Boston Fare Strike is planning some fare evasion starting at 6 p.m. today at Park Street. The goal is to protest the recent fare increases, natch.
Bring an instrument or a noise maker and be ready to celebrate Fare Free Friday!
Also see: Riders of the Hull ferry talk about the proposed end of their commute:
The MBTA starts a series of public meetings on Tuesday to let the public vent helplessly pipe up about plans to cut a number of bus lines, all ferry service, weekend and post-10 p.m. commuter rail service and the E line on weekends.
The T says it also wants to hear from commuters on its plans to raise fares by at least 35% to help make up a $160 million projected shortfall in the fiscal year that begins July 1.
Looks like the extra revenue from the increase in the sales tax won't cut it for T officials, who have scheduled hearings on possible fare hikes of nearly 20%. Basic CharlieCard fares would go from $1.70 to $2.00, while bus fares would rise from $1.25 to $1.50. Commuter-rail riders would also see increases.
Mike Mennonno sees the sudden honesty about operating expenses at the T as mere groundwork laying for new fare hikes next year, now that Gov. Patrick and the legislature have made it clear they won't do anything about the T's crippling debt:
... The only question is whether it'll be thirty-five or forty percent. How does $2.30 for a single subway trip with a charlie card sound? $2.80 with a paper ticket? And bus fare of $1.75 with a card, $2.10 with cash? $79 for a monthly pass.
I'm starting a pool. Get your guesstimates in now.
Beyond Red & Blue summarizes data from the American Public Transportation Association on public-transit usage for the first half of 2007: Nationally, ridership was up, but down in Boston (subway ridership was down 8%; the sharpest decline in the country; bus and trolley ridership was down less dramatically; commuter-rail use was actually up a bit). Hmm, what happened in the first six months of this year that could explain that?.
Casey Ross has the details on proposals to raise $20 billion over the next 20 years just to keep our existing roads, bridges, tunnels and public transit systems from falling apart even more. How about 5-cent/mile tolls on I-93, I-95, I-495, to start?
The T Riders Union set up a few polls over on our site on how riders feel about the fare hikes.
We're going to collect the results of how riders feel and present them to the MBTA, so head on over and feel free to leave comments as well: http://www.ace-ej.org
Anali explains why the increase in T fares means she'll be driving to work all the time come Jan. 2.
Michael Burstein bids the T token adieu:
... I will miss the token. I grew up in New York City, not in Boston, but I remember the look and feel of the various subway tokens that the MTA issued as I was growing up. I loved looking at older tokens, ones that were no longer usable, as it was like looking at a piece of history. Somewhere, I've kept a collection of older tokens, both from New York City and Boston, and it saddens me to think that we'll no longer see new designs. ...
Plus, he adds: Tokens just work - e-cards sometimes don't.
Train Mon makes the mistake of trying to figure out the new commuter-rail fare structure and why the Zone 1A Pass makes more sense than the LinkPass.
The Globe's transportation reporter provides a handy video on how to use the new card - and shows why he desperately needs somebody at boston.com to change that dorky photo of him on his blog.
John Daley notes the T's fare increase is timed to coincide with the formal launch of CharlieCards, which, of course, are named for the protagonist of a song who will never return, no, he'll never return, because he couldn't get offa that train after a fare increase:
... I suppose it makes sense since, just like Charlie, a lot of working people now won't have enough money to pay the fare.
Talk about putting your best foot forward. The press release at mbta.com starts:
For the first time in the history of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, T customers will be able to transfer from the subway system to buses at NO EXTRA CHARGE. ...
Makes you feel good about the fare increases, no?
Sick of poor service, uneven automated fare collection machine implementation, and rising fares? Think the new fare increases (from $1.25 to $2.25 cash) are outrageous?
The T Riders Union (TRU) is going to march on the MBTA tomorrow at 12:30pm at MBTA Headquarters (10 Park Plaza, intersection of Park and Charles.) Frustrated riders who are trying to prevent increase of 29-83% to cash and Charlie Ticket fares will march to the monthly MBTA Board meeting, and present over 1,200 signatures opposing the fare increases.
Voice your frustration by joining us tomorrow.
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