Transit

Would you like to get involved in improving bus and transit services in South Boston? Please feel welcome to come to a monthly meeting. All are welcome!

Here are some of the issues the transit team has been working on:



BUS/Transit Issues: Safety and Access (MBTA)

The following action steps were agreed upon at the 10/27 meeting (if you can work on any of these, please let us know):

1. Meet with Dave Carney

2. Develop proposal for
  • Bus routes on Bway --> larger buses 
  • Andrew-Waterfront route 
  • Consolidated stops 
  • Local route for peak hours 
  • #7 diverted to 1st Street 
3. Develop partnerships with local non-profits
  • Future Boston Alliance 
  • Greenovate Boston 
  • T Riders Union
The following action steps were put forward for further research and consensus building:
  • Establish standing buses 
  • Private transportation plan (local developers)
Somethings you can do now to improve bus/MBTA access:
1. Mark your calendar to attend MassDOT's meeting, "Your Vision, Our Future: A Transportation Conversation":
November 29, 2012 6-8 PM
Massachusetts Transportation Building
Conference Rooms 1,2,3
10 Park Plaza
Boston, MA 02116
More info at http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/InformationCenter/EventMaterials/YourVisionOurFutureAConversation.aspx

2. Advocate for better MBTA service, system-wide. Learn how at http://www.ace-ej.org/tru/stopthehikes?=1

For Planet Southie Bus/MBTA Action Team info, please contact planetsouthie@gmail.com
 
Issues and Possible Solutions Discussed at 9/27/12 Meeting:
1. ISSUE: Crowding
SOLUTION: Bigger buses

2. ISSUE: #7 on 1st Street route
SOLUTIONS:
    - Adjust Bus route to Pappas
    - Make O and First a bus depot

3. ISSUE: Possible private transportation buses with the new commercial developments
ACTION STEP: Research

4. ISSUE: #11 on city side - overcrowded
SOLUTIONS:
    - Ride-sharing
    - New bus route Andrew to D St.
    - Expand the Silver Line

5. ISSUE: Entire MBTA system is underfunded; these are system-wide issues
SOLUTION: Increased funding for MBTA that would enable equitable access and affordable fairs.
ACTION STEPS:
    - Collaborate with T Riders Union and groups in other Boston neighborhoods to advocate for the above solution.
    - Attend T Riders Union trainings about how public transportation advocacy

ACTION STEPS FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE (1-5):
- Attend meetings – Mass DOT
- Present to Dave Carney at the T
- Invite Rich Davies to a meeting

Who volunteered to join together to work on this:
Mark , Josh, Susan, Steve, Jessica, Commissioner Tinlin, more help is always needed, so everyone is welcome!
RESOURCES
  • TRU: The T Riders Union http://www.ace-ej.org/tru
  • Please suggest others
Please use the comments tool below to suggest action steps and other issues/solutions. Please be constructive (abusive comments will be moderated).

5 comments:

  1. From Fred Gordon Fredgord@gmail.com

    At the last meeting, I suggested that there might be a shuttle van with support by the major developers, and everybody liked that idea. I called up Local Motion, and had a long talk with Bruce Barrows, who’s game for sending in whatever size vehicle, including a hybrid van or bus, though he can’t believe that the MBTA won’t immediately give us what we want.
    I am going to call Boston Coach and talk with them. Boston Coach lists their rates on line. http://www.bostonchauffeur.com/RatesPolicies.html


    An 18 person van rents for $85 an hour. The MBTA estimates that the route from Summer and East First (Down Summer) is 26 minutes during morning rush hour (8 AM), and at noon is 17 minutes. By car, that is 8 minutes—a little more during rush hour. A van would be somewhere between a bus and a private car—it would only be making a few stops. In rush hour, say 15 minutes. If a van could make 4 trips in two hours, that is 72 people at a cost of $170 of $2.36 each. The MBTA is 2.00 ($1.50 w. Charlie Card) A cab is $13.27 for a rush hour cab, $8.24 for regular time. http://www.taxifarefinder.com/main.php?city=Boston&from=516+2nd+St%2C+Boston%2C+MA&to=South+Station%2C+Boston%2C+MA.

    If the vehicle were bigger, or if it could pick up people on the return trip (e.g. for the BAC), that cost would come down. E.g. a 55 passenger bus is $145 per hour. That is $1.59 per passenger.

    There seems to be some interest among developers in backing such a plan. I talked with Peter Zagorianakis, who intends to be at the next meeting, and I will see if Andy McCabe and Tom First on First can come.

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  2. Replies
    1. I was unable to attend last night's meeting. here are some of my ideas on the subject, I hope they are of some help.
      Although we have arguable the best public transit service in the city there's always room for improvement. The 7 route particularly, is running at beyond capacity during rush at present and the South Boston waterfront area is already under-served. The Silver Line is hopelessly inadequate to the coming explosion of construction. Our existing residential areas need to be better connected to the waterfront area restoration of the City Point route or a similar route is needed. That line should be run on overhead catenary (the noise those trackless trolleys make off the wire is horrible). Long term more of the Silver Line should be depressed and/or it should be converted to all dedicated right-of-way system preferably LRV (trolley).
      Our two rapid transit stations need major improvements to rectify the errors of the last set of "improvements".
      A large commuter parking facility somewhere in the Columbia Point area; ideally over JFK/UMass station itself, linked directly to the expressway would help clear traffic off our streets at rush hour and speed traffic on 93 north itself.

      Delete
  3. Hi--

    I'd be interested in meet with Carney. Who will set it up. If not Jake, then either I or Louse can try to do it. I'd like to work on the re-routing of the No. 7 bus and other issues with T routes in S. Boston. I will send out a note to developers along First Street to see what their interest is in a an shuttle alternative to the T during rush hours.

    Fred Gordon Fredgord@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. if Jake or Tinlan can't get meeting with Dave Carney I can Try. I can also try to set meetings with Trider's union and T4MA and the Green Justice Coalition

    ReplyDelete

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