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MASSACHUSETTS BAY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY
The Transportation Building
Ten Park Plaza
Boston, MA 02116
MBTA FARE PROPOSAL &
COMMUTER RAIL SCHEDULE CHANGES
Public Hearing
Held at:
Concord Town Hall Hearing Room
Second Floor
22 Monument Square
Concord, MA
On
THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2016
* * * * * * * * * *
NEAL A. SALLOWAY - COURT REPORTERS
FIVE CARDIGAN ROAD
WEST PEABODY, MA 01960
(781) 581-3993 - (978) 535-0313
FAX (978) 536-3142
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MBTA STAFF
Jim Kersten, MassDOT
Frank DePaula, Director
Cory Lynch, MassDOT
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P R O C E E D I N G S
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[6:00 p.m.]
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MR. KERSTEN: Our first speaker tonight
will be Sen. Barrett.
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SEN. BARRETT: Thank you very much.
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I’ll take this to my colleagues so that I
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can face the audience.
First of all, I want to apologize to
everyone here for speaking out of turn.
I know many of you came quite early to
the meeting.
I do have to be to another session this
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evening in Lexington, but wanted to be sure
15
that I spoke at this get-together first, so
16
thank you for taking me out of turn.
17
Thanks to Rep. Atkins who provided the
18
food, a real touch of class to tonight’s
19
session.
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I’m the State Senator for nine
21
communities, included are Concord, Carlisle,
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Waltham, Weston, and Lincoln, five towns very
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dependant on the Fitchburg Line for commuter
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service, and residents of the other four
2
communities tend to come to these communities
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as well.
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There was a point three months ago when a
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-- a set of commuter rail schedule changes was
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originally floated, significant reductions in
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stops to stations in West Concord, in Lincoln,
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in Waltham as well. 9
I want to thank the staff of the commuter
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rail operation and, more broadly, the staff of
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the MBTA for reconsidering those proposed cuts
12
after hearing from many of you, from Rep.
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Atkins, from myself, and from others, the
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current proposed rail schedule for restored
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stops that were once set to be cut, stops
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along these lines going both into Boston and
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coming out in the evening. 18
I strongly, first of all, want to go on
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record thanking you all for listening and
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supporting the revised and restored set stops. 21
It’s critical to loyalty to the team, loyalty
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to commuter rail, it’s critical to achieving
23
carbon reduction goals in Massachusetts, it’s
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critical to families represented here that we
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be able to take care of our kids in the
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morning and then get on the train, and that
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coming home at night we’d be able to do so at
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a time that enables us to secure meals again
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with our families. 7
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9
So it’s very important that those stops
be restored and a new schedule be maintained.
But there’s kind of a grand bargain here. 10
In this set of straightened circumstances, you
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don’t get those kinds of service restorations
12
without trading something in return, and I,
13
for one, am willing to see some fare
14
increases.
15
Perhaps I would hope there would be
16
additional flexibility to consider some fare
17
increases a little less than are proposed
18
here, but the fundamental bargain is that if
19
we’re going to see maintenance, a decent
20
service, we are going to see, I think, some
21
fare increases. 22
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My concern, in part, tonight is to say
that I’m with you on the necessity of
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something in that respect, but to then also
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express the hope that we not go too far, and I
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do want to make reference to what I expect
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will happen over the next five or six years
5
beyond these immediate issues. 6
Terrific managers currently at the T
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vested, they’ve been there a long time,
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identifying all kinds of issues, including
9
true instances of excess costs which, had they
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been controlled in the past, might have made
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some of these increases less necessary. 12
I’m talking about an extraordinary amount
13
of overtime, extraordinarily high percentages
14
of unexplained absenteeism, and because of the
15
use of overtime, excessive salaries paid both
16
to management but also to front-line staff.
17
We read today in the Globe, a report
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yesterday by the -- by the control board, 30
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percent of the T’s employees make north of
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$100,000 a year at a time when we’re seeing
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proposed service cuts.
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squared there, and I appreciate the control
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board and current management for highlighting
Something has to be
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some of those issues.
As a legislator myself, again, I see the
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beginnings or the emergence of a necessary
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bargain, right? 5
We’re going to have to help management
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get control of some of those excess costs that
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have characterized the system for decades, and
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in return what we seek I think are two things;
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the maintenance of decent levels of service;
10
but secondly, consideration on the part of the
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Baker Administration of the infusion of
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additional state monies. 13
Right now, part of the -- do you agree? ­
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- part of the -- part of the straight jacket
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in which we find ourselves is that we have to
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boost fares because of a no new tax, no new
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fees, other than fares, environment means that
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you can’t really look to the state budgets for
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much more contribution to operate a mass
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transit than you currently have, which is
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significant, a billion dollars a year.
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not chump change. 23
That’s
I think in order to do all the deferred
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maintenance that we put off for decades, that
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we are going to have to step up and contribute
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more money to mass transit, as well as to
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roads and bridges, and that means we have to
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put back on the table something like a gas tax
6
increase. 7
Per gallon, cost of gas down two dollars,
8
down to about -- I mean about a buck fifty
9
from the four-dollar levels of -- so we’re all
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getting an enormous break in terms of the cost
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of transportation fuel, a few more pennies
12
than we succeeded in adding two years ago. 13
We added three pennies of the buck-fifty
14
break, that, as a gas tax, to fund roads and
15
bridges.
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The governor at the time, Gov. Patrick,
had asked for a little more than that.
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This system needs a little more than
19
three pennies to restore decent quality and to
20
get the backlogged preventative and
21
restorative maintenance, right? 22
So I’m asking the governor how -- we will
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be asking the governor, over time, to move off
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that rigid no new taxes pledge, to consider
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limited revenue increases dedicated to
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critically needed items like mass transit, but
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the precondition for even talking about those
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kinds of revenue issues -- excuse me -- is if
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there be radical reform of current costs,
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right?
8
So we’re going to have to take down the
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excess costs and those -- some of those costs
10
are represented by management indecision or -­
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or mis-decision, some of it, at the moment, is
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excess labor costs. 13
The T unions are the only ones in all of
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state government that get something called
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“binding arbitration,” probably not a good
16
idea in the current circumstance, probably not
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an affordable one.
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The legislature said no to repealing it
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and they’re treating management labor
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relations at the T the same way they’re
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treated throughout the rest of state
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government. 23
I think the legislature, for its part, is
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going to have to revisit that denial of repeal
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of binding arbitration.
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But the general proposition here, and I ­
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- I’m done, don’t worry.
I -- I, again,
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appreciate your patience. 6
The general proposition here is, dramatic
7
change in the status quo, including taking out
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unjustifiable costs in return for the
9
commitment of additional revenue. 10
The governor is going to have to move,
11
the legislature is going to have to move, all
12
of us are going to have to go and accept a few
13
pennies, probably on something like a gas tax,
14
and add it back.
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rate we’re getting in the collapse of oil
16
prices, but it will add back something.
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It wont wipe out the great
We have to make this work, folks, and
we’re far from that moment. 19
Sorry to have digressed. 20
I, again, want to thank the T management,
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thank commuter rail, great job so far.
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be watching. 23
MR. KERSTEN: Thank you very much,
We’ll
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Senator. Representative, would you like to come up
and say a few words?
REP. ATKINS: Oh, wow, this is a good
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turnout.
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sat down. 7
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You’ve all entered since -- since I
I want to start by thanking you all for
coming. One of the things -- I love my
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constituents ‘cause I hear right away, we get
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emails saying, as you’ve heard from me, right
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away, about problems within state government,
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and it makes a huge difference ‘cause it gives
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us the ability and the impetus to go out, to
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reach out for the answers, which we did it.
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We were kind of an angry bunch when we
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sat down, but I think the day after we started
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getting in a lot of emails.
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So I have to thank the MBTA for meeting
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with us so soon and meeting with us when we
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were not in the most receptive of moods to
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hear about changes to transportation. 23
We exclaimed quite -- December or not,
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clearly, just for the community to kind of
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exist.
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Concord and I represent Acton also, or -­
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we’re having a new station opening there this
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weekend, the -- or the renovated station.
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But we -- we spend a lot of time and
I mean, we have a few stations in
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interest in getting people off of the roads,
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into -- into public transit situations, and to
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-- and we felt like we were -- we were
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undercut in that process.
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The secretary, Stephanie Pollac, who will
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come out and do the math, a pleasure to meet. 13
She’s really, I think, good and has made a big
14
difference for the overall Department of
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Transportation -- responded immediately, and
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she knew that there was a key element missing,
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and that was community input.
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you -- we have sessions like this tonight. 19
And therefore,
Now, the senate needs to -- I’ll allude
20
to another problem that there has been with
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transportation in the past and in the present,
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and we’re working on a lot of them from a
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number of different angles.
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The one he didn’t mention was that part
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of the Big Dig gap has been appropriated to
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the Department of Transportation to -- which I
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don’t think was appropriate, quite frankly.
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So if you need to advocate on that in the
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state house on your bill, they’re like,
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“What?”
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any benefit from -- from that project.
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You know, the riders weren’t getting
Anyway, that’s a -- a side policy. Did you show the new -- the new schedule
here, yet?
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MR. DePAULA: That -- no.
13
MS. ATKINS: That’s what we’re going to do
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tonight?
MR. DePAULA: We weren’t going to show the
16
schedule.
If people have questions, we can -­
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we can answer, absolutely.
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MS. ATKINS: Okay.
‘Cause we have seen
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the new schedule and it’s -- it’s just minutes
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difference from the other one, which they were
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able to -- to work out which, I think, was
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that the legislative -- legislators involved
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when we were reading this, said, “That works,”
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because we have people farther out on the
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commuter line who didn’t want their time that
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they were saving compromised by giving us the
4
-- the transit we used to have, and that
5
worked out fine. 6
And so everybody -- you know, I’ve never
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seen things -- things work when somebody
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sacrifices two million here, and somebody all
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of a sudden sacrifices three million there,
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but that’s how we got to the resolution. So I feel good about what’s happened in
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terms of what’s going to be happening with all
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of you as you go back and forth to Boston.
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Again, if you have any further questions,
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I mean, they’re taking questions tonight, and
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will -- will respond. 17
But if you need any additional help, call
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my office any time or email.
