Free ride day, pass discounts coming on the T

The MBTA Board of directors has voted to make riding the MBTA free on April 24, and to offer a 15% discount on monthly passes for May:

http://www.myfoxboston.com/story/283957 ... ash-riders

Do people realize that the "T" is insolvent, and any freebies are to be paid for by the state, ultimately by taxpayers who don't take the "T".

(Fares can't go up more than 5% every two years, town assessments can't go up more than 2.5% per year, sales tax isn't gonna go up...)

It's still good PR, especially in the wake of winter shutdowns/service impacts. How about having a corporate sponsor fill the tab? Some agencies offer free ride/toll free specials, often in conjunction with a sports event or major event and these are usually paid for by a sponsor company.

R36 Combine Coach wrote:It's still good PR, especially in the wake of winter shutdowns/service impacts. How about having a corporate sponsor fill the tab? Some agencies offer free ride/toll free specials, often in conjunction with a sports event or major event and these are usually paid for by a sponsor company.

Good PR is something the MBTA is sorely lacking. Dealing with five major winter storms in four weeks was an impossible hurdle to surmount. No transit operator in their right mind would stock enough spare motors to cover the losses from this type of event. No amount of storm planning could avoid what happened. Yes, the system could have been designed to avoid snow and ice by using embankments, elevateds and tunnels. The initial costs would have been astronomical, and the political hurdles insurmountable.

So - we have what we have, and it works - most of the time. When it doesn't we have to grin and bear it! Yes we can fire a few officials as a way of focusing blame. But when it works the system meets its goals - barely!
The system spent money like water in February and the customers got nothing in return. Frankly, I think Feb Passes should be good for April - NO IFS ANDS OR BUTS!

THEN LICK THOSE WOUNDS and get over it!

Gerry:

Good idea here - and this can be a goodwill gesture between the MBTA and Commuter Rail riders...

The easiest way would be the option of turning in a February 2015 monthly pass and getting a month of
your choice - April, May or June 2015 - monthly Commuter Rail pass back in trade...

If the MBTA goes this route it should be announced soon so that commuters know to hold onto their
February 2015 passes and get the credit for them that they are rightfully due for putting up with all of
the weather-related problems experienced by Commuter Rail and thank them for their loyalty...

MACTRAXX

April 24th is also during school vacation week, Which I bet they picked because of lower ridership.

Weren't the Boston schools considering canceling April break to make up for February's snow days?

Highly unlikely. They've scheduled what they have to and have two days still to use, Good Friday and Bunker Hill.

The cost of the free ride day will probably be smaller than one might think, because (a) passholders won't pay any less than they would otherwise and (b) some of the riders that day will be people who wouldn't have ridden that day if it weren't free. The T's only loss will be from people who normally pay-as-they-go who would have ridden that day anyway. Anyone know what percentage of an average day's trips are on passes?

If a free ride gets someone who never rode before to ride, and then pay to ride again, that helps build future ridership and future fare revenue. Worth it, I think.

Arborwayfan wrote:The cost of the free ride day will probably be smaller than one might think, because (a) passholders won't pay any less than they would otherwise and (b) some of the riders that day will be people who wouldn't have ridden that day if it weren't free. The T's only loss will be from people who normally pay-as-they-go who would have ridden that day anyway. Anyone know what percentage of an average day's trips are on passes?

If a free ride gets someone who never rode before to ride, and then pay to ride again, that helps build future ridership and future fare revenue. Worth it, I think.

You're absolutely right. The thing that's sticking in my craw is how it's being presented as compensation to the existing riders. It does nothing for them or taxpayers. It's really an open house for the "T" and Boston destinations.

Sounds reasonable, BandA. I didn't realize they were actually marketing it as some kind of compensation. Sorry if I sounded grouchy. Sometimes am. Not about this.
Although I guess the passholders will actually save 15% for the month, more than the regular riders who aren't passholders.

Arborwayfan wrote:...Sorry if I sounded grouchy. Sometimes am. Not about this.
Although I guess the passholders will actually save 15% for the month, more than the regular riders who aren't passholders.

No worries, I didn't notice you getting grouchy. I get grouchy myself...sometimes I post something and --- crickets --- and I wonder if I'm coming across as strident or a know-it-all or something, lol.

Back on topic, I dunno, they had to do something to generate positive press and pacify the masses holding torches and sharpening axes . Can't tell if "T" is spinning or if the media is. With the GM leaving, it's unclear what the T's priorities will be going forward. So communicating an agenda is one of the goals.