Monday, August 13, 2012
The Transit Police have released numbers for their "Operation Fare Game," a crackdown on people who jump the turnstiles or otherwise avoid paying to ride the T.
A crackdown on subway freeloaders has resulted in more than 600 citations being issued since July 9. The Transit Police released numbers on Thursday for "Operation Fare Game." So far, 636 citations have been handed out. There are various ways to avoid paying your fare. One tactic is "piggybacking," or walking in right behind someone who did pay. Another is holding the sensor open for people behind you, as anti-austerity activists are prone to do. The citations carry fines. A first offense is $50, a second will cost you $100 and a third will set you back $300. If you don't pay up within a month, your driver's license could be put on "nonrenewal" status — the same as happens when you don't pay parking tickets. Freeloading deprives the …
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Federal grant will allow city to buy two more boats to service Charlestown, Southie and Eastie.
Commuting by boat from Charlestown to certain other parts of the city should become easier following an announcement this week from Mayor Menino. The mayor announced that the City of Boston has been awarded $1.28 million in federal grant money to purchase two ferries for service between East Boston, South Boston, and Charlestown. “The car is no longer king in Boston and today I’m proud to announce a new way to move people around the City,” said Mayor Menino in a Tuesday press release. “The inner Harbor ferry service will decrease congestion and improve air quality while investing in new affordable transportation infrastructure and adding value to Boston’s waterfront communities.” According to the release, The Boston Redevelopment …
Monday, July 23, 2012
Members of the Boston Fare Strike Coalition, who held gates open at five MBTA stations so the public could ride the T for free last week, plan to hold fare evasion protests on the first Friday of every month.
The activist group Boston Fare Strike Coalition plans to hold a mass fare evasion day on the first Friday of every month to protest the MBTA fare hikes which went into effect on July 1. They also hope to use the event to build an organized public resistance to fight future fare increases or service cuts. The group intends to create better literature and signs, to take a more targeted approach to which stations they chose to "liberate," and to create a buzz in those communities beforehand so residents have a clear understanding of what the fare evasions are all about. "I'm very concerned the message people are getting is not the message we're putting out at all," said Bill Lewis, a facilitator and outreach coordinator for Occupy Boston. …
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. "…
Friday, June 29, 2012
It will cost more to ride the T starting this weekend — and some routes will have decreased service.
On Sunday the MBTA's fare increases start. They're being imposed—along with service cuts—to close the transit agency's $160 million budget gap. Those service cuts also begin Sunday. In Charlestown, the only major change riders will see is the amount of change left in their pocket when they reach their destinations. The MBTA had talked about cutting both the 92 bus and the Charlstown ferry, but ultimately preserved both. There are other changes, like an increase in the surcharge for getting your Commuter Rail ticket on the train (if the station where you board has ticket machines). THE RIDE will add a more expensive $5 zone starting Oct. 1. For a complete list of changes taking place on the MBTA system beginning Sunday, visit this T link or…
Friday, June 15, 2012
It appears that state legislators will come through on a promised one-year bailout for the MBTA, negating a warning from the T that without the money they'd raise fares even further than already planned.
The ferry, bus and orange line crowd can breath a bit easier as it appears politicians will come through on a deal to avoid further fare hikes by the T. At issue is tens of millions of dollars the state promised the T as part of a bargain struck this summer. In it, fares will go up and service will be trimmed—but the T's budget gap of $160 million will be bridged. The Globe is reporting that the House is set to approve a $49 million to the financially-troubled transit agency. It's a one-year fix. The money would come from a state fund that supports green-friendly transportation, according to the Herald. As it is, riders still must brace for a 23 percent hike in fares and service cuts, effective July 1. But once the one-year patch is in …
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Protestors with Occupy Boston gathered outside of the State House, Wednesday, before taking their message inside. Here's a peek at what that looked like.
Group holds People's Assembly inside State House.
The sound of “No” echoed through the halls of the State House Wednesday as more than 100 protestors affiliated with Occupy Boston gathered at the base of the Grand Staircase to protest the MBTA’s budget plan. The group, which began its rally outside on Beacon Street, declared public transportation a civil right and said that protests at recent MBTA hearings had gone unheard. “[So,] we are creating our own hearing, and we’re having it inside the State House,” said Katie Gradowski. She and Noah McKenna led the rally from the front steps, joined by a giant-sized puppet of “Charlie” bearing a “99%” button. McKenna noted that the day’s Boston rally was part of a national day of action, and he and Gradowski declared that the MBTA was balancing …
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
The "Fast Five's" presence and activities proved disruptive to MBTA leaders who insist on fare hikes and service cuts.
The team of 'superheroes' that took over yesterday's MBTA meeting also sent us this dispatch with their perspective on the meeting and MBTA budget crisis.
Article, info, and photos provided by Alternatives For Community And Environment, the community organization behind the Fast Five: With the release of the final MBTA fare increase and service cuts proposal looming, 100 riders took over the T Finance Committee meeting today, led by the Fast Five superheroes. “Thousands of riders have spoken against fare hikes and service cuts, yet the board, governor and Legislature have refused to take this burden off riders,” said Massport Hero. “It’s time for us, as riders and superheroes, to step in and pass immediate solutions to save the T.” Each hero represents an immediate solution to fill the T's budget deficit, an estimated total of $224.6 million in revenue from sources like surplus snow removal …
Marianne Faithfull
8:31 pm on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
"but raised fares for Inner-Harbor water transportation to $3 per ride.," and yet Elderly-Disabled fares via the T's "Ride Program" were DOUBLED to $4 each way? Can someone explain the logic in this...oh yeah, captive ridership perhaps more ›