Smash n' Grab in Grafton and Westborough

It looks like the vandals are at it again ... smashing windows on cars in the Grafton and Westborough parking lots to grab what they can like GPS units, iPods, laptops, etc. This is similar to a problem that has been persistent in these parking lots since they're quite isolated and set back from the roads.

Grafton and MBTA police have been stepping up surveillance, but unless they're sitting there 24/7, it's going to be difficult to catch these vandals in the act. In fact, it might have been two weeks ago when I stepped off the train and there were 3 Grafton police cars in the lot. I couldn't really tell what was going on, but their presence was felt.

So, this begs the question ... why aren't there video cameras at MBTA parking lots? Especially in rural ones like the Grafton lot? This might help the police do a better job of patrolling the lots and it would give us commuters peace of mind. Especially since we pay $80/month to park there.

The Greater Grafton blog has a great post with pictures regarding these break-ins. You can go here to read it.

Lots of MBCR Communication

Hello Fellow Trainstoppers! It's been awhile since I've visited the blog, but I wanted to pass along a bit of correspondence that I've received from MBCR ... and to apologize for the lack of posts. Sadly, my company is now blocking websites with a log in and Commute-a-holic is unavailable as well, so my good intentions are falling by the wayside.

First off, I want to ask what you all think of the new "board/depart only where there is conductor" policy? It doesn't seem to have adversely impacted the schedule, which is what I feared when it first started ... and everyone seems to be doing a good job for the most part.

One thing that is kind of annoying ... the looped announcements at the Grafton T stop thanking us for riding the MBTA. One day last week when the train was late, I would have expected the announcement to change, advising us of the delay, but it did not.

Here is post #1 from MBCR regarding a new commuting survey:

To all of our Worcester Line Customers

Commuter Rail Newsletter and Survey results are now available!

We are pleased to announce that the summer edition of the MBCR customer newsletter, the “Commuter Express” is now available. We hope to provide these informational pamphlets quarterly to provide our passengers with the latest information. If there is anything special that you would like to see addressed in future editions, please feel free to send your comments/suggestions to: www.mbcr.net

The newsletter is available online and can be viewed by clicking on the link below.
http://mbcr.net/customer%20service/Summer_Web.pdf

You may also pick up a copy which can be found at the information booths at Back Bay, South and North Stations.

Thank you to all those who participated in our last survey; please log on to the following link to see the results: http://mbcr.net/Survey_Results.html

Thank you for riding commuter rail.
Customer Service Massachusetts Bay Commuter Rail
Operating the Commuter Rail on behalf the of MBTA

Frosty Commute

Hello! Did everyone stay up to watch last night's Academy Awards telecast? I actually watched the Oscars with Commute-a-holic. Good times.

Last week was a blur. I was off on Monday for the holiday, was sick, went to work, and the was off on Friday. At least today's commute was good - the P508 rolled into South Station around 8:24 a.m., even though the train was late departing Grafton.

Somehow I missed this story reported by The BostonChannel.com on Thursday. Shocking . . . the MBTA is over budget and behind delivery on multiple construction projects, WCVB-TV Channel 5's investigative team learned. Of the 19 current projects only 3 are on time/on budget!!

I personally love how they started the report by mentioning the Kenmore Station - I curse the T every time I have to drive through Kenmore Square. What a blight!! As a professional project manager, I concur very heartily with this statement:

"There's obviously an issue with project management if they're so far behind like this," said another commuter.

Indeed, I do agree, there is an issue with the T's project managers. Are they even PMP certified?

Of course, the T "stands behind" the delayed projects. Sure - why not - it isn't like T employees have lost their jobs or taken a pay cut due to the inept deliverability cycles. Can you say unnecessary "scope creep"?

I received a nice note from Grafton Train Rider who shared some interesting feedback on Friday. Grafton Train Rider is referencing Thursday, February 19th:

I was feeling ill yesterday and a nice coworker gave me a ride back to the Grafton station last night. We noticed a Transit Police vehicle parked in the rear corner of the lot about 4:45 PM - good to see some police presence after last year's vandalism.

Some not so good news about MBTA police: I watched the I-Team report last night about the MBTA employee's scam to collect for training which he did not attend with his assigned canine dog. Fortunately, the employee resigned and may face criminal charges.

