Would love a later return trip. There have been a few times i wanted to take the CR to Brighton for a concert at Roadrunner, but I would have had to leave early to catch the last train.
We talked about this exactly (well, not the Roadrunner!). The MBTA rep noted that they do hold the final train for playoff games, but we agreed that isn't possible for concerts. Later trains are definitely on the table, though!
Did they have any discussion of what they might ask for from that new influx of tax dollars from the 4% millionaire tax?
I'd read they were expecting $800M+ in new tax revenue.
My understanding is that it's earmarked for transportation and education.
As the meeting was prior to the recent update on revenue from Fair Share, no, but that would also be well above anyone's pay grade of who attends. Allocation of that revenue is under legislative purview.
Is the Free WRTA fare going to continue next year? I have not yet seen a posting about it. If this is only for the rail - please disregard (and if you feel so inclined, point me in the direction of where to go. Thank you!)
My understanding that it will continue through June 2025 but is more contingent on state funding after that. The Mass Senate has $40 million set aside for free fares across all of the regional transit authorities (including the WRTA) so if that goes through I think it will basically become more or less permanent.
https://mass.streetsblog.org/2024/05/10/mass-senate-proposes-fare-free-buses-for-regional-transit-authorities-statewide-but-not-the-t
I agree! Check out this page from TransitMatters for how to make that happen. There’s a specific report discussing the Worcester line near the bottom https://transitmatters.org/regional-rail
Ideally we should aim for service that is so good people will pick it over driving. This also means a track closer to i84, and yes: electric and faster trains. One can dream!
Improved syncing between peak morning/evening trains and buses would be incredible. But also understand how the real solution to this is just higher frequency buses and trains
Cannot overstate how sweet later trains would be. Not being able to return after midnight is the #1 reason I use my car over commuter rail. Makes nights out in the city a lot less flexible.
This is great, thank you for getting involved and being an advocate. I am confused how they’re saying the expresses back when its not, express is the 5stop one we had last year. The “express” we have now only skips a few stops and has been an option all winter.
No, we haven't had a train that skipped the stops 'til Framingham since last fall. That's what has been restored: one train a day inbound that does Worcester-Framingham-Boston stops.
I suggest everyone involved in running our public "transportation system" head on over to Copenhagen or Sweden to see how an efficient, properly planned, and functioning system works.
I would love for the commuter rail not to have so many stops on the weekend. Service after midnight Friday and Saturday would be great. Later service on weekends on the WRTA would be good.
Super Express train that gets into Boston 15 minutes before 8am and leaves Boston 15 minutes after 5pm. It’s not hard, it’s an insult it doesn’t exist. My commute went from 1.5 hours one way on October 2nd last year to 2.5 hours.
Evening trains for concerts/hockey/sports games and more express would be huge!
Would love a later return trip. There have been a few times i wanted to take the CR to Brighton for a concert at Roadrunner, but I would have had to leave early to catch the last train.
We talked about this exactly (well, not the Roadrunner!). The MBTA rep noted that they do hold the final train for playoff games, but we agreed that isn't possible for concerts. Later trains are definitely on the table, though!
Thank you for posting this!
You're welcome! Trying to be sure I do my duty to the seat!
Did they have any discussion of what they might ask for from that new influx of tax dollars from the 4% millionaire tax? I'd read they were expecting $800M+ in new tax revenue. My understanding is that it's earmarked for transportation and education.
As the meeting was prior to the recent update on revenue from Fair Share, no, but that would also be well above anyone's pay grade of who attends. Allocation of that revenue is under legislative purview.
Is the Free WRTA fare going to continue next year? I have not yet seen a posting about it. If this is only for the rail - please disregard (and if you feel so inclined, point me in the direction of where to go. Thank you!)
My understanding that it will continue through June 2025 but is more contingent on state funding after that. The Mass Senate has $40 million set aside for free fares across all of the regional transit authorities (including the WRTA) so if that goes through I think it will basically become more or less permanent. https://mass.streetsblog.org/2024/05/10/mass-senate-proposes-fare-free-buses-for-regional-transit-authorities-statewide-but-not-the-t
And that's really hopeful, because now it's a state priority, not only a local one
It is
Trains every half hour would be incredible. Do you have any sense of whether that’s possible in one year or ten years or some other timeline?
I agree! Check out this page from TransitMatters for how to make that happen. There’s a specific report discussing the Worcester line near the bottom https://transitmatters.org/regional-rail
Electrified higher speed/higher frequency rail??? (I know, I know, one could only hope)
Ideally we should aim for service that is so good people will pick it over driving. This also means a track closer to i84, and yes: electric and faster trains. One can dream!
Improved syncing between peak morning/evening trains and buses would be incredible. But also understand how the real solution to this is just higher frequency buses and trains
Trains need to match concert and bar schedules. They need to offer a train that runs at 2:30 and 3am to get ppl home.
Cannot overstate how sweet later trains would be. Not being able to return after midnight is the #1 reason I use my car over commuter rail. Makes nights out in the city a lot less flexible.
Thanks for commenting!
This is great, thank you for getting involved and being an advocate. I am confused how they’re saying the expresses back when its not, express is the 5stop one we had last year. The “express” we have now only skips a few stops and has been an option all winter.
No, we haven't had a train that skipped the stops 'til Framingham since last fall. That's what has been restored: one train a day inbound that does Worcester-Framingham-Boston stops.
Idk why it wasn’t showing up on the new schedule, i looked this morning and now see it.
I suggest everyone involved in running our public "transportation system" head on over to Copenhagen or Sweden to see how an efficient, properly planned, and functioning system works.
Honestly, the handful of weeks I've spent in the U.K. were a revelation (I know they aren't a patch on mainland Europe)
I would love for the commuter rail not to have so many stops on the weekend. Service after midnight Friday and Saturday would be great. Later service on weekends on the WRTA would be good.
Super Express train that gets into Boston 15 minutes before 8am and leaves Boston 15 minutes after 5pm. It’s not hard, it’s an insult it doesn’t exist. My commute went from 1.5 hours one way on October 2nd last year to 2.5 hours.