The Governor has accepted political responsibility for fixing the MBTA and has asked the legislature for a set of tools. While there are some elements I cannot support in the Governor’s bill, most notably the reduction in contributions into the Transportation Fund, we should be giving him as much as we can of what he has asked for.
MBTA
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MBTA Customer Appreciation Day: Friday, April 24
A reminder that you can ride the T for free tomorrow, Friday, April 24, and take advantage of purchasing 15% discounted weekly and monthly passes. Also, 16 MBTA partners are offering special one-day offers to customers that show their CharlieCard. The details may be found in this link.
Accountability for the MBTA
The central recommendation of the Governor’s MBTA task force was greater accountability for the MBTA. I agree — the management team needs direct accountability to the Governor. That accountability will give the team the strength it needs to sharpen its focus and make change happen.
Governor’s Special Panel Reports on the Problems of the MBTA
In response to the significant service disruptions experienced across the MBTA system during the winter of 2015, Governor Baker convened a special panel to review the management and operations of the MBTA. The panel has issued a 50 page report of findings. Here are the key findings of the panel.
The Challenges Faced by the MBTA
To run Greater Boston, we need trains and buses that run reliably. To get there, we are going to have to make some hard choices. Given limited resources and more or less fixed costs, we need to do a better job setting priorities within our transportation budget.
MBTA Service Updates
Please be aware that until subway train service is normal, bus service will is likely to be subnormal. In general, the T’s entire fleet of buses is in use at rush hour. To the extent that buses are diverted to cover train service, bus routes will see less frequent service.