Lastly, I am pleased to report that I have accepted a volunteer position on the MBTA Rider Oversight Committee. Our first meeting is this Monday evening from 5-7 PM so I will keep you informed about developments.

Thanks to everyone for sharing their comments on last Thursday's reimbursement post. I'm glad everyone found the information to be helpful. I also found the comments helpful, so thanks for sharing.

Grafton's Sir Loin's Catering Inauguration Day Treat for Commuters

Happy Inauguration Day. Regardless of your political beliefs, I hope you are amazed that the United States has this wonderful tradition of peaceful transitions.

To many people, today feels very celebratory. Grafton Station commuters were greeted with free hot chocolate handed out by Sir Loin's Catering. Thanks Jeff for this wonderful morning treat.

Even better - the P508 was on time today. We were at South Station around 8:20 am.

I heard a lot of grumbling on the train this morning about the commute yesterday morning. At least for the Worcester-Framingham line, it sounds like switching / maintenance problems caused a lot of the morning trains to be late. This article from today's Boston Globe noted that yesterday all the commuter rail lines, except for the Greenbush and the Middleborough-Lakeville lines, experienced delays ranging from 10 minutes to 40 minutes. The delays were "weather related."

Today's Patriot Ledger ran an article about how AIM Parking Management has filed a lawsuit against the MBTA's parking lot increase. So why would a parking management company care if the T raised the parking rates? Because they have more work to do, but aren't being compensated for it. How can their be more work? Because commuters are paying the increased rate either with more dollar bills or more coins AIM contends that they need more employees to process the parking fees. Also, the MBTA didn't notify AIM that the parking increase was going to go into effect until October 16th. On October 29th, the T told AIM AIM told the T "that the fee increase would essentially cause customers to deposit twice as many dollar bills and coins at the lots."

Good planning, huh?

Finally, today's Hartford Courant contained an interview with the state of Connecticut's DOT Commissioner Joseph Marie. Originally from Boston, Marie is a proponent of commuter rail systems.

It was -4F on My Drive to the Grafton Station

It is frosty in the burbs today. My car, which I keep parked in my garage each night, was -4F this morning according to its external thermometer. It is definitely "warmer" here in Boston, maybe 14 or 15 degrees. Since it isn't too windy today, it feels warmer in Boston than it did earlier this week.

The P508 was late on its arrival to South Station today. We sat outside at Back Bay for what felt like eons and ending up arriving about 20 minutes after the schedule time. I guess it could be worse - it seems like other Worcester line trains haven't been running as well this week.

Spurn on by the new MBCR newsletter, Commute-a-holic sent the MBCR a suggestion. How about printing the on-time performance rates in the MBCR mouthpiece, um newsletter?

This is what the MBCR had to say about Commute's suggestion:

I have just read your email regarding your concern about the commuter rail's on-time performance.

I appreciate that you sent me this concern and your suggestions for the newsletter. We post the on-time performance for each line at the appropriate main stations. The posters are put up at North, South and Back Bay station each month and they display the on-time performance for each line.

Thank you for writing to me with your concern, I hope this information was helpful.

South Station commuters - I don't know about you, but I really don't think the on-time performance posters are located in a "prominent" spot. They're buried in the back of the station.

Though the Weather is Frigid, the P508 Was Nearly On Time

Good morning!

I was tied up yesterday. Commute-a-holic is still caught up in a bunch of projects at work. Yesterday's commute was fine.

Boy is it frigid outside. To think - by tomorrow we'll think today's temperatures are warm. It looks like all the warm weather is caught in a January heatwave out west. Even Northern California is seeing some pretty nice temperatures.

The P508 was about 5 minutes late pulling into Grafton this morning, but we arrived at South Station for 8:24 a.m., so we weren't too late. The train was right on time yesterday morning, which was so nice because we didn't have to stand around on the cold concrete platform. Anyho, we made up time during this morning's trip. Luckily it was quite warm on the train as well.

Unfortunately, not all this morning's commutes were as smooth as the P508. One of my coworkers, who takes the Providence line into Boston, wasn't so lucky. He tried taking the #800, which departs Providence at 5:07 a.m., but waited on the platform for 45 minutes and ended up getting on the #802 instead. Once the train reached the Route 128 Station, all the lights and heat shut off and they rode the rest of the way into Boston in the dark and cold.

