The Lesser of Two Evils?

Ever since Governor Patrick recommended a 19 cent per gallon gas tax increase this past weekend pundits, politicians and citizens alike have been up at arms over the proposal. The gas tax increase is a part of Governor Patrick's overall transportation reform plan, whereby revenue generated from the tax would be used to repair roads and bridges, roll back any Mass Pike toll increases and hopefully stave off any MBTA fare increases.

Hey, I don't want to pay more at the pump any more than the other person. Logically, an increase is going to happen either way. So, we either accept the gas tax increase and let the Senate and Governor Patrick hammer out the best way to reorganize the MBTA and Mass Pike or we wait and wait until we're hit with increased fares (already happening ... parking rate increase anyone?), poor service and the MBTA still mired in their billion dollar debt load.

Since I live in Central Massachusetts, I'm sure I'm going to feel the brunt regardless. For far too long, those of us from west of Route 128 have subsidized the Big Dig and the Mass Pike and it's time that ends. It shouldn't be up to a select portion of the population to fund transportation for the rest of the state, especially the ones north and south of the city that reap the most benefits. And what about the poor folks in Western Massachusetts? They're stuck paying for the Big Dig as well and they have even more to complain about. The reality is ... our transportation infrastructure is a mess. I firmly believe the lesser of two evils is the gas tax increase.

In commuting news, another on time commute to report this morning on the p508. We arrived to South Station at 8:22 AM. Good times.

Being Punctual Matters to MBTA/MBCR Commuter Rail Riders

Hello Train Riders! Both Train Rider and I have had a busy week this week. But we do not have any complaints about being busy - we're both happy to be employed. Plus, keeping busy means you can stay warm. It is brisk out there, huh? It was 5F while I was driving to the gym this morning and a balmy 8F on my way to work.

WBZ's "Conversation Nation" started a thread this morning about commuter rail punctuality. This thread was started based on an article in today's The Boston Globe about how late arriving trains could actually cause a decrease in ridership.

This is a topic, unfortunately, that Train Stopping is all too familiar with.

The Globe's article includes this stunning chart that compares on-time averages across all the commuter rail lines in 2007 versus 2008. Think about this:

• January 2007 - 93.0% on time
  
• January 2008 - 77.4% on time
• January 2009 - 76.7%

Those are not numbers that help commuters. Many of the people interviewed in The Globe's article indicated that they would prefer to ride the train for both financial, personal and environmental reasons, but they can't rely on it and need to drive themselves to work.

Over the past six months, during a time when the MBTA was trying to show new riders the wonders of mass transportation, one in five commuter trains arrived at least five minutes late, and many were much later. In December and January, the problem worsened - in part due to weather, maintenance problems, and track construction - with nearly a quarter of the trains failing to arrive within the five-minute window.

One in five trains are at least five minutes late!!

MBTA GM Dan Grabauskas, in his great fashion, of course places the blame for the on-time performance on factors ranging from the weather to the MBCR. This is Dan's way, huh?

The MBCR notes that the old equipment is owned by the MBTA and that the MBCR is considering purchasing their own used locomotives because the T hasn't bought any new ones.

The article also acknowledges that some lines are worse than other lines.

The Eagle-Tribune also wrote an article about this winter's train woes. This article focuses on the Haverhill line and the ungodly commutes that people have endured.

Well, maybe if the T managed their budget better, they would have some more resources to run the trains properly. Yesterday's Globe ran a front-page article on how different state agencies, including the MBTA, hire outside lobbyists. The T spent $48,000 on lobbyists last year alone. Governor Patrick has said that state agencies can no longer use lobbyists.

Finally, more on the Green Line extension.

Train Rider is Back

Hello Train Riders!

My apologies for being offline for a few days. I had to drive to work on Friday, which proved to be fortuitous as I ended up going home early because I was sick. You will never believe this - I got sick from the E. coli bacteria in my town's water. It sure wasn't a fun way to spend the weekend.

Due to some post-work commitments, I also drove in this morning. Just think - supposedly by Friday we'll think that today's balmy temps are like a heat wave.

I did take the P508 to work yesterday. The train was on time - we arrived at South Station around 8:21 a.m. I noticed last night that the old train signs in South Station are gone. I wonder if anyone ever bought them on eBay? The new board with departure times is in its place. I'll miss the sound of the time changing - there is something very nostalgic about the clicking noise.

Commute-a-holic has been tied up with projects at work and thus unable to post articles. Here are some of the transportation related things in the news:

Before I get into the news round-up, can I just say that I'm thrilled that Jim Rice has been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Woo-hoo!!

Two articles in today's Boston Metro: one about the continued increase in T ridership and the other about how parking revenue is up, even though the number of cars parked is down. AJ's comment about parking from last Friday was very observant. Here's a snippet of it:

Speaking only for the Grafton lot, the parking fare increase has definitely effected the amount of people who park their cars in the lot. Not necessarily ridership, but people who use the lot.

Almost three years ago, I regularly parked in the 2nd isle for the P508 train. As winter takes away a good number of spots, I move back to the 4th isle. This past spring, as gas prices rose, my regular spot stayed in the 4th isle. The summer saw a move back to the 6th. This was unprecedented! The week that parking fares rose, I was back to the 2nd isle. After that, I could actually find spots in the 1st isle as well.

AJ also explained why he is now not parking at the Grafton lot.

Progressive Railroading also reported on the T's increase in riders.

Today's Boston Herald reported that the Governor is serious about gas hikes as an alternative to Mass Pike toll hikes. Stop the Pike Hike is still actively campaigning and protesting toll hikes.

