Four Ways to Let MBTA Officials Know What You Think of Fare Proposals, Late-Night Service

By LINDA BOCK (Patch Staff)

TEWKSBURY, MA - State officials want to know what commuters think of proposed fare increases and late-night service, and are offering commuters several ways to weigh-in.

MBTA officials will hold a series of public meetings this month and February in various locations, and will accept comments at the meetings, online, in writing and by phone.

The meetings will be an opportunity to offer recorded comments, which will be considered by the MBTA’s Fiscal and Management Control Board and MassDOT, according to state officials..

The board is expected to vote on proposed fare increases in March.

Fare adjustments are just one part of a broader effort by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to close the T’s $242 million structural deficit with a series of cost cutting measures and improvements in operational efficiency, according to state officials.

The T created an online Fare Options Comparison tool to give customers the opportunity to calculate fares under the proposed changes. Comments may also be submitted using the tool.

• Click here for the English version.
• Click here for the Spanish version.

The T’s late-night pilot program was launched in March 2014, and extended service 90 minutes on all subway and key bus routes on Friday and Saturday nights.

The purpose of public meetings is to discuss current usage, the budget and closure dates, and to invite public input on designing future late-night service

Written comments about late night service will also be accepted through Friday, Feb. 12, and can be mailed to: MBTA, 10 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116, Attention: Late-Night Service Committee.

Comments may also be submitted online at mbta.com; by email at latenightservice@mbta.com; or by phone at (617) 222-5146. Written comments about the MBTA fare proposals will be accepted through Friday, Feb. 12, 2016, and can be mailed to: MBTA, 10 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116, Attention: Fare Proposal Committee; online at mbta.com; by email at fareproposal@mbta.com; or by phone at (617) 222-3200, TTY (617) 222-5146.

All meetings and locations are accessible to people with disabilities. MassDOT provides reasonable accommodations and/or language assistance free of charge upon request (including but not limited to interpreters in American Sign Language and languages other than English, open or closed captioning for videos, assistive listening devices and alternate material formats, such as audio tapes, Braille and large print), as available. For accommodation or language assistance, please contact Trish Foley by phone (857) 368-8907 or by email (trish.foley.dot.state.ma.us).

Meeting Locations

• Tuesday, Jan. 19, from 5-7 p.m. at the State Transportation Building Floor 2, Conference Rooms 1,2,3, 10 Park Plaza, Boston Topic: Late Night Service

• Wednesday, Jan. 20 from 5-7 p.m., Cambridge City Hall Council Chambers, 795 Mass. Ave., Cambridge. Topic: Late Night Service

• Monday, Jan. 25 from 6-8 p.m., Breed Middle School, 90 O’Callaghan Way, Lynn. Topics: Fare Changes and Commuter Rail schedule changes

• Tuesday, Jan. 26 from 6-8 p.m., West Middle School Auditorium, 271 West St., Brockton. Topic: Fare Changes

• Wednesday, Jan. 27 from 6 -8 p.m., Malden High School Auditorium 77 Salem St., Malden. Topics: Fare Changes and Commuter Rail schedule changes

• Thursday, Jan. 28 from 6-8 p.m., Concord Town Hall Hearing Room, 2nd Floor, 22 Monument Square, Concord. Topics: Fare Changes and Commuter Rail schedule changes

• Monday, Feb. 1 from 6:30-8:30 p.m., Union Station, 2 Washington Square, Worcester. Topics: Fare Changes and Commuter Rail schedule changes

• Tuesday, Feb. 2 from 5-7 p.m., Public Hearing, State Transportation Building, Floor 2, Conference Rooms 1,2,3, 10 Park Plaza, Boston. Topic: Fare Changes

• Wednesday, Feb. 3 from 6-8 p.m., Mansfield High School Auditorium, 250 East St., Mansfield. Topic: Commuter Rail schedule changes

• Wednesday, Feb. 3 from 6-8 p.m., Walnut Hill School, 12 Highland St., Natick. Topic: Commuter Rail schedule changes.

• Thursday, Feb. 4 from 6-8 p.m., Bigelow Middle School, 42 Vernon St., Newton. Topic: Fare Changes.

• Monday, Feb. 8 from 6-8 p.m., Coakley Middle School, 1315 Washington St., Norwood. Topic: Commuter Rail schedule changes

• Monday, Feb. 8 from 6-8 p.m., Woburn City Hall Council Room, 10 Common St., Woburn. Topic: Commuter Rail schedule changes

• Tuesday, Feb. 9 from 6-8 p.m., Chelsea High School Auditorium, 299 Everett Ave., Chelsea. Topic: Fare Changes

• Wednesday Feb. 10 from 6-8 p.m., Roxbury Community College, Media Arts Building 1, 1234 Columbus Ave., Roxbury. Topic: Fare Changes

• Thursday, Feb. 11 from 6-8 p.m., Weymouth High School Auditorium, 1 Wildcat Way, Weymouth. Topic: Fare Changes

Visit www.mbta.com for more information.