Why is US transit ridership down? Service cuts are a big reason

"More Routes = More Riders" (CityLab) According to a new study by researchers at McGill University’s department of urban planning, transit agencies are repelling riders by shrinking routes and schedules on buses in particular. “The more service a transit authority provides (measured as the number of kilometers driven annually by public transit vehicles—VRK), the more transit trips it will attract.”

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Gov. Baker pushes for MBTA repair

Gov. Baker has framed discussion about the MBTA as a false choice between repairing the existing system versus any expansions such as the Green Line Extension. His remarks at a business breakfast Thursday are typical: "I get that people like the shiny balls, OK? But the million people who ride that system? They need us to focus on reliability and resilience," Baker told…

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Sign a petittion to protect MBTA riders

STEP is a member of the Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA), coalition that works to maintain and improve transportation across the Commonwealth. T4MA has just launched a petition drive to ask the MBTA Fiscal and Management Control Board to protect T riders by limiting fare increases and maintaining T service. T4MA wants to send a clear message that the FMCB should respect…

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Tired of broken trains and three-hour commutes? Sign this petition.

From the group Transportation for Massachusetts: By now, you've seen plenty of articles, pictures, and tweets about the MBTA's breakdown in this week's snowstorm, along with mammoth traffic jams, detours and delays across the state. After many years of underfunding transit maintenance, upkeep and upgrades, a crisis like this was bound to happen. Our elected officials need to hear from residents…

Continue ReadingTired of broken trains and three-hour commutes? Sign this petition.

Vote No on Question 1

The Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership is writing you to urge you to VOTE NO on Ballot Question 1 on Election Day, November 4, 2014. By voting no you want the legislation passed in 2013 indexing the gas tax to inflation to remain in effect.
After many years of advocacy and terrific community support, Somerville is benefiting from major transportation improvements. The new Orange Line station at Assembly Square is open. While the MBTA and MassDOT are committed to extend the Green Line Extension and Community Path these projects could be delayed or even jeopardized if the Commonwealth does not have a stable source of funding for transportation infrastructure.

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Gov. Patrick rejects transportation finance proposal

Boston Globe: "Patrick proposes bigger gas tax in transit plan" In rejecting the transportation financing measure the Legislature sent him, Patrick countered with a proposal to further increase the gas tax in 2017 if Massachusetts Turnpike tolls expire as scheduled...."I have said I would accept the Legislature’s $800 million a year as a big step forward, so long as that number…

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Legislature passes transportation funding, likely inadequate

Boston Globe: "State lawmakers approve transportation funding plan; Patrick threatens veto" "State legislators have voted to approve a compromise transportation funding plan that will raise taxes to fund investment in the state’s transportation department, but Governor Deval Patrick said the amount raised by the bill is not enough."

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State will design entire Community Path as part of Green Line Extension

Good news on the Community Path! During Tuesday’s station design meeting about Washington St and Union Square, the Green Line Extension design team announced that they will design the entire Community Path extension all the way to NorthPoint in Cambridge. Previously, the State had committed to designing the Path only to Washington St. Keep reading for more details from Friends of the Community Path.

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