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at your -- at your leisure. 20
We’re available
Dunkin’ Donuts is my district office,
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right across from the train station, so I can
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meet with you personally if you have any
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questions.
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But, again, thank you for coming, and
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thank you for being such a caring and informed
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constituency, and I can count on every single
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time there is a serious issue in the
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Commonwealth that has to be grappled with, I
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am so proud of all of you.
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Thank you.
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MR. KERSTEN: Thank you very much,
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Representative.
So we, obviously, have a lot of people
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here, so we’re going to just ask that we keep
12
the comments or questions to about, you know,
13
three minutes or so. 14
15
And for no particular reason we started
giving out numbers with number 12. 16
So the first person, Number 12.
17
And we have a stenographer, so if you
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could just say your name, as well, before you
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ask any questions. 20
Thank you.
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MS. VOGAN: My name is Suzanne Vogan, and
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I live 34 Zena Road in Hudson. But I guess I’m upset because when I hear
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that you are thinking of raising the fares, I
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know no matter how many town hall kind of
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meetings that you have, no matter how many
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community halls you get, you’re never going to
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make a difference; you’re going to raise the
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fares anyway. 7
It will be the fifth year we give you
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numerous reasonable down sides, you shouldn’t
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raise the fares; thus, the most (inaudible)
10
transportation, and you say that’s 50 times
11
expensive, but you’re never really taking into
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account.
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I’ve lived in Grafton, Framingham, and
now Hudson. When I lived in Grafton and the last hike
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happened, it was going to cost me and my
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husband $660 to take the train into Boston. 18
That’s not even including paying to park at
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the train station, as well.
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that’s livable at all.
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outrageous, and I know (inaudible) getting
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anything for our money with that. (Inaudible)
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so in the position we were in last winter.
I don’t think
I think that’s totally
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Now, I also -- oh.
I also emailed the
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MBTA several, several times over the past four
3
years when you keep increasing the fares, and
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I’ve never received any sort of response,
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which is why we came here tonight. 6
And I know that it seems to be like
7
(inaudible) the fare’s just a little bit to -­
8
to you, Mr. DePaula, but it’s a lot to
9
somebody like me. 10
And we actually -- my husband and I, we
11
make very good money, so I’m questioning how
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people who don’t make the money we make are
13
paying for it. 14
So that’s what I had to say.
15
MR. KERSTEN: Well, thank you very much.
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And -- and really, we do take these
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public comments to heart. I mean, I think, you know, just showing
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what we did with altering the -- the schedule
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based on commenting, and we’re going all over
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the service area to -- to really listen to
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everybody. 23
We have a stenographer to make sure, you
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know, we don’t miss anything, and I just want
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to give you my card.
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You can email me any time.
4
At least that way you can say I ignored
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you then. 6
No, just kidding.
7
No, I’ll make sure I get back to you
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anytime.
All right.
May I have Number 13, please? 10
Thank you, by the way.
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MR. KAHN: Good evening.
I’m Mhuamed
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Kahn, and I represent Manachusett Regional
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Transit (inaudible) located in Fitchburg.
14
And as the senator and representative
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indicated, we are also very pleased with the
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fare, as well as the schedule that we have
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seen for our commuter rail.
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The -- the problems that the (inaudible)
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had a meeting, and I just gave you the
20
resolution of that Board’s curriculum.
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argued that time, and the issue that we -- we
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need very much is there, are you running
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trains? They
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I mean, they go to school here because
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our area has a lot of industries from IBM to
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Cisco to Bristol Myers in Devens, and
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Fitchburg State University, and they are all
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dependant on transportation from Boston,
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Cambridge, (inaudible) to their universities.
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So a train if possible, at 7:00 or 8:00
o’clock.
The 8:00 o’clock would be all right.
They do have a -- a 9:00 o’clock train
10
added, which is very good, particularly that
11
one is very good. 12
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So reverse commute is very popular for us
and that is that. Also, some of our budget will (inaudible)
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the cost.
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emission viewpoint, and also from the
17
viewpoint where you have a meeting in
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Fitchburg on this.
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20
It is important, but it -- from the
And again, thank you very much for the
changes, and we are supportive.
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MR. KERSTEN: Thank you, sir. 22
May I have Number 15, please?
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Fourteen.
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MR. CONNOR: David Connor, 281 Elsmer
Street here in town. I’m going to take this off, and we’re
going to try it. The way to increase your revenue and the
way to -- is to increase service. 7
And not just -- I know everybody here -­
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MULTIPLE VOICES: Please speak into the
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10
microphone.
MR. CONNOR: Everybody’s worried about -­
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everybody’s -- most everybody here tonight is
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worried about rush-hour service. 13
The way you increase your service is to
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run on a schedule, and I encourage the board,
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looking into the future, to look into the
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past, look at the way the B&M used to run the
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railroad back in the ‘50s and ‘60s, running
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back in my mind.
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During the day we could -- when I was
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growing up in town, we could go to Boston
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Garden, we’d go to the Red Sox games.
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could grab a train, but the longest you had to
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wait for a train was 45 minutes, now it’s two
You
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2
hours.
And none of the trains went to sporting
3
events, none of the trains lined up with
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Amtrak trains. 5
I had a summer place in Old Orchard.
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could leave (inaudible) at 7:30 in the
7
morning, make the Downeaster, and the 9:00
8
o’clock departure. 9
I
Coming back at night, I had to sit in
10
North Station for two hours to get -- when I
11
get off the Downeaster, in order to take the
12
train back here.
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15
What it does, it forces me to take the
car, and it does for a lot of other people. I find myself driving to Alewife in order
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to take a train into town instead of walking
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down the street. 18
I live 80 feet from the south rail of the
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inbound track, and I’m driving past the train
20
station in order to go and do stuff. 21
22
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To increase service, to increase revenue,
increase the trains, I’m telling you.
I’m hoping that in the future, if you
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look at your equipment first, instead of
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buying 4600 horsepower locomotives with a big
3
double-decker passenger cars around, look at
4
self-propelled cars, look at the way the B&M
5
used to do it. 6
7
During rush hour they’ve got six cars,
now they’re running as a complete train set.
8
As soon as rush hour was over, they’d
9
break that up into single car sets and run
10
trains all day long, and it made it easy to
11
take the trains.
12
take the train.
13
getting some revenue.
14
15
It was easy for people to
Take the train, you’re
I hope you do that just going towards the
future.
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MR. KERSTEN: Great.
17
Number 15, please.
18
It was 15 this time, right?
19
Going once?
20
All right.
21
MR. WAGNER: I’m Steven Wagner from
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23
Thank you, sir.
Number 16.
Maynard.
I’ve been commuting to work at Harvard
23
1
University by train since the Summer of 1990,
2
and so I used to get on at West Concord.
3
they doubled the parking rate, I started
4
coming to Concord. 5
When
I drive to work perhaps six or eight
6
times a year, parking at either Alewife or at
7
Concord, usually when I’ve got a medical
8
appointment or I’ve got to go to what’s known
9
as work.
10
I do appreciate the restoration of the
11
range of choice, more or less, that they have
12
rush-hour trains in the evening. 13
My chief remaining discontent with the
14
post schedule is that the two earliest trains
15
will be inconvenient for a great many people,
16
myself sometimes included. 17
I usually get on the 6:49 in Concord, but
18
I sometimes get on the 6:02.
If I miss the 19
6:49, then I get on the 7:44. 20
The difference between the time of
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departure of the first train from Concord is
22
not two or three to four minutes, and from
23
what we have now to what is proposed, it’s 21
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minutes early, at 5:41, and people who can
2
sometimes make the 6:02 are apt to have some
3
trouble getting the 5:41, but with the next
4
train, I believe it’s a 13-minute difference,
5
it will be 6:36 instead of 6:49.
6
think a lot of people won’t make it. 7
8
9
Again, I
That leaves the 7:44, which will now be
the 7:36. I think that train is going to be very
10
crowded, perhaps to the point of express
11
trains coming from Worcester and Framingham,
12
and you will need more equipment on it if
13
you’re going to have a decent level of
14
service. 15
There was mention made earlier about
16
people delaying trains shaking water off their
17
umbrellas.
18
Aside from equipment breakdowns, which
19
usually are locomotive trouble, including with
20
the new extensions for total computer
21
malfunctioning off of it, and signal problems,
22
the thing that delays service in the winter in
23
particular, more than anything else, is not
25
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having enough doors available for people to
2
get onto the trains in the morning and to get
3
them off in the evening.
4
three things; first of all, too often there is
5
not a full complement of conductors and
6
assistant conductors on each train, and there
7
should be; second, a number of doors don’t
8
work and the cars are kept in service; third,
9
very frequently after snow storms only one
That comes from
10
door of each adjoining pair is shoveled clear,
11
and we ought to have enough maintenance
12
workers to do that, to clear them both
13
routinely.
14
For those of you that ever do ride all
15
the way into North Station, those trains to
16
your left as you come in on the Fitchburg
17
Line, are not all trains that are waiting to
18
go out, a great many of those are out for
19
repair, and the backlog is enormous. 20
In the old days, railroads routinely kept
21
what they called “protection power,” extra
22
locomotives that were available in case others
23
broke down, and many of them had extra
26
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2
coaches, and we should have that. And I think everybody that is involved
3
with public transportation in this state ought
4
to be pressing the governor to, yes, raise
5
some taxes as well as fares so that we can get
6
these funded.
7
MR. KERSTEN: Thank you so much.
8
Number 17, please.
9
MR. LOWETT: Good evening.
My name is
10
Peter Lowett.
I’m a resident of Concord and a
11
Chair of the Fitchburg Line Working Group.
12
The Fitchburg Line Working Group is a
13
coalition of communities and transportation
14
advocates from Cambridge out to Gardner, and
15
we’ve been meeting, trying to get
16
infrastructure improvements made to the
17
Fitchburg Line since 2000, and we’re very
18
excited by the investment that has been made
19
and the upgrades to service that have been
20
provided, but now our focus has shifted to
21
operations.
22
23
I work at the former Fort Devens, which
is a large and growing employment center.
