prosecuted. “Violence toward a bus driver is against the law,” one poster says. “We will prosecute.” The campaign, which includes a new recorded message issued by MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott at T stations, follows the most recent attack, which took place in Dorchester where a group of teenagers flagged down a bus and then proceeded to attack the driver. There have been 28 reported …
Sunday, April 14, 2013
As Boston's Marathoners run through Wellesley and Newton, we'd like to see your photos of the runners in town.
The 117th Boston Marathon will bring thousands of runners from Hopkinton to Boston, via Wellesley on Monday, April 15, 2013. The route will pass through Wellesley from 8:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wellesley College tells us they will do the Scream Tunnel again this year, although runners will be passing through town for much of the day. As the course winds through town, if you are going out to watch, bring your phone or your camera with you. Snap a couple of photos and upload them here. Check back here after the marathon to see what your neighbors upload.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Should the state forge ahead with Gov. Deval Patrick's bold plan to invest now? Or should it follow the Legislature leadership's proposal to address the bottom line before embarking on bigger initiatives?
Massachusetts legislators this week answered Gov. Deval Patrick's ambitious plan to raise $1.9 billion for transportation and education with a $500 million plan of their own, which says the governor is asking for too much, too soon as the Bay State shakes off the effects of the Great Recession. Who's right? Should the state forge ahead in a bold plan to invest now? Or should it cautiously address the bottom line before embarking on bigger initiatives? While Patrick's plan includes funding for both the state transportation system and increased education funding from preschool through college, House and Senate lawmakers eschew new revenue for education, focusing solely on closing the transportation budget gap over the next five years. The …
Friday, March 22, 2013
Without additional funding, MBTA officials are forced to make difficult choices.
MBTA riders could see fares go up in the not-so-distant future if legislators don’t accept Gov. Deval Patrick’s ambitious funding plan. T General Manager Beverley Scott said Tuesday the T will likely hold off on spending $45 million for preventative maintenance and hike fairs to close a projected budget gap of $117 million, factoring in increased ridership and advertising this year, the Boston Globe reported Wednesday. Director of Strategic Initiatives for the MBTA Charles Planck said at a March 5 MBTA finance committee meeting that fare increases could go up 33 percent under the proposal, which means subway fares would move up from $2 to $2.60. Massachusetts Department of Transportation Secretary and CEO Richard Davey testified before …
Saturday, February 9, 2013
The transit shutdown will continue indefinitely.
[Updated Sunday, 10:48 a.m.] Looking to take the Green Line or the commuter rail in Newton? Well, you may want to keep shoveling out that car (or call a cab). As crews continue to dig out from the blizzard, MBTA service in Newton will remain suspended Sunday. Starting at 2 p.m., limited subway and bus service will run on the Red, Orange and Blue lines between Orient Heights and Government Center, and the Green Line between Kenmore and Lechmere, according to MBTA.com/weather. Limited bus service will also operate on the 1, 23, 28, 39, and Silver Line Washington Street only. Customers are encouraged to stay home and "use service sparingly," if possible, the website said. Commuter rail routes will remain suspended through Sunday. The MBTA …
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
A new device will be distributed to conductors on MBTA conductors that will give them real-time information about trains all across the rail system.
A new pilot program being dubbed “Conductor Companion” is being unveiled on the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority’s commuter rail system, putting complete details about train services across the system in the hands of conductors. The Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company (MBCR), the contractor that runs the commuter railroad for the MBTA, made the announcement on Monday. Essentially it is a unique mobile application that will allow conductors on the MBTA commuter rail system to receive real-time information about service for the first time. “The speed of technology today demands an application that gives conductors the information they need and that customers want,” said Gillian Wood, MBCR’s chief customer service officer in Monday…
Monday, January 14, 2013
The board of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation released its 21st Century Transportation Plan, which outlines the state’s budgetary needs over the course of the next 10 years and beyond.
With infrastructure in need of repairs and the major city transit system steeped in billions of dollars of debt, the state may need to increase revenue from car registrations, licence renewals, taxes and tolls. The Board of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation released its 21st Century Transportation Plan Monday, which calls for a $13 billion overall investment in state transportations systems over the next decade. The breakdown is as follows, according to a statement associated with the plan released by Transportation Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey: To raise the necessary funds these recommendations will include an increase in the gas tax, payroll tax, sales tax or income tax; a new green fee on vehicle registrations; a …
Monday, January 7, 2013
The delays are due to a downed wire on the Amtrak line.
After facing delays and cancellations earlier today, passengers on south side commuter rail lines are likely to experience more delays during the afternoon commute. Commuters traveling on lines out of South Station, which includes the Needham line, should anticipate 15- to 30-minute delays during tonight's peak hour service, according to a press release issued this afternoon by the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company (MBCR). The line terminates in Needham, and has three stops in town including, Needham Heights, Needham Center, Needham Junction and Hersey. The delays are due to an "Amtrak infrastructure issue" that occurred earlier this morning, the press release said. Around 5:10 a.m., the Amtrak rail line experienced a downed …
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Gov. Deval Patrick plans to ask lawmakers to raises taxes to make up for the shortfall in Massachusetts' transportation system. What options should they consider — and what is off the table?
Would you be willing to pay more at the pump, have a tracking system on your car that taxes you by the mile, or see tolls on state highways? Those are just some of the possibilities looming as Massachusetts looks to erase the state's transportation system's deficit. The Boston Globe reported that Gov. Deval Patrick will ask lawmakers to raise taxes in order to pay for a transportation system—from the MBTA to roads and bridges—that continues to operate in the red. The administration will present a specific proposal by Jan. 7. One option is raising the gas tax, a route Patrick sought in 2009 only to be rebuffed by the legislature. Patrick sought a 19-cent hike, while business groups endorsed a 25-cent increase. Ultimately, the state Senate …
Monday, October 29, 2012
Plan your trip home accordingly.
If you braved the elements and took the T to work this morning, pack up your stuff now: The MBTA will shut down service at 2 p.m. because of severe weather caused by Hurricane Sandy. According to the T website, the service suspension includes subway, bus and commuter rail service—which means Bus 59 in Needham and the Commuter Rail's Needham Line. Ferry service had already been suspended earlier in the day. The Ride remains open but users are "strongly encouraged" to call the contractor for their area to see if service is available.
Nashoba Liberty
1:34 pm on Friday, January 18, 2013
The best way to guarantee yourself ridiculous increases in taxes and fees is to vote in a Democrat administration for a second term. Don't forget to layer on top the extra income tax that Coupe Deval wants to extort from us. more ›