Advocates have been calling for additional transportation funding for years, and those in power have finally taken note. While this funding is much-needed and comes not a moment too soon, it’s time we step up and treat all riders equally, whether they take the bus or the train.
This month’s MBTA fare hikes came on the heels of two trains derailments. But it’s not only headline-making derailments and delays that are a problem. The T must also improve daily bus service and make progress on long-awaited projects to ensure fair and equitable service to all of its riders.
“It’s simply insensitive and unfair to ask riders to pay more while the Red Line struggles to get people to and from their jobs,” said Staci Rubin, Senior Attorney at CLF. “The T clearly needs more funding and staffing, and some of those funds should come from predictable fare increases that do not disproportionately impact transit-dependent riders. However, this round of hikes should absolutely have been postponed at least through the summer.”
“It shouldn’t take two derailments in the span of a week to finally give the T some desperately-needed new funding and staffing,” said Staci Rubin, Senior Attorney at CLF. “The MBTA has been in a state of crisis for years, and this immediate infusion of cash will speed up improvements and should benefit train and bus riders across the board. Thousands of people rely on the T every day and it’s time riders have a safe trip they can depend on.”
We asked, and the Fiscal and Management Control Board partially listened. The Control Board approved proposed MBTA fare hikes for the subway and commuter rail, but bus fares as well as senior, youth, and student passes won’t see an increase in price. T Fares Held Steady for Bus Riders, Discount Pass Holders On March 11,… Continue reading MBTA Fare Hikes Spare Bus Riders, Seniors, Youth, Students
CLF is working to transform public transit for all.
The MBTA is getting mostly passing grades on achieving its own goals, but the agency may struggle to meet major milestones in the future. That’s the outlook from a coalition that includes the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, the Conservation Law Foundation, and the MBTA Advisory Board, which represents the communities served by the T.
We’re at a critical juncture when it comes to improving the MBTA. The T has three big projects in the works, all of which are connected: fare increases, a new system for collecting that fare, and improved bus service in greater Boston. These projects are an opportunity to make the system work better for everyone. Here’s how the MBTA can get it right.
Two years after the MBTA’s strategic plan was approved, we’re looking into how well the T stuck to its own goals. While the T has completed some of its infrastructure and financial goals, it has a long way to go to meet its accessibility and climate goals.
Staci Rubin, a senior attorney at the Conservation Law Foundation, said riders have been patient but their patience is starting to run thin. “It’s really time for customers to start experiencing improvements,” she said.