We
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have about 4,000 employees and we’re expecting
2
5,000 in the next year or two. 3
Many of these people are being recruited
4
from the Boston/Cambridge area, come out to
5
work, and we want to have them utilize public
6
transit to the most effective means possible.
7
Currently, the first train under the
8
existing schedule gets into Devens at 9:58,
9
and then the first train back in the afternoon
10
11
is 3:26, and then you have a gap until 7:30.
We’re really excited to get the new
12
proposed schedule.
13
that consideration be given to extending that
14
7:30 train that gets into Littleton as far
15
north as possible before you turn it around
16
and come back in to meet your scheduled
17
pickups. 18
19
We support it, and we ask
And thank you for listening.
I
appreciate it.
20
MR. KERSTEN: Thank you, sir.
21
Number 18, please.
22
Nineteen?
23
MS. DURHAM: Hi.
Eighteen? My name is Mary Durham. 28
1
I’m from Groton, and thank you for coming out
2
tonight and speaking with us. 3
4
5
I take the train from (inaudible), and I
am an optimist.
I’m an idealist.
I believe the train service is a
6
wonderful thing, and can be a wonderful thing.
7
When I was a little kid in the Midwest we
8
9
rode (inaudible) rails.
When I moved out to Groton about 30 years
10
ago, I’ve been riding the train in every day,
11
pretty much.
12
And I think there are three things.
13
is -- one is to have a -- a stronger attitude
14
that we can accomplish things. 15
One
The standards that we live with, the
16
trains are -- you know, we’re getting -- many
17
times you’re on time.
18
know, they’re not really clean and they’re not
19
really new, and all those things .
20
(Inaudible), but you
And the train service can be a wonderful
21
thing.
It can be reliable, it can be prompt,
22
it can be right there when you need it, it can
23
run late at night.
It can actually get you to
29
1
Ayer during the gaps when -- well, today you
2
can’t get to Ayer because the train stops,
3
turns around at Middletown now, instead of
4
Acton where it used to be.
5
So I -- I just would want to say is the
6
first thing I hope that we can take on a
7
professionalism attitude of optimism that you
8
really set the bar somewhere high. 9
I think that in order to do that, a very
10
key thing that was brought up tonight is
11
getting the labor structures under control. 12
To me, that is -- it’s just a very, very
13
essential thing, and I -- I know that you’re
14
working on it and I know there are some limits
15
to that.
16
But as a rider, I only get a 5% raise
17
every year, so I can -- a fair increase, as I
18
understand some things have to happen, but I
19
do think that the labor structures, especially
20
the reports that we hear about is that, well,
21
I appreciate your transparency being the
22
(inaudible).
23
The other thing is I was very encouraged
30
1
over the past few years to see -- taking
2
opportunity to look at alternative revenue
3
streams, such as advertising. 4
This may sound a little bit silly, but
5
we’ve been -- I’ve been pleading for coffee
6
and muffins for years, and it seems that there
7
-- there might be some possibilities to look
8
into -- to new versification in those kinds of
9
sources. 10
So part of it -- so, you know, it’s an
11
opportunity there, and recognizing also that
12
the -- the T can’t completely exist on the
13
backs of the ridership, it’s a service to the
14
entire Commonwealth. 15
Thank you.
16
MR. KERSTEN: Thank you.
17
May I have Number 20, please?
18
MR. BURD: Hi. I’m Keith Burd.
I’m the
19
town administrator in Littleton, and I also
20
serve on the advisory board of the
21
Montachusett Regional Transit Authority, as 22
administrator (inaudible) spoke earlier, and
23
also a member of the Fitchburg Line Working
31
1
Group (inaudible), our coordinator spoke out,
2
and I wanted to associate myself with the
3
comments that they made.
4
First and foremost, I want to thank the
5
MBTA for the first-class job that you’ve done
6
in reviewing your schedules, coming up with -­
7
with a transparent process that really gives
8
us -- it gives me a lot of confidence in
9
what’s being done. 10
I appreciate it very much that Cory came
11
and made a presentation here in Concord to the
12
magic subregion of MABC, or our regional
13
planning agency earlier this month, and
14
chaired the magic group, had them set up in
15
present at the Concord (inaudible).
16
say that as well.
17
I want to
The -- the Town of Middletown is very
18
supportive of the proposed draft schedule for
19
the Fitchburg Line improvements.
20
it’s excellent.
21
which is earlier, later, and more frequent
22
service on -- on the line. 23
Overall,
It gives us what we wanted,
The reverse commute that is bringing in
32
1
(inaudible) out from the city, Boston,
2
Cambridge, Somerville out to our region where
3
their -- where their jobs are, along the
4
Fitchburg Line/Route 2, you got Interstate
5
495, that’s an integral part of our economic
6
development strategy. 7
Transportation means jobs, and -- and
8
it’s fine strategy to link where people live
9
with where they work.
It means a lot to the
10
employers in our region which, in Littleton’s
11
case, it includes IBM, their largest software
12
development campus in North America with some
13
2,000 employees.
14
Up until a couple of years ago, the
15
reverse commute didn’t arrive into Littleton
16
from Boston, didn’t get there until 9:40, so
17
you’re going to be late for work.
18
And we are very pleased with the progress
19
that we have seen even recently.
As of a year
20
ago, it advanced to 8:37, and with the winter
21
schedule that was put into place in December,
22
it’s 7:33.
23
year, and we really appreciate that.
So we’re gaining about an hour a
So I
33
1
2
think you’re headed in the right direction.
And we’re grateful to the support of the
3
Baker-Polito Administration and Sect.
4
Stephanie Pollack and MBTA rail and transit
5
administrative, Pastor Glynn.
6
like you’re listening to what our concerns are
7
of our region and appreciate the varying
8
support that’s being done.
9
We really feel
With that said, the schedule is great. 10
We wouldn’t, as I say, said I would like to
11
associate myself with the comments that the
12
Montachusett Regional Transit Authority -- I’m
13
on that Board -- and suggested that we make
14
the motions big assist the -- the last that we
15
were told by Cory the last time you -- that
16
the T went through this process was during the
17
Eisenhower Administration.
18
when the next chance we’d get to fix
19
(inaudible), so we want to make sure that we
20
put in a plug for getting a reverse commute
21
out to Fitchburg, itself, as early in the day
22
as possible, so that if the train, if it stops
23
in Littleton, and under the schedule is 7:40,
We didn’t know
34
1
could make it further along the line, whether
2
they’re in Ayer or (inaudible), all the way to
3
Fitchburg, that’s a critically important thing
4
for the economic development of the region.
5
As Peter Lowett said that the Fitchburg
6
Line Working Group and all that work with us
7
to shout out to Congressman Nikki Tsongas and
8
(inaudible) and all of our state legislators
9
that a lot of work has been done to get $277
10
million worth of Fitchburg Line improvements
11
which included dual tracking, included new
12
stations for South Acton and Littleton, among
13
others, and we want to put that investment to
14
work by expanding the operating service, by
15
expanding the schedule because -- because the
16
Fitchburg line really is an economic engine
17
for our region. 18
19
So thank you very much for what you’re
doing.
20
MR. KERSTEN: Thank you, sir.
21
Number 21, please.
22
MR. ROSEN: My name is Dan Rosen, and I’m
23
from (inaudible).
I’ve been taking the rail
35
1
for more than 15 years. 2
At the beginning of this meeting I
3
believe you mentioned that you were surprised
4
at the turnout. 5
Two years ago I went to the fare meeting
6
in Framingham, and it looked like there was
7
about 1,000 people in the room, and found out
8
there were only two residents, the rest were
9
your people. 10
So tonight the people came out because
11
obviously -- I’ll give you another credit
12
lesson.
13
was proposed, it was just for (inaudible). 14
Most terrible thing to people that (inaudible)
15
was enough outroar and that people listened
16
and that something’s getting done. 17
The (inaudible) schedule change that
As far as the fare increase though, I’m
18
getting the feeling that it’s a foregone
19
conclusion and hope that that’s not really
20
true, because the one thing that I’ve noticed
21
about comments on the fare, the fare increase
22
is not good. 23
A little comment on some of it. 36
1
I need you to take the perspective of the
2
riders.
3
There are some.
4
generally -- generic, rely on increases. 5
6
We are not government employees. Government employees
If you’re in the private sectors lately, in the private sectors -­
7
(Multiple voices - inaudible)
8
MR. BROHAM: Great.
I hope (inaudible)
9
reports of all these T executives getting
10
these ridiculous increases, that type of
11
thing, and I do realize that unions may get
12
their increases, and so, in the end your
13
employee costs go up.
14
But how is your ridership doing?
Do they
15
see the same increases nearly enough to deal
16
with the increases we’re proposing here? 17
18
19
I do have some suggestions on other
things regarding the fare. One thing is, well, for pass holders,
20
you’re stake holders.
They pay you for their
21
ride whether they take it or not, whether you
22
collect fares or not, and it -- if you have a
23
shortage of conductors, a lot of fares don’t
37
1
2
get collected. If the train is essentially late for some
3
reason, half-hour or more late, fares don’t
4
get collected, but those stakeholders, pass
5
holders, they pay.
6
down, they pay; they always pay, and I used to
7
be one of them. If you close the city
8
I had it switched this last year because
9
when (inaudible) started to come back, and it
10
turned out that it was better to be one of
11
those pay-by-ride. 12
I looked at your numbers on the pay-by­
13
ride versus the -- I don’t see a change in the
14
positive direction, I see a little in the
15
negative direction, meaning it takes a little
16
more ridership to -- for the -- for the pass
17
to meet up with the fare increase versus the
18
pay-by-ride. 19
One other thing, the -- the M ticket. 20
The value of the M ticket is much less, I
21
mean, in a sense, $10 is ridiculous. 22
23
If I have a regular pass I pay the $10. I can ride on the T, I can ride busses,
38
1
anywhere I want.
2
actually did make use of it a lot. 3
When I was doing that, I
In a lot of cases, I know that some of my
4
-- and a lot of people I ride with, when we
5
get to most stations, we walk, okay?
6
$10 could save money. 7
And this
I was told some ridiculous thing about
8
demographics.
9
people don’t have the smart phones based on
10
11
That was two years ago, that
demographics. I’ll tell you, I have a flip phone.
