An adage holds that “two out of three ain’t bad,” but when it comes to on-time performance on the Worcester-Boston commuter rail line, two out of three isn’t nearly good enough. It’s not just about consumer convenience: Commuter rail service with an adequate number of trains and reliable on-time performance has the potential of becoming a powerful economic development driver for communities all along the line.
I absolutely, 100% agree with the above statement. The rest of the editorial is as follows:
There is no doubt that the demand for expanded service exists. Some 9,300 commuters use the line each weekday, including 1,200 who board in Worcester. Stations in Southboro, Westboro and Grafton also are heavily used. Commuters’ patronage of public transportation helps untangle Greater Boston’s infamous traffic puzzle and provides a two-way flow of workers and their dollars that promotes economic growth at every stop along the line.
Recent adjustments in the commuter-rail schedule should help align official arrival and departure times with actual arrivals and departures, easing the frustration of regular rail commuters. However, it does not address longstanding demands from area officials and commuters for an increase in the actual number of trips available to working men and women who want to use mass transit, whether their destination is Worcester or Boston.
For full two-way service, doubling weekday service to 20 trips is a must. That means city and state officials, working with the MBTA, must conclude negotiations with freight carrier CSX, which controls the rails, for acquisition of the crucial rail corridor with all possible speed.
Well written, T&G.
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