Survey: Riders Want Late-Night MBTA Service

A recent survey confirms what most of Boston was already thinking: residents want late-night MBTA service.

The Boston Globe reported Friday that about 26,000 people responded to a survey saying they are in favor of late-night bus or train service in Boston.

More than 85 percent of respondents said they would be willing to wait 10 to 19 minutes for a late-night bus or train, and half said they’d pay double the fare, according to the Globe.

As MBTA officials scramble to close a $117 budget gap for fiscal year 2014, and legislators mull Gov. Deval Patrick’s 21st Century Transportation Plan, the T has said it is not making late-night service a priority.

MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said in a Feb. 21 email that, until the state decides to implement Patrick’s transportation budget roll out, late-night service is out of the question.

“Given the enormous strain on the MBTA’s limited resources, the Authority cannot even consider an extension of service hours before action is taken on the 21st Century Transportation Plan,” Pesaturo said.

The Night Owl bus service, which ran buses from the end of service at 1 a.m. to 2:30 a.m., existed between 2001 and 2005 but was too costly to maintain. 

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