MBTA’s past solutions are becoming future problems
By Jack Runne
JRN 100 News Reporter
As the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) struggles with the safety conditions of the MBTA, from aging infrastructure to extended delays, commuters are left to fend for themselves according to recent research and surveys.
Passengers have been routinely enduring overcrowded platforms, unreliable schedules, and faulty facilities, the MBTA needs time, attention, and money to be able to make any sort of comeback and regain trust from its desperate daily users. These issues stem from decisions made decades prior, and even the lack of decision making.
“Concerns about safety appear to be weighing down overall ratings. A majority of current and former riders have felt unsafe at least once or twice due to the condition of the T’s infrastructure (70%) or for other reasons (67%). Riders who have felt unsafe multiple times give each T service lower ratings, a sign that concerns about safety are an important part of overall impressions of the system,” said in a poll done by the MassInc. Polling Group.
John Murray is a resident of Hanson, MA. After spending decades serving the country, he decided it was not his time to put his feet up and retire. In 1967, Murray took the MBTA test. Soon after, he began working for the MBTA as a bus driver.
In the early 1970s, light rails, also known as the green line, were considered the next big thing for public transportation. Light rails are the train cars that are able to run above ground, side by side with other vehicles using the road.
Murray took this as an opportunity and began working as a general helper for the MBTA. This was an entry point for Murray, an opportunity, which ultimately led to him becoming the assistant superintendent and then, officially, the superintendent of the green line until his retirement in 1996.
Since then, the issues that were around then, have only gotten worse and have become the issues that daily users face when trying to access the MBTA nowadays. Trains that Murray was working on in the 1980s are the same trains on the rails today. Additionally, our infrastructure is aging. These issues are reflected by the users poor experiences and reviews regarding the quality of the ride, the lack of feeling safe, and delays users face daily because of the internal problems of the MBTA. Murray said,
“Boston has peculiar problems being the oldest system in the country. We are working with infrastructure that is centuries old at this point. Tunnels built in the 1890s… although they have held up for the most part, it's certainly concerning,” said Murray.
According to Murray, the same train cars that are being used on the Mattapan line to this day, are the same cars that have been in use since 1945. That is over 75 years of the same trains being used. Since 1945, these trains have been rebuilt at least three times. This means the trains are completely broken down to all of its individual pieces and rebuilt with new pieces. The decisions made by the MBTA to keep these trains on the rails is influenced by something that influences the majority of other decisions as well, money. Murray said,
“If you don't maintain it at some point you're going to have a catastrophic failure. The problems we are seeing these days … these are the chickens coming home to roost,” said Murray.
In addition to some of the infrastructure being over 100 years old, and some of the train cars being over 75 years old, the rails used in Boston railways are also aging. The Boston railroad system is one of the last and only systems that still use wooden ties that creates opportunities for more issues. For example, wooden ties only last so long before they begin to rot, or move, and need to be replaced. Unlike concrete railroad ties, which the majority of railroad systems across the nation use.
These issues, especially the combination of them all, create scenarios in which Boston's public transportation is considered unsafe, untimely, and outdated. Referring back to the study done by MassInc. Polling Group, the T becoming more reliable would make 31% of users much more likely to use it. Additionally, 70% of users have felt unsafe due to the condition of the MBTAs infrastructure.
Joseph Hickey, a 22 year old resident of Pembroke, MA, is a persistent user of the MBTA, and has been for years now. He has experience riding the red line, green line, commuter rail, and has occasionally used the MBTA buses. The majority of his use has been for casual use going to and from Boston. Sports games, meals, celebrations, visiting friends, etc. Hickey said,
“There are times I feel like we are about to fly off the rails… sometimes I feel like I am being dramatic, then you see the news of train cars falling off rails left and right,” said Hickey.
The MBTA had always been a go to option for Hickey when venturing into the city, but nowadays, he tends to look for other forms of transportation besides public transportation. Often, Hickey will set up Uber or Lyft rides so that he can avoid relying on public transportation. Hickey said,
“It’s not that I always feel unsafe, but I cannot always rely on it [the MBTA] to get me anywhere on time. The last time I tried to take the redline, just a few weeks ago, I was loaded onto a bus at Braintree and driven to South Station which took about an hour longer than the train ride would have,” said Hickey.
The MBTA is the oldest public transportation system in the country. Many of the issues that are currently affecting the system will take time, tax payer money, and effort to fix. There is no overnight answer. Unfortunately, fixing these issues will be a long process which will ultimately impact the productivity and reliability of the MBTA further. In the meantime, anyone affected by these issues, or people who simply feel passionate about the issues, can reach out to government officials and MBTA representatives to emphasize the importance of fixing our public transportation system in Boston.
Brief video of MBTA services
Comments
Post a Comment