A press release posted on Saturday to TradingMarkets.com focuses on tonight's meeting to discuss environmental issues related to a project on the Fitchburg commuter rail line.

According to Sunday's Boston Globe, the Worcester line is not the only commuter rail line that has massive delays. The Fairmont line is also plagued by issues. Sunday's "Starts and Stops" column also reported on the Green Line extension, how much revenue the T is losing because the Pats didn't make it to post-season play, and that the Pike is now going to keep the West Newton entrance open (instead of closing it to test the traffic flow). Finally, there was an article about how the Pike may need to repay UBS $400 million due to a risky investment that went south.

Friday afternoon's Worcester line commuter rail delays were due, unfortunately, to a death on the tracks.

Goodbye Holidays, Hello Delays

The holidays are over. Everyone is returning to reality today. I took a few days off before and after the New Year, so this is my first commute of 2009.

So what was the first Monday commute of 2009 like? For a lot of folks, it wasn't that great. On the Worcester line the P502, P504 and P506 were all running at least 15 to 30 minutes late, according to T Alerts and news reports. The P508 arrived on time to Grafton, but it was slow going most of the way into Boston. We got to South Station at 8:48 a.m., about 25 minutes late.

I've also heard that the outbound trains on the Worcester line were also delayed.

Another thing made this morning's commute not so great. The parking lots were super icy. I saw a handful of people slip and fall in the Grafton lot today. Not good, not good at all.

I'm sort of dreading Wednesday morning. Supposedly we're going to have a snow/ice storm. This should make the commute extra fun.

The MBTA/MBCR wasn't really in the news the last few days of 2008/first few days of 2009.

The Blue Mass Group blog published an interview with Governor Deval Patrick on his selection of James Aloisi as the state's Secretary of Transportation.

Bostonist ran a cute column on being nice while riding on the MBTA. Anything "manners" related always reminds me of Muni Manners.

Yesterday's Boston Sunday Globe "Starts & Stops" column focused on where MBTA buses drop off passengers. The column also noted that the new Secretary of Transportation, James Aloisi, is a few weeks away from officially starting his new role. The Mass Pike is going to run an experiment from January 12th through January 23rd. During this time, eastbound passengers will not be able to use Exit 16 in West Newton to get onto the Pike. Pike engineers believe that people using this exit are causing traffic backups. Exit 16 is one of the free access points onto the Pike.

According to the Globe, street entertainers are having a tougher time earning a living. Many of these entertainers are posted throughout the MBTA's subway system.

Yesterday's Globe also ran an article about Massport. Mass Pike critics are not thrilled with the prospect of Massport taking over the Pike in downtown Boston.

On the Pike front, the Stop the Pike Hike group currently has more than 8,300 members. They are about 1,700 members away from their goal of signing up 10,000 concerned commuters. The final public hearing about the Pike's toll hike is this Wednesday, January 7th in Worcester. If you're interested in attending, the meeting is at 6:30 p.m. at Worcester City Hall, which is located at 455 Main Street in downtown Worcester. The Stop the Pike Hike group believes that the final toll vote will take place on either January 15th or January 22nd.

Finally, I have heard that state employees who had a state vehicle that they could take home needed to turn in this vehicle on January 1, 2009. I believe the only exceptions to the rule are those in law enforcement. I would love to know if the 60-odd MBTA employees who have MBTA vehicles were included in this rule. Again, there is no reason why Dan Grabauskas and senior managers of the MBTA need to have a MBTA car 24/7. Does anyone know if this rule is being applied to the MBTA?

Worcester Line Holiday Schedule Update

The MBTA still has not corrected the press release about the 2008 Holiday Schedule. Fear not, Worcester-Framingham line riders, Newtonville Train Rider shared the following:

I called the "customer service" line. I was at least able to learn that the P515 will be going all the way to Worcester, and the P519 will be making the Newton and Wellesley stops.

They didn't have a list of the changes; he just had to compare the two schedules and identify the differences. There could be more than the two I listed!

I don't know if other trains are impacted, but I sure hope this information helps.

In other news, at least the team at Daily Worcesteria is trying to find out the on-time performance reports for the Worcester line. But, neither the MBTA nor the MBCR is being that helpful. Check this out:

The MBTA and train operator MBCR used to be one of the best with responding to information requests: We’d ask for on time performance numbers for the Worcester line for a certain time frame, and get a response; usually within a few hours, occasionally within a day. How times have changed. In November, we emailed Joe Pesaturo at MBTA, asking him for October data. He told us it wouldn’t be ready until December. On Monday, we emailed MBCR spokesman Scott Farmelant, who told us he was out until Wednesday. On Tuesday, Pesaturo told us to email Farmelant; when we told him Farmelant was out, he responded he had forwarded our request to the railroads operation staff. We’re still waiting on the numbers.

Governor Patrick - since you've made a lot of people unhappy with your selection of James Aloisi as the new Transportation Secretary, perhaps you can hold the MBTA/MBCR accountable with providing on-time performance results of the commuter rail lines IMMEDIATELY after the month closes, not months later. Lt. Governor Tim Murray - you seem interested in transportation - what about holding some people accountable?

Happy Holidays!!

Refused to be Stuck on the P508 Today

Are the commuters who take the P508 even in Boston right now? I ended up driving to work this morning. When I arrived to the Grafton station at 7:07 a.m. and saw that people were milling around, I didn't think it looked too promising. I asked one of my fellow commuters if there were delays and he said "yes," so I checked the T alerts and it said that all inbound trains from Worcester were delayed 15 to 30 minutes due to CSX not clearing the switches in Worcester.

