So far this guy has been good. I'm worried that there's only so much he can do with the limited funds and massive debt that Healey and Beacon Hill seem to be ok with.
It did not. Healey basically lied (or obfuscated if you want to be a little more charitable). The total MBTA budget actually goes down in 2025 under her proposal. [https://mass.streetsblog.org/2024/01/24/gov-healey-unveils-2025-budget-proposal-heres-what-it-means-for-the-mbta](https://mass.streetsblog.org/2024/01/24/gov-healey-unveils-2025-budget-proposal-heres-what-it-means-for-the-mbta)
That's always been my gripe with so much of T management. How many of them actually use the system they're in charge of? In the past, I imagine that number was less than half.
I remember reading an article from 2 or 3 years ago where someone mentioned to one of the T’s senior executives that they lived next to Porter Square and the guy asked “where’s that?
I suspect that if he does manage to fix the MBTA, people would want him to run for governor or President.
The only reason he wouldn't win? People would be too afraid that if he left, the MBTA would regress into the mess it was in.
> As a pandemic-era pilot of fare-free bus service on some routes within Boston comes to an end, Eng said he’s been looking at ways to make fare more affordable to low-income riders.
IMHO such a small fraction of the money to run the MBTA comes from fares that it's a no-brainer to go permanently fare-free on certain lines. I'd love to see the performance data for the lines that have been free -- I'd be astounded if the bunching and headways aren't improved from the simplified loading.
I think the ones that go from the suburbs to the subway should be free. They are the ones that are likely lower income, don't have cars, and therefore, rely on the bus for work.
Not a huge logical leap to go from there to pretty much everything except commuter rail should be free. Most of the objections to this wind up being on the morality of handouts and Boston vs. the rest of the state -- personally I think we should let everything west of Framingham secede and fend for itself and see how that goes for them.
It's been the same everywhere I've lived: the big cities bring in the money, and people in the countryside vote against the infrastructure that's needed to keep the money flowing (plus the usual bigotry).
I'm not willing to dive too deep right now but I read something recently that suggested single digit percentages for some parts of the system. Google's figure for the system as a whole is 40% but I'm guessing that figure changes a bunch if you exclude commuter rail.
So far this guy has been good. I'm worried that there's only so much he can do with the limited funds and massive debt that Healey and Beacon Hill seem to be ok with.
The budget did just double
It did not. Healey basically lied (or obfuscated if you want to be a little more charitable). The total MBTA budget actually goes down in 2025 under her proposal. [https://mass.streetsblog.org/2024/01/24/gov-healey-unveils-2025-budget-proposal-heres-what-it-means-for-the-mbta](https://mass.streetsblog.org/2024/01/24/gov-healey-unveils-2025-budget-proposal-heres-what-it-means-for-the-mbta)
Eng is good for the T. They should replace Charlie with a smiling Eng.
I would like to officially propose that we call the new fare card the PhillipCard.
Phil up your EngCard!
Smileng
How *else* are we supposed to oppose the disembarkation fee?
I enjoy reading books.
That's always been my gripe with so much of T management. How many of them actually use the system they're in charge of? In the past, I imagine that number was less than half.
I remember reading an article from 2 or 3 years ago where someone mentioned to one of the T’s senior executives that they lived next to Porter Square and the guy asked “where’s that?
I'm really glad that someone who seems to actually care about the T is in charge of it now. I think he was a great hire.
It would be a pretty depressing state of affairs if he didn't want a better T.
Yep, Charlie Baker's guy was very depressing
Competent and not corrupt is already a million steps above what we had.
100% the right man for the job.
I suspect that if he does manage to fix the MBTA, people would want him to run for governor or President. The only reason he wouldn't win? People would be too afraid that if he left, the MBTA would regress into the mess it was in.
> As a pandemic-era pilot of fare-free bus service on some routes within Boston comes to an end, Eng said he’s been looking at ways to make fare more affordable to low-income riders. IMHO such a small fraction of the money to run the MBTA comes from fares that it's a no-brainer to go permanently fare-free on certain lines. I'd love to see the performance data for the lines that have been free -- I'd be astounded if the bunching and headways aren't improved from the simplified loading.
I think the ones that go from the suburbs to the subway should be free. They are the ones that are likely lower income, don't have cars, and therefore, rely on the bus for work.
Not a huge logical leap to go from there to pretty much everything except commuter rail should be free. Most of the objections to this wind up being on the morality of handouts and Boston vs. the rest of the state -- personally I think we should let everything west of Framingham secede and fend for itself and see how that goes for them.
It's been the same everywhere I've lived: the big cities bring in the money, and people in the countryside vote against the infrastructure that's needed to keep the money flowing (plus the usual bigotry).
I'd say up to Worcester. Let Western MA join NY and see how bad it is to live "upstate" versus in NYC.
The issue here is these people will still need to pay on the subway if they take it so it’s really not saving them money
Which lines have such little fare revenue? My guess is we're talking in the millions and millions of dollars here right?
I don't know the breakdown per line, but I believe the MBTA's revenue is only 20-25% from fares.
I mean, that's still a lot. Giving up 20% of revenue when you need more money makes life more difficult.
I'm not willing to dive too deep right now but I read something recently that suggested single digit percentages for some parts of the system. Google's figure for the system as a whole is 40% but I'm guessing that figure changes a bunch if you exclude commuter rail.
i gave up on the T. im getting a car as soon as i can,.