Tracking Transportation

Keeping track of transportation

Keolis exec: T commuter rail shows progress

Ridership and revenue are up; on-time performance improving

By David Scorey MBTA 0 Comments Sep 21, 2018

WHETHER YOU LIVE in the Worcester area or the North Shore, in Walpole or Weymouth, we tend to have the same thing in mind when thinking about the MBTA’s commuter rail: going to work in Boston, with trains feeding into two urban hubs at North and South Stations. Many still prefer driving, but for a(...)

T notes: Tight timeline for RTA panel

Red-Blue numbers don’t add up

By Bruce Mohl MBTA, Transportation 0 Comments Sep 17, 2018

STATE OFFICIALS ARE COUNTING on a yet-to-be-formed task force to develop performance metrics and best practices for the 15 regional transit authorities by November 1, less than a month-and-a-half away. The Legislature approved $88 million for the regional transit authorities in the fiscal 2019 budget. Of the total appropriation, $82 million is being distributed to(...)

T officials promise Chelsea service improvements

Agency to explore bus lanes, but fare reductions not considered

By Bruce Mohl MBTA, Transportation 0 Comments Sep 17, 2018

STATE TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS said on Monday they would explore ways to address delays on the MBTA’s third-busiest bus route, but they refused to even consider what many residents of Chelsea say they want – fare reductions. What to do about the Route 111 bus that carries more than 12,000 passengers a day came to a(...)

Toll evaders running out of room

MA now working with NH, ME, RI, and soon NY

By Bruce Mohl Transportation 0 Comments Sep 17, 2018

IT’S GETTING HARDER AND HARDER to hide from the toll takers. Massachusetts transportation officials said on Monday that they now have toll reciprocity agreements in place with New Hampshire, Maine, and Rhode Island and are nearing an agreement with all New York state tolling authorities. The reciprocity agreements mean Massachusetts will work with the other(...)

What is the T’s Chelsea Plan?

City officials and FMCB’s Lang say it isn’t working

By Bruce Mohl MBTA 0 Comments Sep 16, 2018

THE MBTA UNVEILED the “Chelsea Plan” in May to address lengthening commute times into Boston, but now the plan is coming under fire from a member of the Fiscal and Management Control Board who says it isn’t working. At last Monday’s meeting of the control board, Brian Lang said the Route 111 bus, which carries(...)

Why a Red-Blue pedestrian link won’t work

Best approach is a transit tunnel between Bowdoin, Charles/MGH

By Ethan Finlan MBTA 0 Comments Sep 13, 2018

THERE HAS BEEN a recent renewed advocacy push to bring attention to the Blue Line’s failure to provide the necessary connectivity any good rapid transit line must. This focus on the Blue Line – the system’s shortest rapid transit line, connecting Revere, East Boston, and Logan Airport to downtown Boston – coincides with the MBTA’s(...)

T notes: Vehicle maintenance costs down except on Green Line

Repairs begin on Alewife parking garage

By Bruce Mohl MBTA 0 Comments Sep 10, 2018

MBTA OFFICIALS SAY say they reduced maintenance costs for buses and subways over the course of the last fiscal year, but not for Green Line cars. The officials said bus maintenance costs have fallen from $4.05 per mile in July 2017 to $3.34 per mile in June 2018, generating savings of about $13 million. Subway(...)

Lang accuses T of ignoring Chelsea concerns

Control board member says 111 bus delays need fixing

By Bruce Mohl MBTA 0 Comments Sep 10, 2018

ONE MEMBER OF THE MBTA’S Fiscal and Management Control Board demanded on Monday that the agency explain how it’s going to address chronic delays of a heavily used bus route connecting Chelsea and downtown Boston. Brian Lang asked for a presentation at the control board’s September 17 meeting, saying he was concerned that residents of(...)

Blue Line needs urgent attention

Current vision for the subway line borders on fantasy

By James Aloisi MBTA 0 Comments Sep 9, 2018

THE MBTA’s BLUE LINE is on the brink. Generally known as the best of the system’s subway services (largely because of its relatively newer, reliable, Siemens subway cars), the Blue Line is increasingly failing to provide riders with the transit service they need and deserve. And prospects are that things will soon be getting worse.(...)

MBTA extends $10 weekend fare

Nearly 82,000 tickets were sold over 13 weekends

By Bruce Mohl MBTA 0 Comments Sep 6, 2018

THE MBTA SOLD nearly 82,000 of its $10 weekend commuter rail fares this summer and now plans to extend the deal into early December. T officials said they were extending the experimental fare through the weekend of December 9 to better gauge its impact on revenues and ridership. The officials said service disruptions over the(...)