Its important to keep in mind that we need to have a Robust PTS!

While I feel for the folks that want to “fix” the immediate problem that is hurting us … that is, the cuts/fare increase, we need to do more. Further, while I agree that we need to fix the debt problem ( it is the only way to even remotely keep the PTS in any shape at all). I DO NOT agree that we should stop there.

We need to keep the momentum moving to make the system more robust than it is now.

We need to get the legislature to adopt a formal policy not putting unfunded mandates out for the MBTA. If it wants to add or update something, then it should be paid for by the legislature to the tune of something like 70 or 80 percent.

We need to get the federal government to work with our public and private sector to create cleaner more energy efficient PT vehicles.

We need to work with local mayors and city councils to work on ways to improve incentives at the city/town levels to encourge more use of the public transportation system.

In short, we need to move on from the mentality of “what we have is good enough” to “what we have needs to be better”. Better in its use of resources, better in its service to the public, better by making sustainable choices (as opposed to our current mode where the next generation has to pay for this generation’s choices).

 

Here are some of the “Organized” groups that are opposed to the current “scenarios” by the MBTA.

Take from various places, here are some of the groups that providing organized opposition to the proposed/scenarios of the MBTA to “balance” their budged:

Occupy Boston

T Riders Union

Massachusetts Senior Action Council

Industrial Workers of the World

Students Against T Cuts

I will add more as I learn about them 🙂

Also, if anyone knows the ADA type groups that would be helpful if they can get listed as well.

 

We knew this was coming for the MBTA :(

So, in doing more research online, I came across this document from an MBTA board member. The thing that I find interesting is the precision with which they/he were able to say how much their short fall would be. This leads me to think of two main things … either one they really have “turned the corner” and are now a truly well run organization that understand and can forecast more accurately than most other public sector entities. Or, they are still so bloated that even three years after a report is made they weren’t able to find any significant savings. I will let that be a decision for further research, but my gut says they have moved more in the former direction than in the later.

Here is the link to the document. The executive summary says it all 😦

Born Broken

Use #protestmbta for your twitter post hashtags.

We would suggest that in order to find tweets easier anyone that wants to tweet about the mbta use #protestmbta as the hash tag.

Welcome to Citizens United for a Robust and Fair Public Transportation System

Welcome. We hope that you will join us (twitter: cufarafpts) and help make sure that our legislators do what is needed to stop messing around with our Public Transportation System (PTS). It is the goal of this site, to offer people from all walks of life the ability to aggregate their individual power into a single cohesive voice that will allow for us to collectively support our personal and social needs for a robust and fair PTS.

It is the view of this group that all Peoples in the state of Massachusetts can and do receive support from a robust PTS.

This is for people who:

1. Are our most vunrable and rely on the PTS to provide dignity in the act of independance from relying on others for transport.
2. Elderly citizens that rely on the PTS to provide access to food, healthcare, etc.
3. It is also for hard-working people who choose to not deal with the stress of driving to and from work each day.
4. A person of means that can choose to make a personal choice to not increase needless carbon emissions.
5. For businesses who understand that public transportation provides not only consumers, but workers as well.
6. It is for the socially driven individual who understands the interrelationship between transportation and our under privileged populations.
7. It is for the student who, wants to have the self dignity that comes from not having to be driven by someone else to every event they go to.
8. It is for the parent that can’t afford to drive and pickup their children from school each day and wants to know that they have a safe and reliable means to get to and from their house and school.

In short, it is for any individual that understands the interdependence that we as a community in Massachusetts have with our PTS and that is willing to take a stand and REQUIRE our legislators provide a real solution to have a robust and fair PTS for the entire community.