I turned right around, got into my car and drove into work. Which worked out well, because I do have a lot of errands to run tonight and I had a meeting that I can't miss this morning.

According to commuters who use Twitter, it looks as thought the outbound Worcester trains are delayed.

This is not a good way to start the week. I have a business trip tomorrow, so I won't be riding the rails at all.

Commentary from today's Worcester Business Journal focuses on how the Commonwealth needs to address transportation structure issues.

Yesterday's The Boston Sunday Globe contained a front-page story on how most Massachusetts residents believe a gas tax should be used to fund the transportation budget deficits. The article noted that many residents of the Bay State really question what impact, if any, the Big Dig had since it cost so much money. The "Starts & Stops" column in yesterday's Globe reported that the MBTA station lots have fewer cars in them. The T is still claiming a victory with the parking fare increase, since more revenue was brought in during November due to the fees. There was also this "Letter to the Editor" about the Silver Line Phase III project and an editorial about the T's drug policy in Sunday's Globe.

On Friday, the Governor named James Aloisi the new Secretary of Transportation. Many pundits do not agree with this selection. Read about it in this article.

Saturday's The Boston Herald contained this article about residents upset with how the T chopped down some trees along the Mattapan trolley line.

Similar to the Boston Metro's Q&A, the Examiner is now running a Q&A with MBTA GM Daniel Grabauskas.

Snowy Commute Home?

Train Rider took today off, so we don't have any morning updates regarding the MBTA/MBCR Worcester-Framingham commuter rail line. Seeing that it is about 12:30 p.m. and the snow still hasn't arrived to the Central Mass/MetroWest area, we hope everyone has an easy commute home. Supposedly the storm has already hit Southern Connecticut.

An editorial from today's The Boston Globe criticizes the T for the situation they caused at the historic Old South Church. Par for the course of late, reader's comments are priceless. Do MBTA senior execs care that they are berated all the time for their shenanigans and incompetence? I don't think they do - I bet they're laughing all the way to the bank. They earn comparable salaries to private sector workers, with state benefits rolled in. They're sitting at home today, since the Governor cancelled work today for nonessential state employees.

This Globe article talks about what the T is doing in preparations for today's storm.

SouthCoastToday reported on the Middleboro T station that is being proposed as part of the South Coast rail project.

Safe commutes today!

Mass Pike Public Hearing in Framingham Tonight

We received the below announcement from Stop the Pike Hike. Since many of our readers live in MetroWest, we thought this could be of interest.

Public Hearing in Framingham
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Framingham Memorial Building
Nevins Hall
150 Concord Street
Framingham, MA 01702
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
RALLY STARTS AT 5:45

Attending tonight's hearing will be State Senator Scott Brown (R), MTA Board Member Mary Z. Connaughton and Chairman Framingham Board of Selectmen Jason Smith.

If you want to attend the public hearing, you can speak at it. The hearing allows for the public to give up to a three minute speech. You can contact info AT stopthepikehike.org if you want to speak.

Stop the Pike Hike has some recommended speaking points including:

• Explain how life will be changed for you and your family because of the increase in tolls. Bring in a chart showing how the increase in tolls will affect your family budget.

• If you own a business, explain how much this will cost you and what cuts you will have to consider making?

• Ask why it costs 79 cents in overhead for every dollar taken at the tolls, when the average state spends only 40 cents per dollar taken at their tolls?

• How will this alter your commute?

• Bring a bag of change showing how much the increase will cost you over the course of a week or a month.

• Have there been any studies done on what the ramifications will be if this toll hike is enacted? The traffic in communities such as Everett, Chelsea, Somerville, Charlestown, Medford, Newton, Brighton, Allston, Brookline, Wellesley, Natick, and many more may become unbearable, as gridlock will take over local roads.

• Has anyone considered the costs that the upkeep and maintenance of local roads will have on local government?

• The Real Estate Values in these aforementioned communities will be severely impacted in a negative way.

• Local Businesses will also suffer greatly due to lost revenues and increased costs.

• The MBTA on certain routes, which are already overcrowded, will hit breaking points.

• The Turnpike board claims to eliminate the tolls would cost 100 million dollars.

• Have any public officials: Mayors, City Councilors', or Elected officials been consulted regarding the effects of the toll increase?

• Has the board considered any other solutions to the problem, such as the Christy Plan?

• Why did the proposed toll increase jump from 70 million dollars to 100 million dollars on the morning of the vote?

If you can't make the hearing, but you still want your voice to be heard, the Stop the Pike Hike recommends you call Governor Deval Patrick at 1-888-870-7770.

Changes Ahead

For the second day in a row, I had to drive into work. Today, my team is having our holiday party - a pot luck lunch. So it is a lot easier to bring stuff into work in my car then hauling a lot of things on the train.

I still cannot get over last week's ice storm. It is utterly amazing, when you think about it, that the Blackstone Valley was virtually untouched. Yet, many parts of Worcester and towns west and north of Worcester are still cleaning up. Some towns still do not have school today. Luneburg has canceled school through the New Year. Crazy, huh?

Thinking about all of the destruction the ice storm has caused, I was pretty surprised to see an article in today's Telegram & Gazette about last week's commuter rail delays. According to the MBCR, the Worcester line is back on track - yesterday the morning commutes were 100% on-time.