The big news this morning, well it was announced yesterday, is Mass Trans. Massachusetts State Senators want to make sure we first focus on some of the structural/system issues plaguing transportation in Massachusetts before determining revenue adjustments (i.e., toll increases). The Senate proposes creating a new entity called MassTrans (Massachusetts Surface Transportation Authority). This bipartisan Senate proposal, which basically emanated from other ideas floated over the last few years, would eliminate the MBTA and the Mass Pike. So, along with the functions and services of the MBTA and the Mass Pike, MassTrans would also absorb all state roads and bridges, meaning Massport would relinquish control of the Tobin Bridge. I heard on WBZ-Radio last night that MassTrans could save the state $6 billion or so over a twenty year period. You can read all about it here:

• Boston Globe
• Boston Herald
• WBUR
• Boston Metro

Manners seem to be all the rage. Check out this article posted yesterday to the Bostonist. AJ and Framingham Rider both made really great comments about manners on Tuesday. I couldn't agree more. Simple acts of consideration can go a long way towards making everyone's easier, smoother and faster.

Stay warm Boston!!

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.

Good Samaritan and MBCR News

Here's some nice news. Grafton Train Rider shared the following:

I took P529 home last night (January 7th) - arrived on-time per schedule. While clearing slush off of my windshield, I noticed a cell phone near my car's tire. Fortunately, the owner had a contact number "Home" so the phone was returned promptly in Grafton Center.

Nice job Grafton Train Rider!

In other news, the MBCR now has a newsletter, called Commuter Express. Looks like they'll be publishing this twice a year (wow!!). Here's the announcement:

We are pleased to announce the reintroduction of MBCR’s customer newsletter, the “Commuter Express”. We hope to be able to provide these informational pamphlets at least twice annually. If there is anything special that you would like to see addressed in future newsletters, please feel free to send your comments/suggestions to us at: http://www.mbcr.net/

You can subscribe to this at the MBCR's website.

Train Commute was Better than Driving to the Grafton Station

My commute on the P508 was fine this morning. We were at South Station by 8:22 a.m. I almost missed my train, though, due to road conditions. It was a slow drive to the Grafton Station because the roads were still slick from yesterday's ice/rain storm. All that water froze overnight.

Due to the slow driving, I had to spring from the parking lot to the platform, which was a feat in and of itself. Try sprinting when the lots are icy. I'm sure I looked like a nut.

I suppose I could always write a rant about the parking lot and how my parking dollars just aren't used to maintain the lots, but why wreck a good day?

The Boston Herald wrote about how East Boston, South Boston and North End residents are upset that they didn't renew their Mass Pike discount memberships. Many are claiming they never received a notification.

Yesterday's Bostonist wrote about how some people just don't move their bags on the trains. This is something that Anonymous at 7:38 AM alluded to.

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?

My Commute was Atrocious and Other News

Yup, that's right, my commute was atrocious. Don't know why today was all screwed up. It wasn't snowing. Its not raining. It is actually fairly warm. I understand when the trains are delayed due to weather events and I understand that from time to time, the trains won't run on time. But what is going on with the Worcester line? You can't tell me that the line is going to have a high on-time approval rate this month? Because, for the past two weeks, the trains have been beyond bad.

Not only have the trains been horrific in their on-time performance, but what is up with the parking lots? The Grafton lot was absolutely pathetic last night. For $4, the least the T could do is to come by and make sure that someone is sanding or plowing the lots. Dan Grabauskas and MBTA team - I know you read this blog. Care to blow some smoke up our butts and tell us why the lots aren't taken care of? You are one big pathetic organization.

As much as I believe in public transportation, I am seriously contemplated driving to Boston or using a private bus service. Enough is enough.

Since our entire transportation network seems to be unraveling, here is the news you need to know.

Boston Globe columnist Joan Vennochi weighs' in on the Governor's proposed pick as the new Secretary of Transportation. Joan pretty much feels the same way as most of the editorial staffs feel - that Aloisi is not the right person for the job.

Also, in today's Globe and Telegram & Gazette: lawmakers debate if there should be a toll increase or an increase to the gas tax. NECN has video with their report.

Today's Boston Herald reports that Boston Mayor Tom Menino does not think the seatless Red Line cars are a good idea. The MBTA claims that, in a survey on the seatless cars, 2 out of 3 riders said they would travel again in the seatless Red Line car. Approximately 300 people have completed the survey - so 66% of respondents said they don't mind the seatless cars. This is what the Mayor had to say:

“They’re taking the seats out and making people stand up, that’s not a transportation plan,” Menino said during a legislative hearing on tolls this morning. Menino said MBTA officials should come up with another way to handle the increased ridership.

