Tuesday, June 18, 2013
See which routes will be impacted.
The 1 Bus route which runs through Back Bay will be part of an MBTA plan to make the busiest bus routes faster. The MBTA’s Key Bus Routes Improvement Plan began Monday and will include the 15 busiest routes, according to a statement from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Here is a list of the routes impacted and their start/end dates (provided by MassDOT): Projected Work Dates for Key Bus Routes Route 1 – July 1 – July 25 Route 15 – June 24 – July 12 Route 22 – June 17 – July 17 Route 23 – June 17 – July Route 28 – June 17 – Aug. 30 Route 32 – June 24 – Aug. 8 Route 39 – July – August Route 57 – July 15 – Aug. 30 Route 66 – June 24 – Aug. 1 Routes 71-73 – Aug. 1 – Aug. 30 Route 77 – July 25 – Aug. 26 Route 111 – Aug. 9 – Aug…
Friday, June 14, 2013
The new facility will provide employees with advanced training, exercise, and simulation capabilities in a realistic tunnel environment.
The MBTA has unveiled a brand new emergency training facility. The MBTA Emergency Training Center is an underground facility located near the Broadway T Station in South Boston. The facility contains multiple training areas dedicated to different modes of transit including heavy rail, light rail and bus, according to an MBTA press statement. The facility also has full-sized decommissioned bus and rail vehicles and a control room that can simulate audio and visual effects of a real-time emergency situation. “The MBTA Emergency Training Center will enhance the MBTA’s ability to prepare for emergencies more realistically, frequently, and with fewer service or cost impacts,” according to an email by Joe Pesaturo, MBTA spokesman. The facility …
Attacks on MBTA buses have surged in 2013.
Three women are wanted in connection with an attack on a male passenger aboard the Route 28 bus riding in the area of 517 Blue Hill Ave., Roxbury at around 2 a.m. Sunday, June 9, according to the MBTA Transit Police news blog. The man was doused in a substance believed to be bleach and robbed, according to the blog. Passengers helped the victim flush out his eyes following the attack. The man was the victim of unarmed robbery, assault and battery and mayhem, the blog reports. The MBTA launched a "Don't Touch The Driver" marketing campaign in May in an attempt to stop attacks specifically targeted against bus drivers, which have surged to 50 in 2013, up from 33 at the same time in 2012, according to a WBUR report Monday. Transit Police …
Saturday, June 8, 2013
The state may approve 18 more giant lighted boards as a way to boost revenue. Is it worth the money if the light burns all night long?
Are you ready for digital billboards on state land across the commonwealth? The Department of Transportation wants the glowing house-sized signs on its property across the state, and the revenue they'll bring to the state, according to the Boston Globe. Under the current deal signed with Clear Channel, the state would get a cut of each billboard's revenue—either 25 percent or $90,000 per year, whichever is higher. But other states negotiated more lucrative deals. Current state law allows these digital billboards, but prohibits any animation. So you won't see the latest Geico lizard ad or anything like that, but you may see a rotating set of images. It also requires the sign's owner to set aside time for public service announcements. You …
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
It’s thorough and fast, but are you getting too many notifications?
The MBTA launched its new alerts system Tuesday, and as promised the alerts are detailed and timely, but depending on what you clicked when you signed up, you may be bombarded with emails or texts. The service offers a variety of clickable options and you can opt in or opt out as you please. In the early going, have you found the new service helpful, or are you busy deleting unwanted emails and avoiding your phone’s texts? Tell us in the comments.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Transit police said suspect "inappropriately assaulted" a female boarding the Green Line C trolley at Park Street last week.
MBTA Police are searching for a male suspect they say "inappropriately assaulted" a female last week at Park Street Station. According to transit police on their website, the male assaulted the female last Tuesday, May 14, while boarding a Green Line C trolley at Park Street. The suspect is a white male who was wearing a red shirt at the time of the incident as well as a gray hooded sweatshirt with black horizontal stripes, blue jeans and sneakers. Anyone who knows the identity of the suspect or knows their whereabouts is encouraged to call the MBTA's Criminal Investigations Unit at 617-222-1050. Anonymous text tips on this case can be sent to 873873.
Friday, May 17, 2013
The new system will provide more detailed service alert information via text and email.
The MBTA is rolling out an entirely new alerts system next month which includes changes from the details provided in alert messages to a visual website enhancement. Through the new system, which goes into effect June 4, users can opt to receive email or text alerts for a late bus or train or a service interruption, much like the old system. However, the new alerts “will be clearer and more detailed with additional information regarding specific trip times, service schedule changes, and distinct directional, branch, and station communications,” according to an MBTA press statement Thursday. The system uses standards introduced by Google in 2011, the statement says. Interested users must sign up for the new system as they will no longer …
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
The explosive-sniffing dogs recently began service with the MBTA by way of the Middle East.
Three bomb-sniffing dogs were led into service along the MBTA this week. The Metro’s Boston edition reported Monday the three dogs – Moxie, Shifty and Wire – completed tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq, completing weeks of training to get them used to working around civilians. The Metro also published a photo gallery of the dogs with their transit police counterparts Tuesday.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Google partnered with the MBTA to deliver free wireless internet to the Boston area’s largest train station.
The MBTA is starting to get wired. South Station will have free wireless internet beginning today, according to a joint press release from Google, Redevelopment Ventures Corp. and the MBTA. Google invested in the endeavor and Redevlopment Ventures Corp. is responsible for WiFi development, the press release says. “Anything that improves our customers’ transit experience is a good thing,” MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott said in the statement. “By coupling this new initiative with the WiFi service provided on Commuter Rail trains, the MBTA is keeping its customers connected from the moment they enter South Station to the time they exit trains.”
Monday, April 29, 2013
The twice-daily express commuter rail made its debut Monday.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation alongside other agencies launched a new express commuter train between Worcester and Boston Monday morning. The train runs along the Worcester/Framingham line twice daily: once toward Boston during the morning commuter and once toward Worcester in the afternoon, according to MBTA.com. During weekday mornings the train will depart from Worcester’s Union Station at 6:20 a.m., make a stop in Framingham at 7 a.m., make another stop at Back Bay Station at 7:37 a.m. and finish the run at South Station at 7:43 a.m. In the afternoon, the train will depart from South Station at 5:35 p.m., stop at Back Bay Station at 5:41 p.m., make a stop in Framingham at 6:13 p.m. and finish in Worcester at 6:43 p.m. …
Sara Muspratt
7:34 am on Monday, June 10, 2013
I love Burma Shave....even bought the book. But the glitz and glare and winking of the digital signs creates a completely different level of distraction. And about employment--as a citizen of MA, dont you care more about the beauty of our landscape and the safety of our drivers than you do about jobs.....for Clear Channel....in Atlanta? more ›