The
12
demographics don’t quite work.
13
feeling that a lot of people have these
14
phones, and you can actually now get one.
15
have one.
16
for a smart phone that I could use for the M
17
ticket, okay?
18
I brought it with me.
I have a
So it doesn’t ride.
I
I paid $20
There should be a
19
40, 50-dollar difference because that would be
20
the value of having a -- as a pass that would
21
allow me to use the T as well as -- you know,
22
that’s the value that I’ve lost, that I’m not
23
going to recover, all right, but I will be
39
1
happy with the -- with the M ticket. 2
The other thing is -- oh. 3
I noticed there are people that do get
4
free rides, not only the government workers,
5
the (inaudible) workers, work at the T, you
6
know, you -- you look for money, you know. 7
Why is it you’re dealing with the people that
8
can least afford it? 9
The other issue we’re having to do is why
10
we can’t get money from the state?
They’re
11
hoping for our taxes (inaudible), the sales
12
tax, (inaudible).
13
(inaudible).
It had to be released every year
14
(inaudible).
I think I’ll now vote against
15
it.
That was the one of the
You want an increase, vote on it for that
16
17
year.
18
it for that year, none of this automatic
19
increases. 20
You want a another one next year, vote
I don’t get an automatic increase, and
21
there are a lot people here that have not had
22
increases in their job.
23
that.
And that’s it about
40
1
One of the other things is, I do applaud
2
one of the changes in the schedule, it looks a
3
lot better.
I hope you took input. 4
I did realize you did cut one of the
5
trains in the morning in this group, that
6
people don’t get.
7
closely it’s there, of course. (Inaudible) 17
8
rides, and it’s still 17 rides.
9
not at the rush hour, there’s one missing.
It looked like, if you look
Well, they’re
10
Thank you.
11
MR. KERSTEN: All right.
12
And just remind you too, we’re just going
Thank you, sir.
13
to keep these to the three minutes because,
14
you know, we do have a lot of people here that
15
want to speak.
16
And I just want to take one second to
17
say, you know, we do come out here, we listen
18
to your comments and, you know, Sect. Pollack
19
to GM DePaula on down, we take this whole
20
process very, very serious.
21
of time, and that’s into, you know, getting a
22
regional input in.
23
We invest a lot
So with that, Number 22, please.
41
1
MS. ALCOTT: Hello.
I’m Kristin Alcott in
2
Concord, and I -- I’m a new commuter.
I just
3
started riding the train about two years ago. 4
And I’m surprised, the thing that surprised me
5
so I -- one of the reasons why I bought a
6
house in Concord was because I could commute. 7
So when the schedule change came out, it was
8
hard.
9
dramatic effect on what I was gonna do to go
It’s like, okay, it really had a
10
to work.
And the thing that me struck me was,
11
you didn’t ask us. 12
So I’m glad you’re here tonight and I’m
13
glad you made the changes, but it feels like
14
you got caught, and after (inaudible) that we
15
did, I’m just stunned that that’s the behavior
16
that (inaudible) at the commuter rail because
17
we were so -- it was so awful, and then to
18
have this.
19
It was so new to me.
So I’m glad that you listened.
I’m glad
20
the schedule is better, but don’t do that
21
again, and we’re watching.
22
MR. KERSTEN: All right.
23
Number 23, please.
Thank you.
42
1
2
MR. COUGHLIN: I just have a couple
questions. 3
John Coughlin.
I live here in Concord.
4
Is everything that was published this
5
morning in the paper about fares and the
6
maintenance worker making almost a third of a
7
million dollars, was that accurate, everything
8
that was published today?
9
10
11
12
MR. KERSTEN: I believe so, yeah.
MR. COUGHLIN: So I heard Sen. Barrett
kind of acknowledge it.
So the other question I have is, it’s
13
really tough to swallow a fare crease -­
14
increase of any amount when you see sort of
15
salaries and income going up for that type of
16
work. 17
18
Second question, is it going to really be
addressed?
19
MR. KERSTEN: Well, yes, it is.
20
MR. COUGHLIN: Okay.
I just hate the idea
21
of a fare increase contributing to that
22
ongoing mess.
23
MR. KERSTEN:
Number 24, please.
43
1
2
3
REP. ATKINS: Actually, let me address
that. I just wanted to give you the legislative
4
perspective there because this is the issues
5
that you probably (inaudible). 6
The salary, the benefits, the closed
7
pensions is, you know, all of those things
8
bother me just as much as they do you. 9
And I think that we are at a -- a
10
critical point, that the governor is -- is
11
(inaudible) and he’s ready to take this on,
12
especially after the incidents of last winter,
13
and the legislature was going to happen. 14
I never thought I’d see the vote going
15
against the unions that I saw when -- when -­
16
it’s what the governor insisted upon when -­
17
when he took over the problem of the MBTA.
18
I think you’ll see more votes like that.
19
I’m happy I was always early at one of them. 20
No offense to anybody that works with the
21
MBTA. 22
23
In fact, I think everybody has a right
who pays and supports this -- this system, as
44
1
every taxpayer in the Commonwealth does, to
2
insist upon; one, transparency; and two,
3
accountability, and -- and that we get the
4
service for what we’re paying for. 5
So this is the first time in my political
6
life that I can get up and say, I think we’re
7
really going to see some real action coming
8
from them.
9
10
11
12
MR. COUGHLIN: Just a yes or no answer for
the follow-up question today. Has a consideration of privatizing the
system been tabled?
13
REP. ATKINS: That, I don’t know.
I will
14
say no, and I’m not on the transportation
15
committee. 16
The governor does call me on a regular
17
basis, and -- and just from what I’ve heard
18
from (inaudible) all the other years, that’s ­
19
- you don’t see a lot of money when you had
20
hiked the fares real fast, and -- and there
21
are other issues.
22
23
So I haven’t heard, but we will check it
and call you, okay?
45
1
MR. KERSTEN: Thank you.
2
MR. BERGMAN: Hi, my name is Charles
3
4
Bergman, and I’m a Concord resident.
And first of all, I just want to thank
5
Cory Atkinson and Mike Barrett for taking
6
action on something that was a big problem.
7
And -- and so I wanted to just say, I
8
heard a couple of people talking -- I think my
9
story is boring, but it is not unusual, which
10
11
12
is, I’m a commuter into Boston.
Like many other people I work from 8:00­
to-5:00.
That’s rush hour for me. 13
Sometimes I go in early, not much later,
14
sometimes you go home a little later, and you
15
know, I was -- I was interested in the
16
criteria that we were presented in the
17
schedule, and I certainly understand a lot of
18
challenges, from what I see, the equipment.
19
But as a huge fan, I grew up on public
20
transportation.
If you don’t have a service
21
when people need it -- and it’s not an easy
22
thing, people go to work at -- largely,
23
there’s many of us, not everybody, many of us
46
1
that go to work at the same time, many of us
2
come home at the same time.
3
So thank you for restoring service to the
4
5:00 and 6:00 p.m.
That seems like that’s -­
5
that’s prime time for me and many other people
6
as a (inaudible) ride trains as it is, and I
7
don’t think anything on the new schedule’s
8
going to make it less crowded.
9
I did want to go back a little, when an
10
earlier gentleman says, the morning schedule
11
seems a little light, and I just wanted to
12
give feedback and many of my colleagues at
13
work have given the same feedback.
14
So that first train which was, you know,
15
which for my stop was 5:57, and it is now, I
16
believe, 5:36.
17
hour.
Boy, that is extending rush
18
And I talked to many people who said, “I
19
have to get up at 4:00 or 4:30 in the morning
20
now to get to work by 7:00 o’clock.”
21
feels like an optimization that was made. 22
23
So that
I don’t know what the other abuse cases
are, but I agree with (inaudible) on that
47
1
because it’s going to -- it’s going to change
2
a lot of people’s commuting here.
3
MR. KERSTEN: Thank you, sir.
4
I just want to call up three people. 5
6
It’ll be 25, 26, 27.
MR. MOSS: Hi.
Good evening, my name is
7
Justin Moss from Concord, and my question is
8
centered around data analysis, money.
9
So first of all, you brought up the slide
10
with the (inaudible) of controlling analysis,
11
and there are considerable questions here
12
tonight about the report that came out in the
13
Boston Globe, and I know you’re looking in the
14
interest of (inaudible), but what upsets me,
15
just seeing the -- the -- I -- obviously, out
16
of control of what seems excessive salaries
17
that we’re seeing there.
18
So it’s great that you have the data,
19
it’s great that you’re being transparent, I’m
20
just hoping that you follow-up by closing the
21
wound and taking action and improving.
22
23
I hope to see that there will be more
continuous improvement in that respect.
48
1
Second, the other person, that would be
2
this gentleman right here, he brought up free
3
fares, if there’s -- if it’s late or not
4
enough conductors, but I’m also (inaudible)
5
collected on either fare evaders or -- or
6
those that get free rides if they’re friends
7
or relatives.
8
statistics that should be in that respect. 9
I’m not sure if that was
I think that’s another area of
10
improvement that you could get in terms of
11
what you’re losing on -- on a daily basis from
12
the fare evaders, but -- but just not
13
collecting fares because of not enough
14
conductors or -- or being late.
15
16
17
So I’m really looking at it from a data
analysis view to put it in perspective. And finally, my last point.
I’m
18
wondering if you were looking at the data in
19
terms of a passkey?
20
‘Cause a gentleman back here, he had
21
mentioned, you know, he -- he anticipates the
22
earlier trains being light, and then you have
23
a prime time train that’s over capacity.
49
1
So I hope that you’re looking at the
2
numbers in that respect so you can optimize
3
your new pass on the trains and then making it
4
convenient for everyone.
5
MR. KERSTEN: Yeah, and one of the -- one
6
of the things that was discussed in the
7
commuter rail schedule thing was, you know, it
8
was really how to optimize the -- the usage,
9
to make sure that, you know, we lower the -­
10
the ridership on each train.
11
ridership, but you know, the -- the
12
overcrowded issue.
13
big role in that.
