#Boston #greaterBoston #MBTA #transportation

How is there ONE bus route connecting Chelsea, Revere, and downtown Boston (the 111) but not a *single* stop in Charlestown? 😠
I’d guess something like classism or racism but maybe there is a good reason I haven’t thought of. Maybe it will get fixed with the route updates scheduled for this year. Pple who have lived here longer do you know?

I enjoy reading the ads on the red line… “give us your poop” “get a computer science degree” “need health insurance?” “peanut allergy study subjects needed” “tell us (a hospital) about your foot pain” “we’re the best middle school around” “brain development study subjects needed” #MBTA #Cambridge

Rush hour and the #MBTA Red line train is once again mysteriously stopped two stations away.
Seems no matter which station you try to use, the train is always stuck just down the tracks a ways.
And this experience continues after many many weekends of Red line closures.
It's infuriating how the system never improves despite all the work that is reported to be happening.
It's making me lose faith in #Boston
How can a city function well without a well functioning public #transportation system?
#governance #massachusetts

On the very slow #mbta train to #Northeastern. 🙄 #boston

The #mbta Red Line is unusable for commuting at this point. It's contributing to many more cars on the road, increased congestion, increased pollution, and an overall lower quality of life for everyone.

Three magic number, three #GreenLine trains had to pass before i could board on a hot day, uggg #mbta make all trains go to #GovernmentCenter please! @wutrain

A not-altogether-encouraging article on the proposed Red-Blue connector in Boston. It's outrageous that this hasn't been done already. #MBTA #Boston #PublicTransit

https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2023/09/04/heres-where-the-mbtas-red-blue-connector-stands/?amp=1

Are you

- a resident of Boston
- a public transit rider
- someone “connected to communities of transit riders, including employees, customers, and students;”
- a person committed to “high quality, reliable, and affordable public transportation as a core strategy of economic growth, cultural vibrancy, and quality of life.”

@wutrain wants you to represent #Boston on the 9 member #MBTA board of directors.

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/the-download/wu-taking-unusual-approach-with-mbta-board-appointment-2/
#Massachusetts #MAPoli #Transit #WalkableCities #BetterBoston #GreaterBoston #GreatestBoston?

Shortly thereafter a track did open up. And they were good about giving people a couple minutes to see it. Now the train is stopped maybe 1/2 mile outside 😕
#boston #MBTA #transportation

Four commuter trains idling at south station, none ready to take the 12:30 passengers.

#greaterBoston #MBTA #transport

TFW it takes the #mbta #greenline longer to get from my apartment to Back Bay (2 miles) than it does to take the #Amtrak to get from Back Bay to Providence (50 miles).

I am the only person in this #MBTA Blue Line car wearing a mask.

Say @universalhub and/or @Ofsevit, did #MBTA ever restart those bus driver agility competitions? They seriously need to lean into that. I’d honestly pay admission if it was an afternoon show.

Does anyone have an archive of all the announcements on the #MBTA ? I want to have it say something... silly...

Here's our recap of today's
#MBTA meeting, featuring Mayor Michelle Wu temporarily filling in in the City of Boston's new seat on the board of directors:

https://mass.streetsblog.org/2023/08/24/mbta-board-updates-guest-starring-mayor-wu

On when the #MBTA has technical difficulties, ie the automated message of the next stop is broken, do you get to hear the #Boston #Somerville #Medford accents.

@tchauhan

What do you know about the #BigDig MegaProject that ran from 1982-2007 in #Boston which gave us a bridge, a couple of tunnels, & a park, but also dropped pollution numbers downtown by double digit percentages & fixed nightmare-level traffic problems on the Central Artery of 93?

I'm not sure what the final number will be for cost, but with interest its well more than $20 billion USD?

The state will continue to pay >$100 million USD on this debt annually through 2038. Thats where your fares go, not world class service.

One can draw a direct line between the debt & service failures you see today - the #MBTA has been cutting corners for decades since they don't have sufficient funding to thrive.

Solution: fund the T absurdly well over the next 5 years.

We must hire, & retain, smart, dedicated people to manage this incredibly complex system.
We must fix root causes, not patch problems.
We must over-staff front line workers who are well compensated & do a great job providing rider-facing services.

Its an exercise for the reader how to fund this change. I don't think it should be the average low-income bus rider.

Rather, the MBTA must stop relying on rider fares & instead tax the rich/corporations/landowners.
#MAPoli #Massachusetts

Tonight I'm charmed by @the_urban_hiker's youtube channel, documenting 5 urban hikes (so far!) starting from #MBTA stops.

Check 'em out!

https://www.youtube.com/@the_urban_hiker

#boston #Hiking

@Ofsevit @universalhub I feel like a substantial amount of my Mastodon experience recently has been watching @Ofsevit slowly get driven insane by the #MBTA. :(

Teens Hacked #Boston #Subway Cards to Get Infinite Free Rides—and This Time, Nobody Got Sued
four teens extended other research done by 2008 #hacker team to fully #reverseengineer "#CharlieCard," #RFID #smartcard used by Boston's #transit system. Hackers can now add any amount of money to a card or invisibly designate it a discounted student card, senior card, or even an #MBTA employee card that gives them unlimited free rides. "You name it, we can make it," says Campbell
https://archive.ph/KjWsL#selection-527.0-527.90