The Bostonist takes a page from San Francisco's MUNI Manners by advising on T-appropriate etiquette. If you have an idea for what consists of good manners on the T, email The Bostonist at tips AT bostonist.com. Here are the first two:

1. Wearing sweatpants ripped in inappropriate places.
2. Slurping the crumbs from your finger after eating a Dunkin Donuts muffin. (We've all had them. They're not that good.)

I did enjoy the headline that Boston Magazine's Boston Daily came up with regarding the T employees who failed the drug tests situation: "High Times on the MBTA?"

Parking Lot Disgrace

I'm livid. The Grafton MBTA parking lot was an utter mess when I got to the station this evening. No one had attempted to either try to clear the ice or to sand the lot at all. Those of us who took the 6:15 PM train out of Boston had to carefully shuffle our way across the lot to our cars, then spend upwards of 10 minutes chipping the ice away.

I should have expected it, these were the same conditions (snow, then freezing rain, then cold temps all day) that caused the entire parking lot to ice over and me to fall last winter. I'm not sure why I expected anything different, it can't be because I'm paying twice as much to park there now, right? That's just crazy! Because, as we know, the money is not going toward lot maintenance, it's going to back pay for MBTA employees.

Since these suburban lots are not patrolled by the MBTA police, they must be maintained by the subcontractors, there's no excuse for the lot to be iced over.

Are Cancelled Trains a Sign of Winter's Arrival?

Train Rider is away on a business trip today. Perhaps this is a good thing, as it appears that the P508 train was cancelled this morning. Thanks to Anonymous at 7:39 a.m. and Anonymous at 9:37 a.m. for the updates posted to Train Stopping. AJ posted a comment to The Greater Grafton Blog (which has a lovely photo of the platform at the Grafton MBTA station).

With the Thanksgiving holiday and heavy workloads, neither Train Rider nor I have been able to post some updates from readers. We'll start with news from Grafton Train Rider. The week of Thanksgiving was not a good one, commute wise, for Grafton Train Rider.

Grafton Train Rider started with the following message: "As we approach Thanksgiving, it sure has been a back week on the Worcester line. Tuesday night, P529 was delayed departing South Station due to a signal problem so we arrived in Grafton about 10 minutes late. Wednesday morning, P520 was delayed at least 15 minutes (stopped in Framingham and Allston then slow travel in between). The conductor thought that the cause was due to flooding."

On Tuesday, November 24th, both the P502 AND the P504 were cancelled. Grafton Train Rider submitted the following to the MBCR's Commuter Rail Customer Service:

Subject: No updated signage, invalid date.

It's bad enough to cancel the express train but waiting in the cold with a sign that says "All trains operating on or near schedule 11/11/08" is even worse when the date is 11/24/08. I arrived at work 45 minutes late. I submitted for the cancelled P502 and hope my refund is forthcoming. If not, I will write back to complain on that as well.

Here's some feedback Grafton Train Rider received regarding the malfunctioning LED sign:

I appreciate that you brought this information about the LED board to my attention. Unfortunately, our communications department, tries to ensure that all boards are running with the appropriate information, however until someone informs us that it is not running properly, we have no way of knowing there is a problem. I have forwarded this information on to our communications department, asking that they further review this information.Unfortunately, this department does not handle the issue of fare reimbursement. This request is handled through the MBTA's website. If you have any trouble regarding your request, you may contact them by calling 617-222-3200 and asking for the Revenue Department. Thank you for taking the time to bring this concern to my attention, I appreciate it.

Meanwhile, Fitchburg Train Rider expressed some concerns regarding the recent announcement about the removal of seats on some MBTA Red Line trains.