14
No, not
That, you know, did play a
MR. LYNCH: And just to speak to that
15
particular train, that train -- that train
16
today -- that train today was referenced about
17
taking that away just -- it actually comes all
18
the way into Fitchburg today, makes the stops
19
from the Concord and Lincoln area.
20
over Weston, makes a stop in Waltham, makes
21
one of the two stops in Belmont and then comes
22
into Boston. 23
It skips
It is the single heaviest train today on
50
1
the Fitchburg Line, carrying about 800
2
passengers. 3
We didn’t get -- haven’t got the Fall
4
counts yet.
5
early December, so -- but in the -- in the
6
Spring, right after the -- right after the bad
7
winter we had, it was just under 800 people.
8
9
10
Keolis is pulling the count for
So that train has been split.
That train
only starts at Littleton now. So at that particular time all the people
11
who live beyond Littleton will not be on that
12
train anymore, so that ridership is all
13
entirely inbound from Littleton.
14
So that’s a particular train that we
15
targeted to reduce the ridership.
16
MR. KERSTEN: Thank you.
17
MR. AUSTROS: Good evening.
18
Austros.
19
the board of selectmen there.
20
I’m Josh
I actually live in Natick.
I’m on
And I just want Rep. Atkins to know that
21
(inaudible) as well as Rep. Linskey
22
(inaudible) the wonderful spread so when there
23
is a scheduled hearing next Wednesday, we
51
1
expect good things, and I hope, for the
2
comments, I have three minutes.
3
I’m actually here in my capacity as
4
Partnerships for Transportation in
5
Massachusetts.
6
supporting better transportation choices for
7
all of us across the state, and I’ve been
8
coming to a couple of these hearings just to
9
offer a couple of comments. We’re a statewide coalition
10
First, I want to commend the staff that
11
are here and the job that the MBTA has done,
12
so let’s be a little more kind on this
13
important issue, as well as the folks that
14
provide -- provide good service to all of us
15
at the gate, because it’s -- it’s a challenge.
16
There’s enormous demand for
17
transportation that’s not being met.
18
more choices, as was said earlier.
19
your (inaudible) cars, you know, that was a -­
20
I remember those as well.
21
We need
The -­
But we need more choices for everybody
22
because we actually have seen an increase in
23
demand for the system, whether it’s on bus,
52
1
rapid transit, commuter rail system. 2
So a couple of points I wanted to make.
3
One is that last year the Governor went
4
after the two -- the 5% annual -- sorry -- bi­
5
annual fare increase that was reached by the
6
legislature in 2013, in a conference committee
7
was 5% of (inaudible) year was -- was over it
8
unfortunately, and now the MBTA Board of
9
(inaudible) has authority to increase fares up
10
11
to 10%. And that would be unfortunate because the
12
reason the legislature did the 5% cap is the
13
experience we’ve seen over the years where you
14
had periods of frozen periods and then a great
15
increase set per ridership did also occur -­
16
people who have limited ability with your
17
choices.
18
By taking the commuter rail I can afford
19
7.50 one way, I could afford $8.00 (inaudible)
20
if they were still taking it, but there are
21
many people for whom that’s an enormous
22
hardship.
23
And we have many other benefits, as well.
53
1
A previous speaker mentioned climate. 2
If we are going to be giving people
3
incentive to drive when gas prices were really
4
high, that’s not in the direction you want to
5
be going in.
6
And that’s a piece of the bigger issue of
7
vision.
8
looked at holistically, and not just to be
9
nickel-and-diming riders or -- or focusing on
10
labor, as important as that is, and I applaud
11
the court for doing that. 12
I think that the system needs to be
We really need leadership from the top of
13
state government, probably the speaker and
14
then the senate president, the governor, and
15
the secretary. 16
How are we going to have a transportation
17
network that serves all of our needs for years
18
to come, because my son’s generation and -­
19
and future people are not (inaudible)
20
necessarily, and you know, drive to work if
21
they want; better choices of walking, cycling,
22
transit, and driving when it suits their
23
needs.
54
1
So I think that we’ve had a cycle of
2
reform before revenue, and that’s been going
3
on since 2009. 4
Clearly the job of reform with labor
5
(inaudible) indicate, it’s not job set, but
6
it’s going to be the long-term.
7
all recognize that.
8
9
I think we
But the issue with all our statewide
revenue is your -- used to be commission, has
10
to be on the table.
I don’t think we can
11
expect to solve the T riders -- a T issue is
12
just as large. 13
And I’ll just close with one point. 14
Had the MBTA made use of the funding that
15
the legislature had agreed to make available
16
in 2013, combined with the savings that the
17
hard-working control board has already
18
realized, we would not be talking about a fare
19
increase of greater than 5%, and I think that
20
would be keeping faith with the riders who we
21
depend on to make this system run.
22
23
Thanks to everyone who’s spoken here
tonight and thank you folks for being there
55
1
tonight.
2
MR. KERSTEN: Thank you, sir.
3
I’m going to call up 28, 29, and 30.
4
MR. BECKMAN: Hi, my name’s Craig Beckman,
5
6
7
8
9
10
and I’m a Concord resident, Main Street.
Thank you Rep. Atkins for taking action
on the proposed schedule. I’d like to echo upon the (inaudible)
gentleman prior (inaudible) skill and
training.
11
I think it’s key that we do have the 5:30
12
evening train, express, but I do think we need
13
to address a couple things with the schedule.
14
One, is there really should be a true
15
express from West Concord, Concord, Lincoln,
16
stops at Waltham and goes right into the city
17
and at North Station.
18
what we had, I think, two schedules ago,
19
didn’t set the gun off.
20
short commute, and I think they should -- you
21
know, exit at Concord’s outer reaches, and we
22
should get that express train back.
23
That’s what -- it’s
Those people had a
And my other thoughts were around
56
1
2
revenues.
Had we considered or has the T considered
3
other revenue streams such as bi-pilot works
4
the whole way?
5
I know a lot of your hobbies use them by
6
flight, but it’s -- it’s so spotty we can’t
7
really use it, and so you have -- you could do
8
premium service, people who would pay.
9
that could offset some of the ticket fare
10
increases.
11
MR. KERSTEN: Thank you, sir.
12
All right.
13
Maybe
Does anyone else have a
number higher than 30?
14
All right.
So 31, 32, 33.
15
All right.
Yeah, come on up.
16
MS. ESS: My name is Sarah Ess, and I live
17
18
in Lincoln. I’m a core selectman, and I was a
19
founding member of the 124 Coalition which is
20
made up of elected officials from the -- along
21
the 128 border from the Mass. Turnpike up till
22
Route 3.
23
Lexington, Burlington. So it’s west of Lincoln, Waltham,
57
1
It’s a public sector -- private sector
2
coalition that was working very hard to solve
3
some of the gridlock problems that you all are
4
very familiar with along 128.
5
6
7
This was a number of years ago we came up
with a plan with moderation to (inaudible).
It’s incredible to me that we’re now
8
talking not about investing in expanding our
9
choices and transit opportunities, but we’re
10
fighting to retain what we have, and we’re
11
going to nickel-and-dime ridership with fare
12
increases at the same time we have no
13
commitment to upgrade our (inaudible).
14
We’re going to the least among us to try
15
and grab the most to solve with nickels and
16
dimes what is a magnitude of multi-million
17
dollar problems. 18
Now, we hear about labor problems, we
19
hear about the man we’d like to thank, the
20
current management very much.
21
I was on the MBTA Advisory Board for many
22
years and it was a pleasure working in those
23
roles.
58
1
And I thank Rep. Atkins and Sen. Barrett
2
for being here with us too, and standing with
3
us and for us.
4
But what we have are much bigger issues,
5
and one of the things that gravely concerns me
6
is in this era of retrenchment for the -- and
7
your expansion and looking for these alternate
8
revenue streams, we’re now talking about to
9
make major funds to expand transit options out
10
in the Seaport District to afford GE.
11
is that money going to come from? Where
12
So it seems to me we’re robbing Peter to
13
pay Paul, and Paul already has a lot of bucks
14
in his pocket. 15
So those are my comments, that we should
16
be looking at these alternate transit
17
opportunities, expanding transit
18
opportunities, expanding revenue streams, not
19
nickel-and-dimeing our ridership, and here,
20
here to everybody for trying to solve the big
21
picture problems, but this is an issue for
22
executive leadership, and we should be going
23
to our governor and asking him not to keep
59
1
turning back and trying to squeeze the least
2
amount of us, and we’re poor, we’re poor,
3
we’re poor. 4
Let’s look for alternative ways to
5
approaching a very big long-term problem. 6
Thank you.
7
MR. KERSTEN: Thank you.
8
MS. KAUFMAN: Hi.
9
10
11
Kaufman.
My name is Alice
I’m from Concord, and I’m also on
the Concord Select Board. The one thing (inaudible) about getting
12
number 34 is that almost everybody, and
13
(inaudible) you just didn’t say -- I do want
14
to -- I do say, I appreciate you coming
15
forward to the crowd this evening. 16
We were all very disappointed when the
17
first proposed schedule change came out; it’s
18
a done deal.
19
And I have to thank our leadership and
20
our legislative leaders, Cory Atkins and Mike
21
Barrett, ‘cause I think that they really
22
rallied together to bring forces to bear, to
23
create the need, create an impression to stop
60
1
on the MBTA that it’s important to talk to the
2
riders.
3
You know, here you want to begin raising
4
the rates for our ridership.
5
we want to be listened to, we want to know
6
what’s behind the scenes, nor are we given the
7
proposed statements without a voice on what’s
8
happening to our work class. 9
We want service,
So I appreciate you being here, and I
10
really appreciate the leadership that our
11
legislators have provided for the interest
12
here. 13
So, yeah, I can talk about the same thing
14
everybody else did, but I don’t think I really
15
want to spend the time.
16
So I thank you guys for the work that
17
you’ve done creating the improvements along
18
the Fitchburg Line. 19
I forgot to ask her, if she’s still here,
20
to (inaudible) comment.
21
really important items. Now, these are all
22
The only thing I think I would like to
23
add is that mass transit has the thought of
61
1
it’s a common mitigation strategy, and if we
2
raise fares, if we make it worth it to local
3
riders who want to be on the trains, we will
4
encounter what we need to do with (inaudible)
5
little repair and the interest to reduce
6
carbon emissions.
