The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is proposing to eliminate all weekend commuter rail service and thousands of door-to-door rides for disabled passengers for a year, part of a series of cost-cutting moves to close a $42 million budget deficit.
MBTA officials are slated to present the proposals to its oversight board at Monday’s weekly meeting. The cuts could potentially take effect in July and last for a fiscal year, but the MBTA's fiscal and management control board could choose to reject or change all of the proposals.
Stephanie Pollack, the state’s transportation secretary, said considering such cuts is necessary to “reset” the agency’s budget and chart a sustainable spending course.
Officials say that Keolis has been challenged to rethink weekend service in a way that would save the MBTA more money.
RenegadeMonster wrote:I really hope that they do not do this.
While I don't use the CR regularly on the weekends. I do use it in the summer to get to the beaches on the North Shore / Glocstsr for concerts such as Country Fest last summer at Stage Fort Park. Very convenient when I live in Salem.
rethcir wrote:RenegadeMonster wrote:I really hope that they do not do this.
While I don't use the CR regularly on the weekends. I do use it in the summer to get to the beaches on the North Shore / Glocstsr for concerts such as Country Fest last summer at Stage Fort Park. Very convenient when I live in Salem.
I rode back from Crane Beach on a commuter rail last summer. There were probably 100 people waiting for that train. Of course, the conductor never actually came thru and collected these peoples' fare, at least not before Salem when I disembarked.
rethcir wrote:RenegadeMonster wrote:I really hope that they do not do this.
While I don't use the CR regularly on the weekends. I do use it in the summer to get to the beaches on the North Shore / Glocstsr for concerts such as Country Fest last summer at Stage Fort Park. Very convenient when I live in Salem.
I rode back from Crane Beach on a commuter rail last summer. There were probably 100 people waiting for that train. Of course, the conductor never actually came thru and collected these peoples' fare, at least not before Salem when I disembarked.
dieciduej wrote:My guess, just a threat. Always lead with the worst case scenario so we they implement what ever policy they'll say, "we could have eliminated service." Door-to-door services is a third rail, pun intended, that would get to many groups firing arrows at the MBTA.
But if we can put a 10% fare increase in, all will be well. Remember, we could eliminated service!
JoeD
According to May 2016 statistics from Keolis Commuter Services, the company that runs the commuter rail, trains provided about 8,300 trips heading toward Boston on Saturdays and 4,500 on Sundays.
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