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Old 06-05-2014, 05:05 PM
 
66 posts, read 113,849 times
Reputation: 99

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Massachusetts is one of the top states with higher taxes, this is wealthy state. But the state goverment insists in cutting positions and raising MBTA's fares. On the other hand, State House employees and MBTA employees ride for free.

For example, public transit employees in NYC receive a 30% fare discount, Disney employees receive passes at a discounted price... so why not giving MBTA's employees a discounted fare rather than a full free fare? This is what similar employers offer.

Last edited by pipo11; 06-05-2014 at 05:19 PM..
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Old 06-05-2014, 08:59 PM
 
Location: Massachusetts
6,301 posts, read 9,611,063 times
Reputation: 4797
I'm sorry Pipo, but what does your comment have to do with cleaning positions being eliminated?
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Old 06-06-2014, 07:38 AM
 
Location: Norman, OK
3,478 posts, read 7,239,838 times
Reputation: 1201
The Silver Line is still free from Logan Airport to South Station (yes I know the airport is supposedly paying MBTA for the service). I actually opposed this decision when it was first instituted not necessarily on principle but for the fact that Silver Line passengers can transfer to any other subway line for free once they get to South Station. They can travel from Logan to Braintree and not pay a dime. So, higher fares are being imposed, which is a regressive tax on the poor and lower middle class, in part to subsidize free rides for many tourists and visitors.

Sorry, but if you are in a situation where you have to raise fares in order to make the books balance, then you shouldn't be giving free rides anywhere. At the very least, the transfer from South Station to any other line should have to be paid.
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Old 06-06-2014, 07:42 AM
 
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,938 posts, read 36,829,482 times
Reputation: 40634
I think that was because it was always a cluster**** at the silverline at logan when out of town passengers tried to board and they had no clue they needed to get cards, or where to get them, etc. That downtime and confusion outweighed the benefits of the fares.
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Old 06-06-2014, 07:58 AM
 
Location: New England
1,054 posts, read 1,405,558 times
Reputation: 1830
Quote:
Originally Posted by wxjay View Post
The Silver Line is still free from Logan Airport to South Station (yes I know the airport is supposedly paying MBTA for the service).
You say (yes I know the airport is supposedly paying MBTA for the service) as if it weren't very important, but as far as the MBTA is concerned, that isn't a free ride. It's the same as if Massport gave every passenger a cash subsidy as each person stepped onto the bus, and the passenger then put the money in the fare box. If you don't like it, take it up with Massport and leave the MBTA out of it.

But the Silver Line is so slow and bumpy, it's just about worth riding if it's free. Imagine the poor suckers who pay a fare and still have to endure it.
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Old 06-06-2014, 08:00 AM
 
Location: Norman, OK
3,478 posts, read 7,239,838 times
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My understanding is that Logan pays a flat amount, so they may actually underpay for the service. Nevertheless, the airport is not covering the transfers to other lines and their use.
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Old 06-06-2014, 08:12 AM
 
Location: New England
1,054 posts, read 1,405,558 times
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I think the issue for the planners was that in some cities, there's a transit line that takes you into town right from the airport terminals. So when people said "Why can't we have that in Boston?" they responded by sending the Silver Line buses out there, and it turned out to be very confusing. In contrast to the existing free shuttle to the subway, customers get on the Silver Line bus and each one individually has to be told, no this bus isn't free, it's part of the transit system and you can get on the subway in Boston without paying again, and then they have to fumble for the right fare when they haven't got their money ready, and it's all a big mess.

It's easy to see that Massport might prefer to pay a fixed amount to the MBTA, so they don't have to count the riders. I wouldn't know if it's set so the MBTA or Massport gets a better deal--could be either way.

Of course the real answer to "Why can't we have a subway line to the airport terminals" is "Because it costs a heap of money and we're broke."
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