7
And we drive people out away from mass
8
transit, we’re increasing obvious ways to
9
(inaudible). 10
Now is the opportunity for us to be
11
leaders and provide mass transit in a way that
12
meets the needs of all of the commuters.
13
14
MR. KERSTEN: All right.
Thank you very
much.
15
34, 35, 36.
16
MR. GORDON: Hi.
17
I’ve been -- somehow I’ve been using the
I’m Rich Gordon.
18
mass transit system in this area since 1968,
19
when I commuted from the North Shore to
20
General Electric in Lynn. 21
I’m a former employer of General
22
Electric, and I’m in the process of writing
23
the (inaudible) to the President of General
62
1
Electric to describe some of him -- to him,
2
some of my experiences on trying to get to
3
work in Boston over the last almost 50 years. 4
Currently, I teach down at the little
5
college in Boston where we’ve added this year
6
to the attendance record or not, MBTA issues;
7
when it’s absent, tardy, excused, present, and
8
there’s one line involving the MBTA. 9
And it’s easy to check it out whether
10
that student has -- it stinks being the truth
11
or not.
12
About half the time now it did
13
(inaudible) classes I teach, about 10 out of
14
21 students can’t get to class at 8:00
15
o’clock. 16
I leave Bedford at 6:20 or 6:23, on the
17
6:23 bus, and sometimes it leaves at 6:20 to
18
try to meet its schedule. 19
By the time it makes it through
20
Lexington, it’s full, people are standing up. 21
Sometimes that drive, when I take the 76 bus
22
to try and get to my class, was an hour and 10
23
minutes. 63
1
I save a lot of money.
2
halfway through my eighth decade.
3
$1.85 to get to the intersection of Tremont
4
and Berkeley.
5
(inaudible) $1.65 to get back. 6
7
8
9
I’m into my -­
It costs me
That’s a bargain, to go and
So if you don’t hit me up, I’m more of a
problem there, to solve a problem. If the schedule changes, it wouldn’t help
some of my students, but a lot of people have
10
spoken about the (inaudible) condition.
11
need to use public transportation. 12
13
14
We
One of the courses I taught last semester
was environmental science. Do you know how much a person driving a
15
car into Boston emits in terms of carbon
16
versus taking public transportation?
17
30 times as much.
18
Almost
That’s a lot. So the service issue.
But one of the
19
ways to fix it, I’ll be (inaudible) you don’t
20
leave buses early, you don’t have people
21
lolly-gagging, fiddling around, trying to use
22
the fare boxes that don’t work.
23
the (inaudible).
There goes
These are solveable
64
1
2
problems.
You don’t -- you don’t take an airline,
3
the wait line, when the train comes into
4
Alewife, and then there’s a -- do you know
5
there’s a live one that says, the bus should
6
wait two minutes.
7
right in line with the wait line.
8
9
And the driver is already
When I was running, trying to catch the
damn bus because the -- the Red Line lolly-
10
gagged coming into the station so, you know,
11
it’s service, it’s service.
12
I now leave from Billerica.
I go to
13
Billerica to get into town, and I would like
14
to see better service there, but I need to
15
catch -- take a bus, a train. 16
The Green Line bus, how many stops are on
17
the Green Line between North Station and Park
18
Street?
19
Two. You know how many times the train, on an
20
average, stops?
Now, I teach calculus, so I
21
keep track of these things -- 18 times.
22
the heck is it doing?
23
problem.
What
And, you know, it’s a
65
1
So they were going to increase the fare,
2
and frankly, it’s not a lot to me, but it’s
3
going to bother my students in terms of how
4
much they have to pay and how they’re going to
5
get to class. 6
So let’s work hard at taking the
7
technology and trying to increase the service
8
level.
9
the time and, yeah, I’ve been using it for 40
10
years and, yeah, I still use it because it’s
11
handy, you know. 12
13
14
It’s -- it’s abysmal most -- most of
I can work on the train.
The -- the WiFi
is on board most of the time. I lost -- I lost a whole test yesterday
15
trying to -- trying to help one of my
16
students, okay, on the train. 17
18
So it is service, guys.
You can do that,
you just gotta get on (inaudible) to do it. 19
MR. KERSTEN: Thank you, sir.
20
All right, 37, 38, 39.
21
MR. MILLER: Hi.
I’m Wayne Miller, and
22
I’m a resident of Concord, and I’m also the
23
town representative on the MBTA Advisory
66
1
Board. 2
I just have three comments. 3
One is that prior to the last round of
4
reform legislations, the MBTA Advisory Board
5
had power over these budgets, and I’m glad the
6
T listens to the public in these kinds of
7
hearings, but I can tell you there’s been a
8
powerful change in the T’s attitude and
9
willingness to listen to the advisory board in
10
the year since that legislation changed, and
11
these -- the advisory board has
12
representatives for every town and city in the
13
MBTA’s region of contributors, these towns and
14
cities who contribute millions of dollars to
15
the T, and they no longer have a voice. 16
That’s one comment.
17
Another comment is that I had heard for
18
years from people who are dissatisfied and
19
unhappy about the lack of handicapped
20
accessibility in Concord Center, and the T has
21
done nothing about it.
22
us on every occasion, and I think that’s just
23
despicable.
They have stonewalled
67
1
And my third comment is that some people
2
that had commented favorably on the
3
possibility of privatization, but I’ve been
4
riding the commuter line for over 30 years in
5
Concord, and I’ve seen three private companies
6
run it. 7
Every time the T gets a new private
8
company in there, they run it for a few years,
9
they can’t control it, and they -- they have
10
11
to be replaced.
And personally, I think this last private
12
company is a disaster, and so if this is
13
privatization, I think it’s a bad job.
14
MR. KERSTEN: Thank you, sir.
15
MS. OSMAN: Thank you for coming. 16
I’m Franny Osman from Acton, Mass. 17
There’s a bunch here of the (inaudible)
18
19
region of the (inaudible). I’m also a selectmen in Acton, but I’m -­
20
I’m not speaking for Acton, ‘cause we don’t
21
look at the schedule together as a select
22
board. 23
My husband commutes every day for the
68
1
last 26 years. 2
I want to thank you.
The schedule looks
3
good.
4
want to second the desire for really wanting
5
to help Fitchburg. 6
7
I also want to encourage the T to get
more involved in last-mile transit. 8
9
I want to thank you for that, and I
We have a transportation management
association helping with the last-mile, 31st
10
commuters in our area (inaudible), but I think
11
the T should be involved.
12
behoove you to get people on, maybe consider
13
discounts in fares for this -- for the reverse
14
commute.
I think it would
I also want to encourage you to cooperate
15
16
with the Town of Acton to possibly get
17
bathrooms at the station, figure out how to do
18
that, and we’d ask that, including in the west
19
end of the station which I know it’s hard,
20
some -- it would take some cooperation in
21
here.
22
23
I mean, the T and the town.
I don’t think raising fares is the way to
fund it, especially raising fares on the
69
1
paratransit service because I get the
2
document, the percentage of unemployment among
3
people with disabilities is over 70%.
4
So I think old things like taxes, gas
5
tax, tolls, and old products like the North-
6
South Rail Link, I think we have to be
7
thinking big and futuristic. 8
And so anyway, thank you for doing that.
9
Thanks to whoever it was,
I’d love to
10
know who added the train last August when we
11
suddenly had a reverse commute.
12
MR. KERSTEN: That was me.
13
MS. OSMAN: Was it you?
14
I had mentioned to somebody the -­
15
finding the schedule was very, very hard. You have to go to “About the MBTA,” then
16
17
“Public Meetings,” then click on the picture
18
of “Tell Us What You Think,” and then the
19
schedule. I repeatedly had -- had trouble.
20
So it
21
should be up there in the beginning, but thank
22
you.
23
MR. KERSTEN: Thank you very much.
70
1
MS. PFLUMM: I will make this quick.
2
name is Michelle Pflumm.
3
Sudbury Road, Concord, Massachusetts.
4
My
I live on 324
Express service from Concord to Boston
5
has been at base for decades.
6
of us bought our houses here, it’s how a lot
7
of us get to work. 8
9
It’s why many
What I want to understand this evening is
why you’re expanding service to people the
10
farthest from Boston while leaving us in the
11
cold? 12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
We, too, pay for these improvements.
We,
too, should benefit from them.
Why should we pay more for reduced and
slower service? How are we supposed to make the morning
commute to work? Restoring express service to Concord, in
my opinion, is the right thing to do. 20
Thank you very much.
21
MR. KERSTEN: Thank you.
22
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was told to make a
23
reminder about (inaudible)
71
1
We, too, (inaudible) to date. 2
Saturday, 10:00 o’clock a.m. at the
3
station, South Acton Station is having the
4
ribbon cutting for the South Acton Station,
5
followed by refreshments at the South Acton
6
Congregational Church, and there will be
7
transportation between the two if you’re up
8
for (inaudible).
9
And tomorrow is the ribbon cutting for
10
the new bus, sort of like (inaudible) at Acton
11
Town Hall.
12
So two exciting ribbon cuttings.
13
MR. KERSTEN: Thank you.
14
MR. TALBERT: Hi, I’m Mr. Talbert, and I
15
16
17
live in Acton. So I just -- I wanted to say two things
about that I don’t think has been said. 18
Right now I take the 50 Train to
19
Littleton, and my understanding of the new
20
schedule -- I wasn’t able to find it for a
21
little while -- is that there’s no train in
22
that time period whatsoever anymore, and so
23
I’m really disappointed about that because
72
1
this is the only train that allows me to take
2
my daughter to preschool, and then still get
3
to work by 10:00 o’clock which is, you know,
4
one of the points that we said here, and
5
there’s a lot a lot of people, especially in ­
6
- in South Acton that get on that train and
7
all come into Boston, so I’m really
8
disappointed that, you know, there seems to be
9
a really big gap there, and we would like to ­
10
- to get that back if there’s any way
11
possible, and I know it’s really helpful for a
12
lot of people.
13
The second thing is that I -- I’m in
14
Acton, but I get on at Littleton usually
15
‘cause it’s closer to where I live.
