Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Ridership this August is up 1.2 percent versus last August. Analysts had predicted a drop of 5.5 percent because of the higher fares.
Higher fares don't seem to be deterring residents from riding the T. That's one conclusion to draw from numbers released by the MBTA that show overall ridership has risen 1.2 percent this August versus last August. On July 1st, the transit agency hiked fares and scaled back some services to close a budget gap. Analysts had expected the changes, which boosted a CharlieCard subway ride from $1.70 to $2, to drive down ridership by 5.5 percent. Instead, ridership dropped only 0.1 percent in July versus July 2011. Then, in August came the 1.2 percent jump. Digging into the August numbers, ridership was up more on some services more than others. For instance, on heavy rail (i.e. the Orange, Red and Blue lines), ridership was up 2.7 percent. …
Friday, July 13, 2012
A protest group aims to foster mass fare evasions on the MBTA on Friday in protest of the recent fare hike and service cuts.
While most commuters limit their protest of the T's recent fare hikes and service cuts to grumbling, one activist group is going the civil disobedience route. "Boston Fare Strike" plans to do a mass fare evasion at Park Street station. If it goes as scheduled, it would mimic a previous rally in which dozens of protesters poured through the turnstiles at Park Street in June. Attached is video of that action. But this time the free-ride seekers might have some more consequences to their protest. This week T police started issuing $50 tickets to people caught evading the turnstiles. The Transit Police made a point of posting news of their crackdown on their Twitter feed. The fare evaders also have their social media networks up and running. "…
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
The MBTA faces a budget deficit heading into the next fiscal year which begins July 1.
After all of the talk, public hearings, and protests over the past three months, the MBTA Board voted Wednesday afternoon to boost fares 23 percent and cut back service in an attempt to close a projected $161 million deficit in the next fiscal year. Board members approved a plan in a 4-1 vote that would raise most subway fares by 30 cents, bus fares by 25 cents, and commuter rail fares by at least $1.25. Meanwhile, some cuts in service -- mainly involving bus routes, The Ride, and the commuter rail -- were also approved. The new fares are effective July 1. Many people showed up at today's hearing and were given a chance to talk during an hour-and-a-half-long "public speaking" session before the vote. They also chanted a chorus of "Shame …
Rayleen Gaudet Nunez
11:08 am on Sunday, July 15, 2012
How does one fight back against injustice? People went to hearings to express their outrage at the T hikes. The Ride which is for disabled and elderly people and a 100% increase in fares and a 125% increase if the ride was outside of Greater Boston. Since this is generally the least affluent of Boston residents, where is the justice here? We might be sending the wrong message if we protest, but … more ›