I heard on Channel 7 news this AM, that Red Line is going to RIP OUT ALL SEATS except for a few for handicapped and elderly. They claim to many riders. Now this is MORE THAN OUTRAGEOUS. Instead of

1. better seats
2. better customer service
3. more cars added to the Red Line if more passengers
4. more scheduled subways to accommodate the increase in ridership,

the MBTA, in all their infinite wisdom, decide to:

1. rip out seats
2. make present riders VERY MAD
3. make the Red Line now very unsafe, and probably unlawful
4. worsen their already bleak customer service reputation

Upset, Fitchburg Train Rider contacted the MBTA. Here is an excerpt of what the T had to say:

If I could set the record straight, the MBTA is testing two cars aspart of a pilot program where thy have removed the seats and these two cars would be put in the middle of a six car train. Currently the MBTA is operating 28 six car trains and starting on Monday one train will have two cars with the seats removed to address the over crowding the Red Line has experienced. Customers will be given the option to either utilize any of the cars with the seats or opt to board the train with the seats removed. The MBTA has added additional grab handles and straps for customers to hold onto during their commute. The Red Line had already added two additional trains beginning in the Fall to help address the overcrowding and we are responding to the still overcrowding conditions that still exist. Transit Agencies around the Country who have experienced similar problems removed seats as a way to increase ridership during peak periods.

The removal of the seats on the Red Line is a pretty controversial topic in Boston mass transit at the moment. Today's Patriot Ledger published an op-ed on this experiment. This well written editorial calls for the state to create a public transportation plan that will lessen our dependence on individual vehicles. The Ledger's editorial team makes some outstanding points about the logic of the T's experiment with removing Red Line seats. In the editorial staff's opinion, only 27 more riders will be able to get into Boston for about the cost of a gallon of gas. Do people really want to stand for a 1/2 train ride into Boston? Even a Tufts University blog has weighed in on this. We will have to see if this experiment works.

Now for some good news related to a follow-up story. Westborough Train Rider, who received mixed messages about paying daily parking fees with a personal check, sent this update:

They did indeed cash my check, see attached. Good news, they finally came back saying that paying by check is acceptable even though they have posted signs saying that paying by check is not an acceptable form of payment. Tomorrow will be my first test since 11/19. I'm curious to see if after paying by check I get back to the parking lot to find a slip on my vehicle stating I owe $5.

My aim is to let people know they can pay by check. People should know they have that option even though some station parking lots post that is not an acceptable form of payment, especially with it getting colder out there.

Thanks to Grafton Train Rider, Fitchburg Train Rider and Westborough Train Rider for sharing your experiences!

While the subject of parking is still top-of-mind, here are reports from WBZ-TV.com and the Brockton Enterprise about how a zoning conflict may not enable people to park at a private business in Kingston.

A Letter to the Editor in today's The Boston Globe about portable bikes, written by the executive director of MassBike. We actually missed this story - it ran in the November 30th edition of The Sunday Boston Globe. Folding bikes are used by some commuters to augment their transit commutes.

Finally, in case you didn't see or hear this, the Mass Pike reportedly saved $31.6 million thanks to budget cuts since January 2008. This is twice the amount that the Executive Director thought they would save in 2008.

Stupendously Long Commute on a Blistery Winter Morning

I knew it was not going to be a good commute this morning when I first arrived to the Grafton station for the P508 train. As I was parking, I noticed some people were walking back to their cars. I checked my T Alerts and it said the P508 was delayed by 15 minutes from the scheduled 7:09 departure time. At 7:20 a.m., I check the MBTA website from my Blackberry and the new alert said the P508 was delayed by 30 minutes.

At least the Worcester line wasn't alone in experiencing delays on the, thus far, coldest day of December. It looked like there were delays across the commuter rail system, according to the MBTA service alerts and advisories.

The P508 finally arrived at 7:35 a.m. I immediately asked a conductor if they were going to turn the P508 into a local train. At that point, the conductor said they had not received a notification to turn the train into a local. Fortunately, we stayed an Express train. Even with the express service, we didn't arrive to South Station until about 9:05 a.m. I think I'm still frozen!! It was blistery cold and windy standing on the concrete platform.

This was not the best way to start a Monday or the work week.

Yesterday's "Starts & Stops" column in The Sunday Globe was about how the economy could impact mass transit. Across the country, transit systems are experiencing a dramatic increase in the number of users. Will the numbers increase? No one can predict. Yes, gas prices are dropping, yet many people are trying to conserve their funds. Also, if unemployment continues to increase, there will be fewer commuters. Train Stopping was mentioned in the article. I've noticed a decrease in the number of parked cars in lots along the Worcester line and many of our readers have noticed the same in lots on other lines.

Today's The Washington Post also wrote about the national increase in mass transit usage.