16
And one way you could get more money is
17
to put more parking in at Littleton and in -­
18
in Acton (inaudible). 19
Littleton, they just expanded the parking
20
by like 20 spaces.
21
up.
22
23
It was immediately filled
There’s never any parking spaces there.
It’s my opinion that if you could double
the parking there, you could make, you know,
73
1
$4 per space.
2
actually, and I’m sure that it will be
3
productive, you know, and expand ridership as
4
well. 5
That’s a lot of money,
So I really think, you know, you need to
6
look at places like that where it’s really
7
easy to do.
8
9
(Inaudible) to it. I encourage you to do that since
Littleton’s on the line.
That’s it. 10
Thank you.
11
MR. KERSTEN: Thank you very much.
12
Are we out of numbers now, Jennifer? 13
So let’s see.
14
We’ll have 40, 41, 42?
15
MR. WENZEL: My name is Dick Wenzel.
16
live in Concord, Massachusetts.
17
brief.
18
I like the new schedules.
I’ll be very
They’re a big
19
improvement over the most of the trip, at
20
least from the sound it.
21
22
23
I
The outbound schedule from Boston to West
Concord to South Acton is excellent. I work -- I have a problem with the
74
1
inbound schedule, and before the meetings I
2
discussed it with Cory Lynch from the MBTA,
3
and he explained that the trains are
4
overcrowded. 5
My suggestion would be this, before I
6
moved to Massachusetts I came (inaudible)
7
rails in New York City as (inaudible).
8
have some very long distance trains that you
9
come in from North Jersey or (inaudible) 75­
10
They
mile trip into Jersey City.
11
And what they do is, these long-distance
12
trains ran substantially express way into
13
Newark, Hoboken, and Jersey City, and then
14
they would toot it through all the stops
15
towards the city. 16
I recommend you consider doing that
17
because the present inbound time on the trains
18
is an hour, and the shortest time is 50
19
minutes, and that compares with 39 minutes in
20
1977.
21
22
23
That is a big increase. So I’d just ask, could you take another
look and see what you can do with that one?
Perhaps the people from Fitchburg and to
75
1
the west wouldn’t be too burdened if you
2
stopped over and wait a little.
3
had to stand, they would go one or two stops. 4
Per square, it’s an awful lot of people.
5
(inaudible) then you can sit the rest of the
6
train service into Boston.
7
And if they
Have
The second and last comment is, I think
8
your financial -- management financial
9
controller should take a look at the town
10
assessments because they really haven’t -­
11
they haven’t changed since the MBTA was
12
formed. 13
Perhaps cities, beginning with Concord
14
and (inaudible) the MBTA are charged one way,
15
and the towns outside are charged another way,
16
and the towns outside Concord, like South
17
Acton, Littleton, Ayer, Shirley, are really
18
getting a sweetheart deal.
19
First of all, you also have Fitchburg and
20
North Leominster, which are the Montachusetts
21
Regional Transportation Authority.
22
no assessment to the MBTA. 23
They pay
Acton has an assessment of $72,380. 76
1
That’s for 680 commuters every day.
2
out to $180 in gas. It works
Concord has basically the same number of
3
4
commuters, and we pay 377,367 a year to the
5
MBTA.
6
mean, I know that there’s a problem.
7
with a member of the (inaudible) 8
9
I think that’s a gross injustice.
I
I spoke
He could not be present tonight and he
said that there is a problem with the bond
10
being issued, but I’d like to -- perhaps the
11
MBTA Board is going to go back and speak
12
tonight, and dictate the venture’s perimeters
13
so that these towns pay their fair share,
14
especially when they’re demanding all this
15
outbound service, this and that, and they want
16
us to spend more money for parking, and
17
they’re not paying their share.
18
Thank you very much.
19
MR. KERSTEN: Thank you, sir.
20
MR. SHELL: My name is Nathan Shell, and I
21
live in Ayer, and I’m here for my girlfriend
22
tonight.
23
And we bought our first house here a
77
1
couple years ago in Ayer, and so I go into
2
Porter Square.
3
And when I first heard about the new
4
train schedule and the one that is now, I’m
5
really excited because the express train from
6
South Acton gets into Porter about eight -­
7
five or eight minutes sooner, and I was really
8
excited about that.
9
And when we first moved here two years
10
ago I was excited that there was going to be
11
all these improvements on the trains, making
12
them run faster, more efficiently, and then
13
when they first came out with the schedule, I
14
at first was happy, but then I was
15
disappointed that the schedule wasn’t right
16
for everyone.
17
and re-look at it, and I just wish they
18
would’ve done that sooner ‘cause we spent all
19
this money and all this time to do these
20
improvements and not put them in right away,
21
to me, just kind of wasn’t good.
22
23
The -- the MBTA had to go back
So -- and also going into Boston, where
I’m currently in Ayer, I don’t have a train
78
1
from like 9:00-to-11:00, so if I have to go to
2
a doctor’s appointment in the morning or
3
something, I can’t.
4
schedule I’ll be able to do that, and it’s the
5
same going back, there’s not a train from
6
1:30-to-4:30, and now this -- the whole train. 7
So I’m upset about that.
8
9
With the new train
So if I can leave work early or have a
doctor’s appointment that I could go to I can
10
actually do it instead of having to drive
11
there.
12
And then also my girlfriend.
So she’s
13
still going to college in Fitchburg, so she’s
14
reverse commuting and she can’t get into
15
school before 11:00 o’clock with the current
16
schedule.
17
But right now her -- with the new
18
schedule, I think she can get in a little bit
19
sooner, like 9:30, so she can actually take
20
some earlier classes.
21
22
23
So overall, I’m happy with the schedule. I realize you can’t please everyone. Just with regards to the fare increases,
79
1
2
right now my monthly pass is $330. Last time I did the math and figured out
3
parking and gas, I’m just about breaking even. 4
I would rather take the train. 5
You start talking about raising it 10%
6
every two years, after this next fare increase
7
I’ll probably be driving ‘cause it’s going to
8
be more expensive, and just how the service
9
ran last winter, I’m not doing that again.
10
So I just hope you take to heart about
11
the fare increases, ‘cause you start raising
12
it too much, especially people further out,
13
with higher fares, they’re not going to start
14
taking the train.
15
MR. KERSTEN: Thank you.
16
Let’s see, 43, 44, 45?
17
MS. FELCHEN: Sue Felchen, Concord. 18
I had to leave work early just to get
19
here late, so if I repeat things that were
20
said early on I don’t apologize, although I do
21
thank you for the food which is an
22
(inaudible). 23
I bet a lot of other people get off work
80
1
2
after. I find the 5:05, you would’ve had to take
3
the 5:05 train out of North Station to get
4
here to this meeting on time. 5
I bet there aren’t very many people who
6
can get off work in time to make that train,
7
so you should have scheduled this meeting
8
later.
9
I do thank everyone who worked so hard to
10
fix the end to their trap, the original
11
horrifying schedule, and the other much better
12
schedule. 13
Now, I actually went through -- I didn’t
14
find the comparison to be terribly useful
15
between the current and proposed schedule
16
because the current schedule was really a
17
construction schedule with one train added.
18
So I went back to a schedule from a
19
couple years previously and did some
20
comparison. 21
In case anybody wants a copy?
22
I find the new schedule comparison
23
favorably. 81
1
I’ve been going to the Fitchburg Line
2
looking for opinions for five or six years
3
now, and I’ve seen how hard everyone has
4
worked. 5
I also saw (inaudible) they were really
6
working on the western end of the line, and
7
were not working to help people inbound. 8
9
But speaking to someone who takes the
West Concord train, the few bridges were
10
replaced or repaired between West Concord and
11
Concord, so I’m suspecting some speed-ups
12
since trains have been going slow, and yet,
13
honestly, this new schedule doesn’t get me any
14
faster.
15
16
17
So it’s great the bridges won’t fall into
the rivers, but I’m a little mad. The new proposed schedule is actually
18
slightly worse, given that instead of having a
19
9:30 train, that will be pushed out to 10:15.
20
21
22
23
Now, of course you can’t please everyone,
but I have a couple of suggestions.
One, is since there’s a problem with too
many trains and not enough tracks in North
82
1
Station, how about looking into whether the
2
schedule could have some trains stop and turn
3
around at Porter Square? 4
Some people could take the Red Line, or
5
if you could schedule, say, an out -- outer
6
train that went from Fitchburg to South Acton
7
local, and then spread from there, and another
8
train that went to South Acton and local.
9
Some people who wanted to switch to get
10
into North Station could jump off at Porter
11
from the train that stops there and then go
12
in. 13
14
15
Another thing is, these capital
improvements, and they’re expensive. What would be a lot cheaper and speed the
16
thing up a little bit?
Station somebody at
17
Porter Square; one shift during rush hour in
18
the morning, one in the evening, all they do
19
is open and close doors.
20
and off faster, and when they’re not busy,
21
they could run up and down and help people
22
with the Red Line that’s being stopped
23
(inaudible) at the Red Line.
That would get us on
83
1
I think it should be simple to increase
2
fares in a matter that’s mentioned, doing
3
inflation, but problems with countless
4
(inaudible) at the T and business falling off,
5
can’t it slightly be addressed by (inaudible).
6
Not only that, even if we were to
7
eliminate every scrap of inefficiency in this
8
management of the T, it wouldn’t even make a
9
dent in our catapulting needs. 10
11
We have to look at other sources of
revenue.
12
People have talked about increasing fares
13
and then have no way so that poor people get a
14
special discount.
15
lot of paperwork to me. That sounds like an awful
What’s a lot simpler is the way that we
16
17
help balance the gap between rich and poor,
18
that’s through taxes. 19
For example, the story of the old China
20
cow.
(Inaudible) removing the sales tax
21
exemption on candy.
22
possible ways of fixing the -- well, it
23
wouldn’t be enough just to change the T
There are many other
84
1
assessments on towns, but it would make a
2
start. 3
And if people think things are bad now,
4
just try privatization, it would be even
5
worse. 6
So thank you for listening.
7
MR. KERSTEN: Thank you very much.
8
MR. SHEA: My name is George Jacob Shea. 9
10
I live in Concord. I am thrilled to be a newcomer, I guess,
11
to the commuter rail.
