Latest MBTA proposals preserve Canton routes

Dear Editor:

Since January, when I learned of the potential draconian fare hikes and service cuts proposed by the MBTA for Canton, I went to MBTA public hearings on the changes, wrote emails, sent a seven-page letter to the MBTA Fare Proposal Committee, and advocated in many areas to keep commuter rail and the Cobb’s Corner to Mattapan bus in existence at the same levels of service, and to reduce the proposed fares that Canton customers of The Ride, the MBTA’s ADA paratransit service, would have to pay.

On March 28, the MBTA released its final scenario, which they are calling Scenario 3 and which details the changes that will take place on July 1, 2012. This scenario will be coming up for a vote by the MassDOT/MBTA board, which must vote by April 15 to accept or reject the proposal.

While I do not like the fare hikes proposed in Scenario 3, I can live with them in light of the more drastic first two proposals for the fares and service cuts that were initially on the table. I am more pleased to report the following:

* Commuter rail on the Providence and Stoughton lines will be maintained at the same levels of service for one more year — at least until July 1, 2013.

* The historic Cobb’s Corner to Mattapan bus (MBTA Bus Route 716) that goes up Washington Street in Canton — which is now operated by Joseph’s Transportation of Medford — is saved and will be maintained at the same levels of service for one more year — at least until July 1, 2013.

* A watch list of buses will be created by the MBTA so that we will have more time to advocate for ways to preserve any route potentially on the chopping block for future elimination. While this does not prevent buses on the watch list from being eliminated, it will give affected riders plenty of advance warning as to potential service cuts coming down the line.

* For seniors and people with disabilities in Canton who are customers of The Ride, an ADA-mandated paratransit buffer is still maintained for locations in Canton within three-quarters of a mile of Washington Street — in other words, the streets that the Cobb’s Corner to Mattapan bus runs in Canton. Areas of Canton outside of that buffer area are in Ride Premium territory. For ADA-eligible trips in Canton, the fare will be $4. For premium trips — which are Ride trips that operate outside of the service hours of Route 716 — for same day/will-call trips, and for trips in Canton where the pick-up point and/or destination point is more than three-quarters of a mile away from Washington Street, the fare will be $5. These fares are much better than the $12 fares initially proposed for all Canton Ride customers.

I call upon the legislature to make the proposed transfer of $51 million from the Vehicle Inspection Trust Fund, and to take the other actions needed to put this scenario into effect.

This is only a one-year fix and only buys time. The governor and the legislature must pass a comprehensive transportation finance plan for the commonwealth as the first order of business next session, if not sooner. Otherwise, we will be at it again in January, once again trying to save these services.

Sincerely,

Allen Karon

Newell Hagan Court

Share This Post

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=12670