MBTA in a state of disrepair. (Boston, Brockton: flooring, gas, parking)

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

exactly. Doesnt matter if it's less frequent because people in Braintree need it to go to work and otherwise they have cars.

Doesn't matter if its more expensive because the average household in Braintree makes $114k +

and a much smaller share of Braintree commutes via public transit than in Boston. 66% of people in Braintree drive alone to work, 12% take transit. In Boston 32% of people drive alone to work 18% take public transit.

I thought Boston was more along the lines of 36-40% Public Transit?

[AtkinsonDan]

Originally Posted by massnative71

More expensive, less frequent. It's still all around pathetic, however you want to look at it. Over an hour from Middleboro. Over an hour from Southborough. Suburbanites are getting screwed no less than the city folk.

Everyone in Massachusetts gets shafted except for the politicians and a small circle of politically connected elites. The notion that suburbanites have it better than the urban population is false.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

3This knee-jerk reaction is basically exactly what I referring to. Irrational defensiveness and pocket protector. People keep screaming better management! but its not gonna happen. Same way people scream build more housing and things will be cheaper!- it's not going to happen. You have to know this by now. You have to know why these things will never happen- are you just holding out hope for hopes sake?

So rather than explore alternatives, looking into other reasons why theres issues, or follow proven models elsewhere you just seethe in frustration. And wonder why it won't get better. It's not hard to see.

So keep throwing more money at it (basically the same thing we have been doing over and over again expecting different results???). If I have to choose between getting gouged at the same rate (and getting garbage in return), and getting gouged even more (and getting the same garbage in return)...guess which I'm choosing. Call me a skeptic and pessimist all you want, we'll see who's right and who's wrong in how this new "revenue" translates to better service. More Mass. voters agree with you than with me, btw. as was demonstrated by the tax vote. That includes suburbanites.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by massnative71

You consider Somerville and Medford suburbanites?



It's not just people from Braintree and Quincy who rely on the Red Line. The garages at Braintree and Quincy Adams are PACKED with mostly people who drove in from further away. It's a LIFELINE for communities south of the city. Same thing at the Alewife end. And we're not even touching on the commuter rail there, and its shortcomings and lack of investment in existing routes to these communities.

I could get you numbers that prove it is not.

4% of people in Hanover use public transit, 6% in Norwell, 8% in Abington, 9% in Weymouth

These people are on the Commuter Rail.

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by massnative71

You consider Somerville and Medford suburbanites?



It's not just people from Braintree and Quincy who rely on the Red Line. The garages at Braintree and Quincy Adams are PACKED with mostly people who drove in from further away. It's a LIFELINE for communities south of the city. Same thing at the Alewife end. And we're not even touching on the commuter rail there, and its shortcomings and lack of investment in existing routes to these communities.

yeah a lot of people from Randolph, Brockton and Holbrook use the Red Line.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by AtkinsonDan

Everyone in Massachusetts gets shafted except for the politicians and a small circle of politically connected elites. The notion that suburbanites have it better than the urban population is false.

The only real investments I can think of in recent years, are the Green Line Extension and the Silver Line expansion to Chelsea. Chelsea, Somerville and Medford. While not Boston per se, those are all urban communities. What kind of equivalent improvements have been seen outside of 128 in that time span?

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by massnative71

So keep throwing more money at it (basically the same thing we have been doing over and over again expecting different results???). If I have to choose between getting gouged at the same rate (and getting garbage in return), and getting gouged even more (and getting the same garbage in return)...guess which I'm choosing. Call me a skeptic and pessimist all you want, we'll see who's right and who's wrong in how this new "revenue" translates to better service. More Mass. voters agree with you than with me, btw. as was demonstrated by the tax vote. That includes suburbanites.

Its not though, we haven't been throwing more and more money at it. Its gone up and down how well we fund this. In theory, you should throw more money as it as the state grows in population, and becomes wealthier though.


"More mass voters agree with you than me"

Yea, you are a suburbanite, duh. Look at the MBTA and housing cost-how is that working out for you?

As i said- the stubbornness and pocket protection isnt going to get you anywhere.

You all can keep wanting Caviar results with pork and bean budgets and mess hall attitudes but its not gonna make your life any easier. Thats not my fault either.

If you get lulled to sleep by a 5% income tax and words "competitive and competent" then okay. Not my business.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by masssachoicetts

yeah a lot of people from Randolph, Brockton and Holbrook use the Red Line.

Not really. Most people in Brockton use the Bat bus to go to Ashmont, they're not taking the Braintree line. Also, Brockton has three commuter rail stops. Almost no one in Brockton would use the redline.

Randolph, they take MBTA busses or the Randolph Commuter rail Line same with Holbrook.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

I could get you numbers that prove it is not.

4% of people in Hanover use public transit, 6% in Norwell, 8% in Abington, 9% in Weymouth

These people are on the Commuter Rail.

OK I'd like to see numbers on where the people boarding at Braintree and Quincy Adams originate. I can guarantee you most are NOT from Quincy or Braintree. The percentages will look small, but it's still a lot in numbers and traffic.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

Not really. Most people in Brockton use the Bat bus to go to Ashmont, they're not taking the Braintree line. Also, Brockton has three commuter rail stops. Almost no one in Brockton would use the redline.

Randolph, they take MBTA busses or the Randolph Commuter rail Line same with Holbrook.

Where are you getting these assumptions. A Boston commuter living on the west side of Brockton is not riding BAT to Ashmont. They are driving to Quincy Adams. Maybe with the current state of the Red Line, more will throw in the towel and drive to one of the Brockton CR stops but my point still stands.