12
about 11 years. I’ve ridden it for
13
My comments relate mostly to the
14
rideability of the system due to my primary
15
concern, and my comments are in the form of
16
four questions which you may or may not be
17
able answer. 18
First one is, how is the amount of the
19
proposed fare increase determined, what was
20
your methodology?
21
percentage, did you look at what other systems
22
use, did you calculate how much you need to do
23
x, y, and z, what was the methodology? Did you pick some
85
1
2
3
And I apologize if you already answered
this question. My second question is, how does the total
4
commuter rail revenue compare to the commuter
5
rail costs if you take fares, parking, town
6
assessments, advertising, revenue and all that
7
sort of thing, how does that compare to the
8
amount that it costs you to run commuter rail
9
service? 10
My understanding is that commuter rail
11
service, in a sense, is a profit maker for
12
you, is that true, and how do the numbers
13
compare?
14
15
16
MR. KERSTEN: Revenue’s about half of the
operating costs of the commuter rail.
MR. SHEA: How will the proposed fare
17
increase be allocated amongst the oldest MBTA
18
operation, MBTA commuter room operations,
19
subway operations, in other words, the amount
20
our fare goes up, where would that money go?
21
MR. KERSTEN: Yeah.
Earlier in the
22
presentation the GM went into detail about how
23
the -- the fare increases, as much as we can,
86
1
they’re going to be put back into the system
2
for maintenance and -- and improving our
3
infrastructure, and as far as the -- the
4
commuter rail goes, you know, Keolis bid the
5
job then the Commonwealth collects the
6
revenue, so -­
7
MR. SHEA: And my last question is, will
8
the fare increase include reliability from the
9
system?
10
MR. KERSTEN: I mean, yeah, we’re
11
reinvesting back into the maintenance of the
12
system, you know, that -- that does -­
13
REP. ATKINS: First of all, the
14
legislature, we’ve seen a lot of (inaudible)
15
from the legislature (inaudible) and to apply
16
five cents every two years was voted upon by
17
the legislature.
18
the governor -­
19
20
21
22
23
The governor, did we approve
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was your conference
committee.
REP. ATKINS: The Conference Committee. So we didn’t vote on this on the floor.
In Conference Committee we, the
87
1
2
legislature, agreed with the governor. In the legislature, we originally voted
3
for only a 5% increase every two years,
4
basically to stop the yearly request to raise
5
the fares. 6
The Gov. Baker wanted a 10% increase,
7
which is agreed upon in the Conference
8
Committee.
9
did not vote on that, it came up as a
That means that the legislature
10
compromise between a number of different
11
pieces of legislation and, therefore, that is
12
now the policy.
13
This gets -- I have a question for all of
14
you because I’ve heard a lot about taxes
15
tonight.
16
And we have a governor and we have a
17
speaker of the house, we (inaudible), who are
18
into no new taxes or no new fees, except for
19
the legislature. 20
How many of you -- and the woman who
21
spoke just recently pointed out an absolute
22
fact, you know, that it’s -- the only way we
23
can equitably pay for these things is through
88
1
taxes, broader taxes, either -- our -- our two
2
main sources of income, of revenue for the
3
state, are income tax and sales tax. 4
5
6
Now, there’s a sales tax holiday in the ­
- in the August. I’m one of the few people who vote
7
against that because a penny of sales tax goes
8
to the MBTA, another penny goes to school
9
building assist, and we lose 23 million
10
dollars so that people can go buy stuff in
11
August, and I think it’s nuts from what, you
12
know, the loss that we’ve been in -- in
13
revenue that we lose, and in (inaudible).
14
people think I’m, you know, Grinch, in August,
15
that I won’t vote for their one day of sales­
16
tax-free merchandise. 17
So
I’ve -- I’ve never met -- and, Sarah, you
18
could probably back me up on this, but I’ve
19
never met a woman that would go anyplace for a
20
6.5% sale on anything. 21
22
23
If you’re not talking 20%, you’re not
talking sale. But years ago, must have been, I think it
89
1
was almost a decade ago, when I tried
2
(inaudible) listening to NPR, we had, at that
3
point, a $23 billion deficit in our
4
transportation needs, just to maintain and fix
5
what we have; not to do a new line, not to buy
6
new equipment, not to do any of those things,
7
right?
8
off the road. 9
10
11
$20 billion dollars.
I almost drove
I thought, where are we going to get $22
-- 22 -- $20 billion? Well, we’re not going to get it from a
12
10% fare increase.
13
unless, as this women suggested, we do big,
14
bold ideas. 15
We’re not going to get it
I mean, I think we should tax, toll all
16
boarders of the -- of the Commonwealth, and we
17
just (inaudible) talked about a lot of
18
different revenues. 19
The reason why we put it in -- and the
20
gentleman, you know, over here who said we
21
should vote on that 3% tax increase every
22
year, you can’t get the votes. 23
You can’t get the votes from the reps who
90
1
-- who represent all border towns, a lot of
2
the borders of the Commonwealth area, to get a
3
tax increase in the legislature, especially
4
when you have a governor and a speaker who are
5
opposed to that is very difficult.
6
So the less they hear from -- from
7
constituents -- and you don’t have to tell me,
8
I -- I have a constituency that’s very
9
generous.
I have never, never been punished
10
or taken political heat for a tax vote because
11
my constituents are grown-ups.
12
it costs to run -- run the government and run
13
the services that you and I use every day.
14
They know what
But that -- that has to get out because
15
that is not a shared point of view, and so we
16
dibble and dabble.
17
10% of a fare increase that isn’t going to
18
make change happen anywhere, it’s just
19
symbolic.
20
I have fights over 5-to­
MR. SHEA: So if I understand the answer
21
correctly, we should not expect any
22
improvement in reliability?
23
REP. ATKINS: No.
It’s not enough money
91
1
to use the kinds of changes in the system. 2
Our system -- we have one of the oldest
3
systems in the nation because of who we are,
4
we’re Massachusetts and their earliest -­
5
MR. DePAULA: Just to address the last
6
point.
A couple things I’d like to point out,
7
especially on the commuter rail service. 8
The last five -- we have spent a
9
significant amount of time working with our
10
partner, Keolis, on improving the service.
11
The last five months of this year have
12
been the best on-time performance in recorded
13
history of commuter rail service. 14
15
16
This December has been the best December
that we have seen in commuter rail service.
MR. SHEA: We all got to speak ‘cause you
17
allow yourself you need a half-hour that you
18
can stew and -­
19
(Multiple voices - inaudible)
20
MR. DePAULA: That is -- that is
21
22
23
incorrect, sir. We have invested a significant amount of
money.
A lot of people talked about opening ­
92
1
2
- the doors open, and fare collection.
The MBTA has funded, via hiring, 30
3
additional conductors to make sure that we
4
have adequate staff for (inaudible) to go
5
through, collect fares, and to staff the doors
6
to make sure the boarding and alighting is
7
done in a reasonable time.
8
9
So we are making those targeted
investments, not only in the physical
10
infrastructure of track -- of the tracks and
11
bridges, but in the operational side of both
12
commuter rail and transit, specifically to
13
improve level of service, to provide a
14
rideable, dependable service for our
15
customers. 16
We’ve also invested over this last year
17
over $80 million overall, not only in physical
18
works but in maintenance, equipment, and in
19
training of our personnel so that we don’t
20
have a repeat of what happened last winter.
21
So we’re -- we are making -- we’re taking
22
this money that you are generously providing
23
to us, and we are making those investments to
93
1
improve reliability in levels of service just
2
so you can have some -- a service that you can
3
depend on.
4
MR. SHEA: Over the past month -- every
5
week I take the train in and out of Boston, so
6
I take 10 trains a week. 7
In the past month, every week there has
8
been a delay due to mechanical issues,
9
whatever that means.
10
11
12
13
14
It doesn’t sound like there’s any sort of
improvement in reliability.
MR. DePAULA: Well I can assure you, sir,
overall, there have been improvements.
There are people from commuter rail in
15
the room, and can certainly look into if there
16
have been a disproportionate amount of
17
mechanical failures that affect the Fitchburg
18
Line. 19
I can tell you right now I’m looking at
20
four different people that will be looking
21
into it.
22
23
MR. SHEA: I don’t -- don’t accept the
answer.
I’m sorry.
94
1
2
3
MR. KERSTEN: All right.
Where are we now
-- 46, 47, 48.
MS. KEATS: Hi.
My name is Michelle Keats
4
and I’m from Concord, and I want to say that
5
the new bus schedule is extremely -- it’s a
6
great improvement over the previous one. 7
I also wanted to take out the issue of
8
disability access in Concord, and that it
9
should definitely be examined and, you know,
10
looked at.
11
And I just mention it, just because it’s
12
-- it’s like a keystone cop circus, the North
13
-- you know when you come out of North Station
14
you got a -- you just -- there’s construction
15
going to get the -- you know, the grade to go
16
under and to go over is -- it’s really a bit
17
of a public safety issue, the number of
18
commuters coming out, running to the commuter
19
rail station, the North Station, and I just
20
think you need to -- you know, there are some
21
police there, but it’s -- it’s just a zoo,
22
there’s so many people coming through. 23
So I understand it’s going to take three
95
1
years to construct that under passage.
2
remarkable, but in the meantime, make some
3
better -- better rider advantage than that.
4
MR. KERSTEN: Thank you very much.
5
All right.
6
It’s
Anyone else have anything to
say, or -­
And if you want, we’re going to have some
7
8
senior staff hanging around afterwards.
9
you have any questions, please feel free to
10
come up to me, and I’ll direct you where to
11
go.
12
So if
Thank you all again for coming.
13
(WHEREUPON, the hearing
14
adjourned at 8:03 p.m.)
96
C E R T I F I C A T E
I, David Balchunis, do hereby certify that the
foregoing record, Pages 3 through 95, is a complete,
accurate, and true transcription of my voice written notes
taken at the MBTA Far Proposal & Comuter Rail Schedule
Changes Public Meeting at Concord Town Hall, 22 Monument
Square, Concord, MA, to the best of my skill and ability.
___________________________
David Balchunis
Notary Public
My Commission Expires:
December 30, 2022