Railroad Forums 

  • Is it time to abolish the MBTA?

  • Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.
Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.

Moderators: sery2831, CRail

 #1615159  by charlesriverbranch
 
CRail wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 10:04 am The MBTA is a state agency by necessity and its abolition would result in the need for another state agency meaning you'd just be changing the name as you'd have no choice but to bring folks over from the old agency.
All human institutions are subject to what I call "social entropy". They are founded by people who work diligently and make great sacrifices to build and perfect them; when they are gone, the next generation strives to live up to the high standards the founders set. But as generation succeeds generation, gradually people seep in who see the institution more as a career opportunity than a cause worthy of dedication and sacrifice. Eventually, the institution comes to work more for its caretakers than for the people it was built to serve. When people become aware of this, they abolish it, and build something new in its place.

For the MBTA, that time has come. Yes, many of the folks who worked for the old agency will end up working for the new one... but not on the old terms. Their union contracts, their pension fund, their myriad perks, will all be gone. If they come to work for the new agency, it'll be with the understanding that they're there to serve, not to be served. The worst of them will probably decamp to New York or Philadelphia, thinking that the pickings are easier down there.
 #1615169  by troffey
 
This is wildly offensive to the people who work hard to give the Commonwealth a functioning transit system. The problems are not the people driving the bus, operating the train, or working on maintenance in the tunnels. The negotiated contracts and benefits they earn are well deserved.

There are 26 new slow zones on the Orange Line that date from after the shutdown last fall. If the authority shuts down a rapid transit line for a month and can't get it in good shape, it is a lack of planning and preparation. The MBTA used to have an operator lottery because the jobs were in such high demand. Now, they can't even fill the positions they need. But by all means, keep telling everyone that the union employees are the problem.
 #1615203  by CRail
 
Troffey is exactly right, and my comments had nothing to do with replacing or restructuring the workforce. I was talking about the administrative model of the system. I always correct people who refer to the T as a "company," because it is not a company, and thinking of it as such creates a drastic misunderstanding of its issues and how it's supposed to function. We already reformed the MBTA when it was restructured from its own independent state agency into MassDOT along with Mass Highway and the Turnpike Authority. The only difference is they (smartly, in my opinion) allowed the "Rail and Transit Division" to maintain (T) branding as it was more of a public interacting agency than the Highway depts.

Wicked's point about Bev Scott are on point as well. Just as Patrick gave Grabauskas (a Romney appointee who was fairly decent in my opinion) a golden parachute to be rid of him [at our expense...], Baker decided to be petty with Patrick's leader. Dr. Scott had been known as a union buster type when she was brought on because of her track record with MARTA, but we came to learn that she was likely the face of a force driven by hidden players as she turned out to be rather friendly to labor. Baker, who came with a vendetta against labor, and particularly the Carmen's Union, wasn't going to stand for that.

The point made that the unions always get their guys in and so are cause of the T's problems is wildly out of touch. The unions' interests are largely in line with the ridership's. The union benefits when the trains are safe, service is plentiful and reliable, and the system is properly funded. The idea that union members and transit riders are at odds is ludicrous. Transit unions oppose stingy agency leadership and politicians that direct funds away from the system, as should the riding public.
 #1615304  by HenryAlan
 
troffey wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 2:47 pm This is wildly offensive to the people who work hard to give the Commonwealth a functioning transit system. The problems are not the people driving the bus, operating the train, or working on maintenance in the tunnels. The negotiated contracts and benefits they earn are well deserved.
100%
 #1615307  by charlesriverbranch
 
If the union employees are not indeed part of the problem, why aren't they agitating to fix it? Why aren't they publicly demanding action against their bosses, if indeed they are so dedicated to serving the public and it is only management blackening their reputation?

Mind you, I'm speaking as a member of the commuting public, as well as a member of the public whose taxes put food on their tables.
 #1615322  by Red Wing
 
They did at the ballot box. Government Employees are not allowed to be politically active using their job titles. Half this board would start complaining if they did get more active too.
 #1615330  by CRail
 
charlesriverbranch wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2023 2:42 pm Mind you, I'm speaking as a member of the commuting public, as well as a member of the public whose taxes put food on their tables.
They make and spend their money here, too, which means their own taxes do the same. Being a taxpayer gives you no status over them nor any other public employee who also makes up the same public they're employed to serve.

There has always seemed to be a major lack of understanding by those who've never worked in the public sector on how the public sector works. The boots on the ground are often told by their higher ups (also public servants...) that they're lucky they have a job whenever they try speak their mind. So rather than going on the offensive, go talk to them. Ask an employee what they think should be done to improve the service and see what they say (not all will be willing to talk...). Follow the lead of Governor Dukakis who asked the motorman of a train of PCCs why Boston had such a hard time with their cars in the snow while other cities historically ran them just fine. The operator explained that the electrical compartment covers underneath the cars would get removed for maintenance and never put back, and so the contacts were all exposed to the elements causing them to fail. The governor looked into the matter to find such was in fact the case, and after receiving confirmation the practice was stopped.
 #1615544  by wicked
 
Funny, the last time the system was running very smoothly was when the governor took the Green Line every day. I'm sure it was just a coincidence.
 #1616544  by R36 Combine Coach
 
Red Wing wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2023 9:13 am Well If you all think you can do better for the rail side of things a new job opening to run the Commonwealth's statewide rail operations:
https://massanf.taleo.net/careersectio ... 2FNew_York
Calling Mr. Byford? He's available and now back in the states.
CRail wrote: Fri Feb 03, 2023 10:04 am Charlie Baker was governor with an agenda to "fix" the T...his stewardship ended under threat of federal seizure, you consider that a high note?
That nearly happened to WMATA too, but Congress ended up reaching an agreement on an independent safety
commission, basically a mini-NTSB for WMATA.
 #1616552  by wicked
 
R36 Combine Coach wrote: Wed Feb 22, 2023 4:02 am That nearly happened to WMATA too, but Congress ended up reaching an agreement on an independent safety
commission, basically a mini-NTSB for WMATA.
WMATA is under de facto federal oversight because the FTA is there and members of Congress and their staff ride the system every day.