Wicked Local Plymouth wrote another article about the parking increase, published yesterday. Another local business, which abuts the commuter rail line, is offering commuters a chance to park for a monthly fee that is cheaper than the MBTA's monthly costs.

The Sun Chronicle published an op-ed piece last Friday about the need for gates/whistles at some train crossings along the Providence line.

Zippy Wednesday Morning Commute

Good morning. What a lovely, sunny day. Albeit, for those of us from the Worcester area, today will always be a sad day. This is the 9th anniversary of the Worcester Cold Storage fire. We will always remember the Worcester 6.

My commute this morning on the P508 train was zippy. We arrived to South Station at 8:21 a.m. It seemed crowded on the train, although I still think the parking lots themselves are not as crowded as they used to be. I know I would love to have an extra $10 in my wallet instead of paying to let my car sit in the Grafton lot all day long.

The Salem News reported that the Salem Parking Board voted to increase parking from $2 to $4, just like the T decided to do. Commuters are not happy.

The main story today is the Mass Pike. The Stop the Pike Hike rally is this afternoon. WHDH-TV Channel 7 aired a story about the Pike debate today, while The Boston Globe published an article about how lawmakers may consider leasing the Pike to a private entity. WBUR aired a similar report.

While it could make sense to lease something like the commuter rail system or the subway, I'm really not sure if leasing a highway makes a whole lot of sense. It seems like everyone is just running around like crazy because we are running out of money. I'm concerned a lot of bad decisions are going to be made to cover short-term budgets.

WBUR also aired an analysis of the future of the Mass Pike.

Pre-Thanksgiving Day Commute

Short weeks are the best. This was my last commute into work for this week. The P508 train was 5 minutes late in arriving to Grafton this morning. But we made up our time and arrived into South Station at 8:24 a.m.

Delays have been plaguing the Providence line over the past few days. I heard about delays this a.m. on the news and Annonymous posted a comment here.

Wicked Local Easton published yet another take on the South Coast line extension yesterday, while Wicked Local Roslindale wrote a column about why toll hikes are bad.

If you need to drive somewhere to get to your Thanksgiving celebration, you might find this article posted today on MSN titled "Highways to Hell" - the top 10 worst highways in the US. Though no roadways in Massachusetts made this list (I know, I was shocked), two New England roads did: Maine Highway 1 and the I-95/I-195 interchange in Providence, RI.

Here's an interesting fact: Maine rural highways have the highest fatality rate of any rural road in the US (81%).

Safe travels to wherever it is you are going this holiday weekend. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

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.

One Question, Different Answers

Westborough Train Rider shared with Train Stopping this comment/email trail sent to the MBTA regarding the newly instituted parking fees.

Last Wednesday (11/12/2008), Westborough Train Rider sent an email to mbta AT parking.com. asking who to make out a personal check to for parking payment. This is a pretty logical question - here's the email:

Who do I make out a check to when paying for parking? With the pay increase I am not going to attempt to cram $4 in cash/coins into the drop box. Not to mention I need a receipt and the drop box/cash method doesn''t provide that.

The MBTA got back to Westborough Train Rider pretty quickly. The answer: "Sorry payments are cash only."

Since the parking.com trail led to a dead end, Westborough Train Rider immediately filed this complaint with the MBTA's Customer Feedback, requesting a response back:

I find it wholly unacceptable that the parking lot of Westborough only accepts cash and doesn't provide receipts. With the DOUBLING of the parking rate, trying to jam $4 (cash and coins) into the archaic machine at the Westborough parking lot is going to be problematic.

Here is my correspondence with the folks at mbta AT parking.com who are listed as the folks that manage the lot. I think the MBTA needs to take responsibility if they want to increase the parking rate. Not having the ability to get a receipt for an item I pay for is bad business. I have also written to the Better Business Bureau.

A few days later, the MBTA sent Westborough Train Ride this reply:

The MBTA is indeed considering changes to improve upon the current payment systems. Currently the MBTA is exploring cashless payment alternatives to the honor boxes for our commuter rail customers and is hopeful such technologies will be introduced in the very near future.