So why were things so messed up last week? Well, before December 8th, delays were due to speed restrictions put into place by CSX. "Significant mechanical problems" combined with cold temperatures caused the delays last Monday through Wednesday. The ice storm caused flooding on the tracks in Natick and Wellesley and caused a felled tree on the tracks in Worcester. Due to these issues, the inbound tracks (I'm assuming inbound to Worcester) didn't open until 10:30 a.m. on Friday. Mechanical problems on Friday also delayed 12 trains, with five of them delayed for at least 1 hour or more.

The ice storm also caused a lot of damage to the Fitchburg line. Even the MBCR's spokesperson acknowledge that last week's mechanical issues were too much:

“The breakdowns last week were unacceptable,” Mr. Farmelant said.

While the MBCR said the November on-time performance for the Worcester line was 90%, for the first two weeks in December that performance is now 84%. This is considered an improvement over last year, when only 57% of the Worcester line trains arrived on-time. The article also noted the following:

The state has taken steps to improve train service over the past year. Three new inbound and two new outbound trains were added to the Worcester line in late October. State officials are still negotiating to purchase the Worcester track from CSX, with the goal of adding more trains in the future.

Yesterday's The Boston Herald contained an article about the state's transportation woes. Lt. Governor Tim Murray was interviewed. The Lt. Governor is blaming past gubernatorial administrations for the current transportation crisis. Per the media speculation yesterday, State Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen did resign yesterday. His resignation is effective January 2, 2009. According to The Boston Globe, the Governor is considering James A. Aloisi, Jr. as Cohen's replacement. Aloisi was on the short list to be Transportation Secretary two years ago, but he was passed over due to his ties to the Big Dig. This is what The Globe had to say:

The new leader will take over at a crucial time for the millions of people who rely on the state's roads and transit systems each day. The financial crises at the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and the MBTA, which are both facing crushing debt and yearly deficits, have pushed the transportation debate to the top of Beacon Hill's agenda as commuters worry about large toll hike proposals this year and the potential for heftier transit fares that could follow. Legislators have complained that Patrick has dragged his feet in delivering a specific reform plan, which he first promised more than a year ago.

Last night, Cohen did attend the Mass Pike public meetings. Read about it in today's The Patriot Ledger.

Today is the Stop the Pike Hike protest. If you use the Pike, the Stop the Pike Hike group requests that you don't use your Fast Lane transponder and you pay using inconvenient currency.

Where's Bernard?

Saw this Boston.com headline and figured might as well post about it:

"Embattled transportation chief a no-show"

Massachusetts Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen didn't show up at a scheduled press conference this morning. His no show could mean that Governor Deval Patrick may be replacing Cohen. Deputy Secretary Thomas Cahir replaced Cohen at the previously announced press conference. Cohen's spokesperson directed reporters to Governor Patrick's office. Lt. Governor Tim Murray was at the press conference, but wouldn't confirm if Cohen is being replaced.

“I think it’s premature for speculation,” he said, when asked about it. “If and when, I’m sure it’ll be announced.”

Murray said the entire state has “real challenges” with its transportation system and that fixing it is not about “any one person or individual. This is a team.”

The article goes on to detail some reasons, beyond just the massive transportation mess, that could cause Cohen to be replaced.

Seemingly Speedy P508

My commute on the P508 was good. It seemed speedy. The train wasn't very crowded at all. We arrived to South Station at 8:20 a.m.

The big news this morning was the suspension of two T trolley crew members who were involved in separate accidents. You can read all about it in this article from today's The Boston Herald.

On the subject of accidents, WCVB-TV Channel 5 aired a report last night on how MBTA policy puts riders at risk. They even have the video running with the article.

The Salem News published a story yesterday about a petition circulating in Salem to ask the state to build a new parking garage at the MBTA station.

Today's Boston Globe ran this article about some concerns Massport's CEO Tom Kinton has over the Port Authority running the airport tunnels. If that doesn't cause your head to explode from information, this will. DiMasi wants a gas tax, the Governor wants a Pike toll increase and Murray wants a strategic plan. Three different leaders, three different ideas.

Finally, for MetroWest commuters seeking options to the commuter rail, My Southborough reports that the Southborough to Boston bus has not been cancelled. If you didn't know about this option and you are a Southborough-area commuter, you might want to go and check it out.

Happy Blogiversary Train Stopping!!

Today marks the one year anniversary of the launch of Train Stopping. As you may recall, at this time last year, performance was abysmal not only on the Worcester-Framingham line, but across the commuter rail system due to a silent working strike by the conductors. I started the blog to raise awareness of the issues we were facing and to open a dialogue about public transportation issues. Since the launch, I’ve been fortunate to be interviewed by Fox 25 TV, The Boston Globe, The Worcester T&G and numerous blogs about my commuting experience. Plus, Train Stopping has benefited from being mentioned by other blogs or actually being featured in the blogrolls on other blogs, which has been nice.

What has really changed in the last year after 473 posts? Well, let’s put it to a pro/con list:

Pros:

1. The increased knowledge of transportation issues across Massachusetts. I never used to think much about the trains or Mass Pike tolls. But as these agencies fight their way out of seemingly insurmountable debt AT THE EXPENSE OF TAXPAYERS, I am motivated to inform and get involved.
2. I’m glad I have the option to take the train. Is it perfect? No, but it is a safe, somewhat consistent and reliable alternative to driving. This was abundantly clear when gas hit $4.25 a gallon.
3. The impact on the environment that I have by taking public transportation and not driving 42 miles each way on a daily basis
4. T ridership was up over 23% this year . . . although I expect to see it come down now that gas prices have fallen under $2.00/gallon. And with Governor Patrick putting a gas tax increase on hold and Senate President Murray considering legislation to put the toll increase on the back burner, I think people might go back to driving.
5. Knowing that I’m not alone in my daily commuting adversities … it’s nice getting validation from other riders not only on the Worcester-Framingham line, but on lines across the commuter rail system.

