With the suspension of public hearings and withdrawal of the fare hike proposal for now, things have quieted down a bit on the MBTA front. The big news today is that Secretary of Transportation James Aloisi has been forced out and will not be taking over the reins of the new state transportation agency that will be formed this November.
That said, I think it's important to mention a couple of important service changes proposed during the fare hike saga. These changes would save money and improve service efficiency on the T, thus providing a better experience for a vast majority of T riders.
Service Change - Net Cost Savings
Close Low Ridership or Redundant Commuter Rail Stations - $650,000
Eliminate Redundant Green Line B Branch Surface Stations - $27,500
Eliminate Redundant Green Line C Branch Surface Stations - $27,500
Total Annual Cost Savings - $705,000
The reason I say this should be a no-brainer in terms of reform is because rail lines operate more efficiently when stations are better spaced. Everyone who rides the Green Line knows the B and C lines are bad because they have so many stops. Removing a couple of stops that are 1/4 of a mile or less away from other stops would decrease travel times while not really inconveniencing the vast majority of riders. The commuter rail is even more inefficient with too many stops. The trains are driven by large diesel engines and have so much weight that it takes a long time to slow them down. Ideally, the trains should reach their top speeds of 60-70 mph between stops. However, when stations are less than 2-3 miles apart, it becomes impossible to really get going. Taking the Fitchburg Line everyday, I see this when we have to stop at both Belmont and Waverly, which are only a mile apart. The train hardly pulls out of one station before it starts braking for the next. Waverly is recommended to close in this report, which I would fully support. It may inconvenience the few people who use the Waverly stop, but they could pretty easily switch to Belmont. These people would be better served by a convenient local bus system that could bring them to and from the commuter rail stations while keeping the train running quickly for the entire line.
Let's hope the MBTA can take small steps such as these to improve efficiency across all of its operations and provide better service at a lower cost for its riders.
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