Actually, the T is pretty darn good (at least the lines I ride). We’re just arguing about cost at this point. 
What lines do you ride, Telemark?
I’m betting it’s not the B. It’s faster to walk.
Probably the Red Line. It’s the bestest. I ride the Red Line, so I should know. 
Some of my thoughts on the subject:
The MBTA does suck a bit, but it’s still, IMO, a good system of public transportation. If it follows its current trend and continues to get suckier and suckier, though, at some point I will probably start agreeing that it’s a crappy system. Having lived elsewhere, though, where public transporation sucks even more, I still think the MBTA is pretty good at most of what it’s trying to do.
Commuter Rail - the Commuter Rail has always had a habit of running people over. They don’t seem to have gotten any worse lately.
Charlie Cards - you can load a few different things on them:
- A Monthly LinkPass, which allows you unlimited rides within the class of service you’ve purchased (roughly equivalent to the old Combo Pass)
- A 1 Day or 7 Day (Week) LinkPass - unlimited rides on subway & bus for the day or for the next 7 days)
- One of 3 classes of monthly bus pass
- Cash, which allows you to pay per ride on any subway or bus at a lower rate than the per-ride cost using a Charlie Ticket, and allowing you free tranfers from bus to bus or, I think, from subway to bus.
To complicate matters you can load both a pass AND cash on the same card, so that if you occasionally need to travel outside the zone or class you usually travel in, when you use the card it can automatically deduct the additional fare you owe. E.g. If I usually travel on the subway and local bus I’d buy a LinkPass, but if I want to ride one of the Mass Pike express buses I can ride using my LinkPass because it will count my pass as the first $1.25 of the fare and then dedcut from the stored value on my card the remaining $1.45.
The MBTA’s debt - I read an article in the Metro the other day that revealed something I’d never known - the T is $5billion in debt partly because the state changed their funding scheme in 1999, transferring $2.9billion in state debt to the MBTA and at the same time changing the way the T gets money from the state from a set amount to a certain percentage of sales taxes - right when tax revenues took a nosedive. So the state made the T assume almost $3billion dollars of debt and started giving them less revenue. I am not surprised the T can’t get out from under that debt and properly improve services.
It always bothered the hell out of me that his wife brought him his lunch every day but never slipped him his goddamned nickel.
He probably never put the seat down.
As I said, i don’t like anything about the MBTA-It should be allowed to go banrupt, and then be reorganized (and run ny COMPETENT businessmen, not political hacks). What really pisses me of: the stations are FILTHY! If you have to walk through the underground sections 9like the tunnels connected stations) you smell urine and crap-left there by the homeless population. I saw a drunk puke all over the platform-and nobody cleaned it up! I refuse to sit on the station benches-you could get bedbugs from wahatever has been sleeping there last night. One thing about Montreal-the stations are steam-cleaned every night-with what we pay for this system, at least the stations shouldn’t have to smell like shit! :smack:
You got it in one. I ride the Green line occasionally, and the Silver to the airport but I don’t think that counts. I have no desire to commute on the Green line, any branch.
I commute mostly commute by bike (Arlington to Kendall) but ride the T in bad weather or if I need to go somewhere after work. I’m trying to figure out the least expensive way to use the T about once/twice per week.
I commute by Red Line and commuter rail (walk to Alewife, commuter rail from Porter) and wish they’d hurry up and arrange to let us use the Charlie Card on the commuter rail. Right now it’s still monthly pass on a card slightly more durable than the Charlie Ticket, but less durable than the old plastic passes.
Given that Charlie was stuck on the train due to “a burdensome tax upon the people in the form of a subway fare increase” … I’m guessing unlikely. But at least he gets it named after him.
Not all of them, though. I always found Porter Square and Forest Hills to be pretty good. Not that I’d eat anything I’d dropped on the floor, mind you. ICA and Copley, OTOH, are blights.
The Charlie Card is very much a mixed blessing. I agree that the implementation was sketchy, and I think from now until the end of time, the system will bedevil visitors and occasional T riders. On the other hand, if you somehow managed to procure yourself one of those plastic permanent cards, it can work a lot better than the old system. For example, you can load up the card using your credit card (at least in principle), and you no longer have to fill your pockets with change for the bus.
Interestingly, it seems, from reading another thread in GQ, that with the Charlie Card, the T has followed the same route as other transit systems (such as London’s). So at least they’re not alone in left field with their approach.
It bothers me that the Commuter Rail pass is so flimsy. I spent $151 this month on this flippy little thing.
I’m just glad they got rid of that female announcer at Back Bay who managed to bungle every single announcement she made (although technically I think that was MBCR, not MBTA).
Huh. I’m just about ready to post a separate Pit thread about the local PAT. Come June, they’re cutting about 80% of their routes-including the one that takes me to my new job. Fucking bastards. There’s gonna be a LOT of pissed off commuters here in Western PA, let me tell you.
I’m quite happy with the service here in LA.
I have probably been riding the MBTA (actually it was the MTA when I started) for longer than anyone else in this thread. (Since 1968 actually :eek: )
I sure as Hell agree with the people who have made negative remarks about the MBTA. (It sucks rhino !!!)
They paid a huge amount of money for a new system wide PA system. I’ll admit it is much clearer than the old one. However, it gives you such “stunning” information as 'the next train for Wonderland is now arriving." Great. Wonderland is at the beginning of the trip and I can already see that a train is all set to be sent on its way. :mad:
And who thought of this “Charlie” promotion? I guess they figured on choosing a song that was “hip” and which “kids today” could relate to. :rolleyes:
DianaG stated
Here’s a link to that very recent commuter rail accident
This isn’t entirely the fault of the MBTA’s management. At least not the need to find a new supplier. The MBTA’s Green Line trains used to be made at a plant here in Dansville, NY. (I had the grand amusement a few years ago of passing a Green Line car on the NYS Thruway around Albany.) But due to various economic factors, they had to close a number of years ago.
It is possible they were bamboozled by the new manufacturer. Note: I say only that it’s possible.
LOL…I’m probaly the only one under 30 who got this…now I have the song running through my head!
Am I wrong to assume that this is the reference?
I ride the MBTA many times a week, albeit on the supposed queen jewel of all lines (red). Even though I never really used those above ground outbound green line trains I am still upset that they do charge. A huge percentage of those people on those lines are the kids in BU and the ones living in Allston + Brighton. Give them a break, they’re already pinching pennies for their Pabst Blue Ribbon. I am happy that they eliminated the “exit fee” on the end of the red line, that seemed only fair.
Yah I can gripe about the fair increase, and those lousy new turnstile/gate thingys, but I’ve seen A LOT of different public transportation systems, and Boston remains easy to navigate, convenient, quick, and comparably cheap.
Oh, let me tell you the story of a man named mobo:
On that tragic and fateful day
He put twelve bits in his pocket, kissed his wife and children,
And went to ride on the MBTA.
And did he never return? No, he never returned,
And his fate is still unlearned.
He may ride forever on the Green Line railway.
He’s the man who never returned.