Cons:

1. Problems with On Time Performance were never really addressed; all the MBTA did was increase the schedule to reflect that they never met their performance times to begin with. Schedules were adjusted by adding upwards of 15 minutes to "better reflect" travel times. The media bought this hook, line and sinker. Elected officials got to pat themselves on the back for "doing something." Yet riders, especially those of us on the Worcester- Framingham line really didn't get to benefit.
2. We're paying more to commute than we were at this time last year.
3. Speaking of On Time Performance, good luck finding the statistics about train performance. If you happen to be in South Station in the ticket line, the times are posted there, but I think they should be posted publicly on the MBCR and MBTA websites.
4. More trains were added to the Worcester-Framingham line, but from an express train option, my options remain the same (see point #1). It really seems like it was a political game . . . months of hemming and hawing about CSX and liability and then when apparently that is resolved, 5 “new” trains are added, but really, only one is “new” and the rest are local trains. (By the way, my local train trip from Boston to Grafton is 1 1/2 hours if the train is actually on time. This doesn't account for my drive to Grafton and getting to my office once I'm in Boston).
5. Fare collection is still inconsistent, curious considering the MBTA needs every little bit of revenue they can get.
6. Trains are more crowded due to the rising cost of gasoline. T ridership was up over 23% this year . . . although I expect to see it come down now that gas prices have fallen under $2.00/gallon. And with Governor Patrick putting a gas tax increase on hold and Senate President Murray considering legislation to put the toll increase on the back burner, I think people might go back to driving.
   

I want to thank all of the commuters who have read and contributed to the blog, especially AJ, Kidney Stones, Richard, Grafton Train Rider, Fitchburg Train Rider, and all of the Anonymous posters who add their valuable insight.

And finally, I’d like to thank my partner in crime, Commute-a-holic, who keeps this blog humming when I can’t. Thanks everyone!!

We'll be back later with a news round-up.

Another Day, More to Pay

Train Rider is still away on business, so we do not have a Worcester commuter rail update this morning.

Based on comments received by Train Stopping yesterday, it looks like the first day of the new parking fees caused fewer people to part at the MBTA stations. It will be interesting to see if people find ways to avoid parking or if they just stop taking the trains all together.

Yesterday blogger Jeff Korzenik wrote about how the parking increase could cause people to not use the T in his blog (in)efficient frontiers. Jeff made some great observations and some excellent points on how consumers behave rationally.

This morning offered a good lesson on the rationality of consumers of energy and transportation. Today was the first business day that parking rates increased at MBTA (Boston’s regional transit authority) train station parking lots. My small station has a limited number of spots (about 150). As fuel prices rose earlier this year, drivers chose mass transit over driving in to Boston, and the lot filled earlier and earlier. When gas prices were at their peak, the lot generally filled by about 6:45 a.m. As gas prices have declined, the lot generally didn’t fill until about 7:00 a.m. Starting today, the higher parking fees will raise the annual train commute cost by $500. At 7:00 a.m. this morning, the lot was a third empty. As the relative cost of fuel-efficient mass transit increased, and the cost of driving has decreased, consumers have acted rationally and switched back to driving.

CommonWealth magazines CW blog used the recent issues plaguing transportation entities in Massachusetts as a reason to provide links to a number of current and past articles about transportation.

Over the weekend, the By any media necessary blog published an excellent letter written to Governor Deval Patrick, calling for the resignation of MBTA GM Daniel Grabauskas. The author Cara Lisa Powers, commutes from Worcester to Dorchester via the Worcester-Framingham commuter rail line and the Red Line. That's a super long commute, huh? She cited a number of reasons why she chose to commute via commuter rail, including the "new" Worcester line schedule and the T's highly touted free Wi-Fi. She points out that, if you rely on the Worcester line, there really isn't a good schedule if you do work 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and she even shared Customer Service's feedback:

I made this decision with two key MBTA advertisements in mind: (1) That the trains on the Worcester/Framingham line now have wireless and (2) that the Worcester/ Framingham line was adding four new trains to the schedule just days before my November 1 move. Since the beginning of my commute, just 2 weeks ago, I have been increasingly stressed, irritable and astounded at the MBTA’s blatant lack of regard for the needs of its riders. First, I found that the trains added to the schedule were at the beginning, middle and end of the day, and not at peak travel times like extending the 5:15 train from South Station to Framingham or the 8:00am train that runs from Framingham to Boston to run at approximately 7:19 from Worcester. Given that there seemed to be no practical commuter schedule for someone working a regular 9 to 5 schedule in Boston, I called Customer Service to complain. I was told by the Customer Service representative that they obviously could not cater to everyone’s schedule, he was not sure what I would like for him to do. After citing my 9-5 schedule, I recommended that the additional trains be revisited. I was given no way to follow up and see how my complaint was recorded or would be acted on.

Cara is singing Train Rider's song. A lot of us have thought the same thing and have voiced similar complaints.