These technology will provide a proof of payment and online account management. Similarly, the MBTA is exploring with MassPike an expansion of the FastLane system, currently offered at the Route 128 Garage, to other MBTA parking garages. The MBTA's longer range goal is to extend the same conveniences and assurances afforded bus, subway and light rail customers by the CharlieCard to our parking lots and garages, the commuter rail, and commuter ferry. We are committed to offering our customers the option of using credit cards or smart cards (or a similar automated form) to pay parking fees.

Be assured checks are in fact accepted and should made out to MBTA Parking and inserted as you would cash into the honor box. You may also wish to include the station name and space number on your check as well.

Many customers today pay their parking fees this way.

Thank you for writing.

Regards,
MBTA Parking Services

So mbta AT parking.com says "no checks."

The MBTA says "sure, you can pay by check."

Westborough Train Rider wasn't through. This reply was sent back to the MBTA:

Thank you for the reply. Should I ignore the response I got from mbta AT parking.com that said they only accept cash payments at their parking lots?

The MBTA was kind enough to respond with:

Yes, please do. I have clarified with Central Parking. Their concern was that their staff might confuse checks with the blank scraps of paper some customers insert into the honor box rather than a pay.

Sorry for the confusion and thank you for your continued patronage.

At this point, the story should be over, right? Wrong. Here's what happens next.

The new parking rates went into effect on 11/15/2008. Westborough Train Rider uses a personal check to pay the $4.00 to park. Is the personal check accepted - heck no. So Westborough Train Rider shot this off to the MBTA:

Yesterday I paid with a check and got a notice saying that I had not paid and would be expected to pay the $4. There is also an additional charge of $0.75 and then some fuzzy math that brings the total to $5. Can you please follow up with the parking folks to determine why they are not accepting a check as a form of payment? I would also hope that I will not be expected to pay the $0.75 service charge. Could you please follow up on the status of the check I submitted? Having received this notice I am not sure if my check was taken and will be cashed or if perhaps I should submit another check for $4 in this late payment envelope.

Let's hope that Westborough Train Rider keeps us posted on this parking payment saga. Why can't things just be easy?

Thanks Westborough Train Rider for sharing this experience with us.

On The Greater Grafton Blog, Jenn has a great photo of the parking sign at the Grafton station.

Worcester Bloggers and More Debate About Parking

I would like to give a big shout-out to Neil of the 4-Rilla is Real blog and Linnea of Real Worcester for last night's meet-up at the Worcester Shark's game. Commute-a-holic and I both participated. It was nice to meet other Worcester-area bloggers and blog readers and it was great to get out and support the Worcester Sharks. The Sharks beat the Norfolk Admirals 4 to 3.

This was a fun and an inexpensive event. What more can you ask for in such trying days? In case you're either a hockey fan or you're looking to do something fun and inexpensive, the Sharks have a program where you can purchase tickets to Wednesday night games for $5.00 a ticket for groups of 10 or more. You can't even go out and see a movie for that. So if you're looking for something to do, consider checking out a Sharks game on a Wednesday night this winter. The DCU Center is a safe and welcoming environment which has been renovated to remove any sign of the old "Centrum" orange seats.

I even took the P527 train all the way to Worcester and walked to the DCU. Commute-a-holic was kind enough to return me to the Grafton station after the game.

Now on to commuting news!

The P508 was on time. We arrived into South Station at 8:21 a.m. The parking lots still look like they're only 1/2 way filled in Grafton, Westborough, Southborough, and Ashland.

Though I haven't seen published MBCR/MBTA on-time performance stats in months, I did notice a sign in the far corners of South Station. For the month of October 2008, the Worcester-Framingham line had an on-time performance of 90.55% and a year-to-date performance of 87.67%. I, for one, think these stats are suspicious. But there doesn't seem to be any accountability for publishing the stats by an outside authority, so I guess we have to go with what they are telling us.

People are still fired up about the parking rates. We appreciate all comments made to the blog - even if we don't agree with them. Commute-a-holic and I love how the blogsphere generates dialogue, which is what we are trying to do.

If you're a commuter rail rider and you're looking to connect with other riders, feel free to use Train Stopping to make those connections. A comment by Raghu Saranathan for West Natick commuters yesterday made me realize that others may be looking to connect. Let's all try to work together.

I will say, I do get annoyed when I see references to people "cutting out lattes to pay for parking." I've actually made a lot of reductions in my life over the past 2 years. I'm single and I work in financial services, so there is a very strong probability I could lose my job if the market continues its downward slant (spiral). I'm glad I started to become a lot more environmentally aware over the past few years, because it has helped me cut down on my consumption. That being said, I'm still irritated when I see utter mismanagement of public funds and I am still incredibly upset about this parking increase. But we will work through this.