However, unlike many commuters, Cara is fortunate to work for an employer who will create a flexible schedule for her. Even with her commitment to ride the rails, Cara noted:

With constant price hikes, little accountability, and continuously deteriorating service, I have to seriously consider driving to work. It would save me at least 2 hours a day, which in my line of work as a community organizer is precious. There are very few days that I am able to leave work on time, and on those days I want the dependability to know that I can get home when I plan to. Three times this week, a late train, either on the Commuter Rail or the Red Line which takes me from JFK/ UMASS to South Station has caused me to get home later than anticipated, today by a full hour because of a late train on the red line. This is incredibly frustrating when I already have a 12 hour day and little time to even eat dinner and shower before having to go to bed to get up for an early train.

She moves on to say that, in her opinion, the MBTA has forgotten it serves the people of Massachusetts. Cara continues to make some excellent points and I encourage everyone to read her full post.

Finally, a Live Journal post by Christopher Parker contains his post made to the Boston Metro's Q&A with Dan Grabauskas. Christopher is a bus rider who also had some interesting observations.

New Day, New Parking Fees at MBTA Lots

Good morning. Train Rider is out of town on a business trip, so I do not have any commuter rail updates. As both WHDH-TV Channel 7 and The Daily News reported this morning, the new parking fees are a reality at MBTA station lots.

Did you see yesterday's Boston Sunday Globe front page article? It was all about how the Big Dig enhancement's have only pushed traffic bottlenecks farther outside of downtown Boston. As many of us unscientifically expected, the $15 billion spent on the Big Dig didn't eliminate traffic jams. Sure, while there may not be a lot of traffic jams in the downtown core, getting to and from Boston is just as difficult as ever. And it can take a lot longer.

The Big Dig is at the core of the funding problems plaguing mass transit in Massachusetts. In an editorial from today's Telegram & Gazette the different views of eliminating the Pike are presented. The Pike was also the focus of yesterday's "Starts & Stops" in the Globe. I encourage anyone who commutes on the commuter rail to read yesterday's "Starts & Stops." It really details the issues at hand that commuters face and it contains some fantastic comments.

In other news, according to this article from Saturday's Boston Globe, the Federal Transit Authority shot down the T's request to purchase commuter rail locomotives from a European company.

Finally, some Boston residents are trying to get the No. 39 and No. 55 bus stops on Boylston Street at Ring Road restored.

Commuters Still Upset Over Increased Parking Fees

We've known that the new parking fees will be going into effect this Saturday. That doesn't mean this is a dead story. Regional editions of The Boston Globe printed three separate stories today about the increased parking fees. Heck, even this blog got a mention in one of the articles!

"Grumbles greet hike in T lot fee" focused on commuters using the Worcester-Framingham commuter rail line. Commuters are frustrated that the parking costs are rising, especially since some lots do not have enough spaces and other lots leave a lot to be desired from a maintenance perspective. On top of that, the service and experience riding the commuter rail trains leaves a lot to be desired.

Towns along the commuter rail line are fielding calls from citizens who are frustrated at yet another increase to the cost of their daily life. For commuters who take the train from Framingham, consider using the town owned parking garage near the commuter rail station. You can purchase monthly passes that are less expensive than the daily MBTA parking rates.

The T answers with their same canned response. Frankly, I just do not think they get it. If they got it, they would say "no perks for us - no cars, no lunches, nothing outside of our salaries and our operating budgets." But I think the T works in Fantasy Land and the rest of us are stuck working in Reality World.

Spokesman Joe Pesaturo said in an e-mail that commuter-rail parking rates have been unchanged for six years, that the median cost of parking in downtown Boston is $33, and that the agency had to find a way to cover part of the money it owes workers who were recently awarded $53 million in back pay, among other funding needs. Already shackled by $8 billion in debt, Pesaturo said, the transit agency can't borrow its way out of the situation, and has to raise the money from other sources.

"The decision to ask customers to pay more for parking was very difficult," Pesaturo stated. "The MBTA . . . has been left with the unenviable choice of seeking fee increases or reducing services."

The "Commuters balk at T parking rate increases" spoke to commuters along the Fitchburg, Haverhill and Lowell lines. In this article, Joe Pesaturo said the T is "facing its most daunting challenge" in 9 years. Hey Joe - why do you still cater your board meeting lunches? Why aren't fares collected? Why does the T just list excuse after excuse after excuse. Be honest - parking rates aren't going to help the lots be maintained, this is extra money to cover your losses.

I think we're all angry. Over the past 2 months we've seen a lot of institutions ask for bailouts. T riders are now bailing out the MBTA by handing over more money to park. A 100% increase is drastic.

Finally, "Maine balks at the cost of bridge repair" takes the Northern New England point of view on the parking rate increase.

Even Suffolk University's The Suffolk Journal wrote an article about how the increase in parking fees will affect students, faculty and staff.

In an Op-Ed piece also from today's Globe, the Governor outlines how he'll change mass transit and transportation here in the Commonwealth. Governor Patrick cuts right to heart of one of the issues that plagues both the T and the Mass Pike: patronage. These authorities were notorious bastions of places where politicians could get jobs for their supporters. Perhaps that wasn't the best way to run two very important state agencies. The Governor also said our transportation system is "broken" from an infrastructure standpoint. He is proposing some drastic steps to realign transportation in Massachusetts:

1. Consolidation of agencies.
2. System-wide planning and financing of transportation needs.

The first step will be the elimination of the Mass Pike. Within two years tolls on the Pike west of Route 128 will be removed. Massachusetts will explore advanced toll collection technologies. The Big Dig Debt will be restructured.

In a counter-point article, The Boston Herald's editorial staff doesn't think the Governor's proposal will work.