On to the news. Yesterday's Examiner.com contained a scathing commentary on what happens when we don't pay to ride buses or trains. It is really well written and I agree with the sentiments. It may not solve all the debt issues, but I have got to believe that these funds help the bottom line. If not, then why even bother with fares?

Today's The Boston Globe focuses on how Massachusetts House Speaker Sal DiMasi is now pushing for the gas tax to offset transportation costs. Also, there is an op-ed by Senate President Therese Murray and Senator Steven Baddour. The focus is about reforming the transportation system in the state. The state is certainly in for a long haul, so to speak.

Finally, the MBCR and MBTA have entered into a partnership with the Samaritans to increase awareness about suicide prevention and support services. The partnership will also provide support to transportation workers who may have been impacted by a suicide. The partnership includes:

• Creation and implementation of a public awareness campaign about suicide prevention services, including advertisement for the Samaritans’ Statewide Toll Free Helpline 877-870-HOPE (4673) that will be promoted in posters placed in T and Commuter Rail stations.
• Creation of a Samaritans education and information program that will be available to provide emotional support services to transportation employees who witness or handle suicides.
  
• Creation and implementation of an awareness campaign regarding Samaritans’ need for volunteers to increase their capacity to assist persons in need and families of those who have died by suicide.
  

My First Day Paying $4 to Park

I'm back in the office today. It cracks me up when I travel out-of-town. I'm usually home earlier than I would be if I went into the office. My flight landed at Logan around 6:00 p.m. last night. Since traffic was light on the Pike, I was home by 7:15 p.m. That's usually when the P529 pulls into Grafton.

Today was my first day paying to park at the new $4 fee. Thus, I have a few commuter rail update/observations:

1. Capacity in the parking lot has definitely increased . . . there were many more open spaces. I would say the lot was less than half full this morning (in time for the P508 departing at 7:09 a.m. train). I saw less cars parked and the line for drop offs was three times as long as usual. I think people are saying enough is enough with the MBTA and aren't going to pay the increased rate.
2. It is impossible to fit four folded or rolled dollars into the slot. You have to fold two dollars together and then insert them twice. So, now it takes twice as long to pay.
3. The dollar coins do NOT fit in the slots. So, if you want to use coins, you have to feed 16 quarters into the slots.

The whole thing is just ridiculous. You would think the MBTA would have come up with an easier way for commuters to pay their fee. It's so shortsighted on the MBTA's part and it shows they just don't understand their customers or the system they operate. Sure they need to raise money to pay for the back wages, but why not get rid of the WiFi that doesn't always work? Or how about making sure if you raise the parking fee, people can actually park? No, just inconvenience the customer instead.

Well, I think it's going to backfire. People are going to start driving again, especially since gas is near or below $2 a gallon now.

On a bright note, the P508 was 2 minutes early this morning, we rolled into South Station at 8:21 a.m.

This article from The Boston Herald, first published as an update late yesterday afternoon and then republished this morning, is interesting. With all the hi jinks over the past few weeks in Massachusetts' transportation, lawmakers are pushing for a 6-cent gas tax increase to help offset the assorted costs and deficits. Legislation has also been past to try to freeze toll increases until a comprehensive transportation plan has been unveiled. Rep. David Linsky (D-Natick) had this to say:

“This proposal would cost the average Massachusetts motorist approximately 85
or 90 cents per week, and save commuters on the Massachusetts Turnpike and those who commute from the North Shore nearly $2,000 per year,” Linsky stated in an e-mail to colleagues.

Right on. I'm glad someone is looking out for those of us who live West and North of the city.

A front-page story from today's The Boston Globe focuses on how the toll increases could negatively impact the East Boston community. I've got to think that the new toll increases would also really impact Revere and Winthrop too. Overall, this isn't a good solution. Businesses and residents are impacted in a multitude of ways.

Columnist Yvonne Abraham wrote this fantastic commentary about the toll increase, also in today's Globe. She also feels the gas tax should be increased and she makes a solid case for why Massachusetts isn't "Taxachusetts" anymore. We rank 35th in the US for taxes in proportion to income, far behind neighboring Connecticut and New York.