For customer service news, Fox 25 ran this report on Monday about how people are really unhappy riding the MBTA/MBCR commuter rail. "Late trains, unresponsive customer service, bad signage, poor infrastructure, and increased fees" are just a few of the things people don't like about relying on the commuter rail. They even showed the fare boxes that people use to pay for their parking. Fox 25 report Jim Armstrong has a blog where you can read the transcript of Monday's report and see viewer's comments.

Finally, blogger innismir wrote a post that captured just how dysfunctional the T really is. At innismir's parking lot, the T actually had two different signs explaining the parking rate increase. innisimr took some photos, so you can see for yourself. This made my blood boil. I've worked in corporate communications. You are supposed to proof things before you send them to the printer. In this economy, the T doesn't have any more money to waste. Dan and Joe - how much did the misprinted signs cost us?

Good grief!

Cinderella Goes to the Ball

So the baseball season ended for Red Sox fans last night. Well, at least our team made it to the ALCS. Cinderella, the Rays, are going to the Ball. Now that baseball is officially over here in Red Sox nation, it sure appears as though fall has finally arrived. It was nippy this morning.

I'm not sure what the deal was during my commute on the P508 this morning. We sat outside South Station for a while - at least ten minutes - so we didn't pull into the concourse until 8:36 a.m. I don't recall there being an announcement regarding the delay. I had to book it to work for a 9:00 a.m. meeting, so I'm hoping today is just an anomaly and not the start of a new trend.

Yesterday's Hartford Courant published an interesting column written by Tom Condon about Worcester. Mr. Condon actually attributes Worcester's population growth to the MBTA/MBCR commuter rail service. The column also provides a good analysis between Worcester and Hartford and why train service can help a local economy.

A letter to the editors of The Boston Globe written by Doug Anderson of Scituate was published yesterday. Doug's letter focuses on the "stealth" T fare increases in the form of increased parking fees. Doug makes some excellent points that I would love to see addressed by Governor Deval Patrick. Here are his arguments:

Why do I need to pay more to park at a commuter rail station than a driver who chooses to take the turnpike instead of the T pays in tolls? Why is the state backing up the finances of the Turnpike Authority, an agency which outlived its usefulness years ago, while suburban users of the MBTA are forced to fork over money for the urban transit workers' salary shortfall?

Should I just take the money for my $198 monthly T pass and my soon-to-be $80 monthly parking fee and put it in my gas tank? This is what current public policy is encouraging me to do. After all, there are no tolls going into Boston from the South Shore, and I could get free parking at my office.

Why does the governor seem more concerned about turnpike users than he is about T users? Where are our legislative leaders on this issue?

I know I would love to have these questions answered!

Also in yesterday's Globe, the "Starts & Stops" column alluded to more transportation cuts - in the form of subsidizes to private bus companies that provide long-haul service to Boston from communities including Marlborough, Northborough, Newburyport, Taunton, Plymouth, Marshfield and Worcester. Many commuters rely on these buses as they provide a more convenient alternative to either mass transit or driving into Boston.

Finally, The Salem News published another article about the Salem's quest to build a new commuter rail station garage.

Bridge Work and Letters to the Editor

The ole commute on the P508 was fine this morning. I think we were at South Station around 8:25 a.m.

Today's The Boston Globe published a short article about a MBCR announcement that was made earlier in the week. Train traffic on the inbound track between Haverhill and Lawrence has been halted so work crews can work on the Merrimack River Bridge. All trains will run on the outbound track. This started Tuesday, so The Globe was a bit late to the game.

Two "Letters to the Editor" were also published in today's Globe. "This is no time to take on more debt" is a letter in opposition to the Silver Line III expansion project. "Transit project is a legal obligation" is in support of the Silver Line III expansion project.

As always, Commute-a-holic and I will keep our eyes and ears open to news regarding the state's budget crisis. Yesterday Governor Deval Patrick announced that $1.4 billion will be trimmed from the state's budgets. It is estimated that 1,000 state jobs will be eliminated and I think that the cuts will be coming from throughout the state. I'm sure you're thinking what I'm thinking "enough with the bad economic news," but I fear that bad news will be the only news for a while.

Now a bit of a shameless plug before I go. The town of Grafton was selected as one of the finalists in this year's WEEI "Friday Night Lights 2008" contest. Ryan Vulter, a GHS football co-capitan and the the brother of Kevin J. Vulter (who passed away after a tragic auto accident in September), wrote the essay to WEEI requesting that Grafton be entered into the contest. I know the competition will be fierce - especially since there are a lot of other towns along both the Worcester and other commuter rail lines - competing to win. If you don't have a connection to one of the other towns, Grafton would certainly appreciate the vote.

Massachusetts to Purchase Rail Tracks from CSX

Worcester-Framingham commuter rail line passengers take note. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has reached an agreement with CSX to purchase the tracks between Worcester and Framingham. Read all about it in today's The Telegram & Gazette.

FIVE - that's right - FIVE additional trains will be added to the Boston to Worcester route later this month. The new trains are scheduled to start service on October 27th.

In addition to the Central Mass-MetroWest tracks, the state will also be purchasing tracks in three other sections of the state, including the South Coast. The state will spend $100 million for this purchase - $50 million for the Worcester portion alone.

Six more daily trains may be added to the Worcester line over the next four years.

Starting October 27th, the plans are to add two morning trips and two evening trips to the Worcester line. The details of this agreement are expected to be announced today at a press conference this morning at Worcester's Union Station. The exact trip times for the new trains have not been determined.

“Study after study has shown we have got to do a better job of cross-pollinating our housing and workforce needs, and rail is one of the best ways to do that. Linking up the two largest cities and points in between in a way that is affordable and environmentally friendly makes absolute sense,” Mr. Murray said.

The agreements provide for the state to undertake the elevation of highway bridges to allow double-stack freight trains between Interstate 495 and the New York state line, while the state also has agreed to help CSX with possible future relocation of a major Boston freight yard to one or more locations in Central Massachusetts, including Worcester. Together, Mr. Murray said, it could make Worcester “the new rail hub of New England.”

The news about the Mass Pike is not as positive. Two articles in this morning's The Boston Globe. One was about how the Pike has been conducting more road maintenance during the day, to conserve costs. The other is about Governor Deval Patrick's proposal to dismantle the Pike and merge it into other state agencies.

Going Carless and the Governor Blames MBTA for Budget Issues

Good morning.

First, we would like to extend our sympathies to the families and friends of the people killed in Friday's Metrolink commuter rail accident in Los Angeles.

For the past two days, The Boston Globe has written two different articles about Boston-area residents who have relinquished their cars and are now getting around either by bike, foot or public transportation.

Today's Starts & Stops column published results from a new survey which said that Boston is the most cost-effective place to live in the US without a car. This survey was compiled by the American Public Transportation Association based on the cost of monthly transit passes, parking rates, and a driving formula developed by AAA. Noah Bierman explains some of the different factors that went into this analysis and his subsequent article in today's Starts & Stops is about some of the difficulties Boston-area residents face when going car-free. There was also an article about the planned cuts to some MBTA bus routes.

Yesterday The Globe profiled some local area families who are living without a car.

On Friday, WBZ-TV Channel 4 aired a report in which Governor Deval Patrick blames MBTA GM Daniel Grabauskas for the T's financial woes. Governor Patrick's new appointee to the MBTA Board, Janice Loux, put some pressure on Grabauskas at the T's monthly meeting. The Governor has acknowledged that a long-term solution to the T's financial situation needs to be developed.

Open Media Boston published an editorial on Friday stating that the MBTA needs debt relief. Also on Friday, the Taunton Daily Gazette wrote about the ongoing plans for the southeastern Massachusetts commuter rail extension.

Finally, DM News (a publication for marketers) published an article on Friday about the MBTA's direct mail campaign to promote the corporate pass program. They hired an advertising agency based in Ohio to launch the campaign. Gosh, I thought there were a lot of really competent agencies here in Massachusetts that could have created this marketing effort?

Boston Globe: Graubauskas Sullies His "Mr. Fix-it" Rep

In today's The Boston Globe there is a a long article about MBTA GM Dan Graubauskas. Before helming the T three years ago, Graubauskas' rep was outstanding. He was known as the person who fixed the Massachusetts' Registry of Motor Vehicles.

But three years later, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is far from fixed, and there are more political darts aimed at Grabauskas. He has earned praise from transportation activists for putting a focus on efficiency and access and has instituted customer service improvements such as the automated CharlieCard and the beginning of cellphone service on subways. But overwhelming debt, political infighting, and a recent series of controversies and crises at the T have tarnished his image.

It has been a rough summer for the T. And Dan is the ultimate spin-meister. He noted the following:

"We're moving the ball in the right direction," he said. "But in this particular job, there is no end zone. You're either moving in the right direction, or you're moving in the wrong direction."

And reporter Noah Bierman wrote this:

His team provided reams of lists and graphics, including a monthly system accountability book he initiated, to show where he is improving service and saving money. Canceled trips on buses and subways are down, and the fleets are running longer without breaking down, with fewer speed restrictions. Commuter rail, however, continues to run late more often than promised.

Ah yes, the commuter rail. Yes, why isn't the commuter rail running well? And really - the lists and the graphs - do they mean anything? I, for one, would love to see a correlation between T passes and tickets purchased and the actual number of riders/revenue.

Dan, in his head, is probably chalking up all the negative press to a political battle. He was appointed by a Republican governor and now a Democrat leads the state. I think using the political card is a cop-out.

At the end of the day, this is what is at the heart of the matter:

Much of this discussion of debt and politics is academic to the system's hundreds of thousands of riders, who simply want to get to work on time, with some level of comfort.

Dan used a bunch of PR puffery and didn't really address the issue of riders who just want to get to where they are going on time and without a lot of aggravation. Plus Bierman worked in some of the Dan Graubauskas myth and legend into the article.

My "buddy," Metheun State Senator Steven Baddour appears to be a big Graubauskas fan. I will admit, Senator Baddour is on my list because he was so vehemently opposed to I-93 tolls. Steven, just thank the MetroWest and Western drivers when you ride around the state as we are footing the bill.

So the rest of the article really didn't say much, other than Graubauskas has 20 months on his T contract and there are people in state government who still like him, who don't think any of the T's problems are his fault.

Dan is really in the winner's position. If Governor Patrick wants to oust him, the state would have to pay Graubauskas nearly a half-million dollars. So what's Dan's incentive, really? Not much. He's earning a lot of money, he would generate a huge payout. If he loses his job, he would probably go consultant somewhere. It is all win-win for Dan and a huge lose for commuters and state taxpayers.

Whoever does Dan's PR is a total rainmaker.

In other news, yesterday WHDH-TV Channel 7 ran a piece about raises that State Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen extended to T employees. This was five days before Graubauskas tried to give raises to the T executives. Again, what a mess!

The Patriot Ledger reported on a planned MBTA bus service expansion to South Weymouth.

In case you didn't see this, Daily Worcesteria penned an assessment of the new Union Station garage. It looks like some things still need to be worked out.

Finally, checkout Switchback's new blog design. Very nice!