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kevalry t1_j6nbd4b wrote

Reply to comment by RoyalWater54 in Wu wants to cut fares at Boston’s commuter rail stations. Is that really a good idea? (NO PAYWALL) by GlobeOpinion

Not really. MBTA has gotten worse than SEPTA but it is better than most transit systems in the USA where it is virtually non-existent.

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UltravioletClearance t1_j6nd48x wrote

Two thirds of the state lack any form of inter city public transit. It's a regressive tax on people who can't afford the luxury of living in a commuter rail town. Many of whom have already been forced past 495 or into New Hampshire by gentrification and a complete failure to build housing.

Even the commuter rail system within the 1A/1 fare zones is a mess. A lot of people who live near those stations work outside of the standard 9-5 work hours so the Fairmount and Needham lines don't serve a significant percentage of Boston residents.

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AboyNamedBort t1_j6o08pl wrote

So you're answer is that non drivers should give millions every year to drivers because drivers are too cheap to pay for the roads they use? The more someone drives the more welfare they get. No wonder we have so much traffic and pollution. Our ridiculously low gas tax and free parking encourages people to clog up the roads and pollute the air.

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UltravioletClearance t1_j6o1j1m wrote

My answer is we should only consider penalizing driving once there is sufficient housing for everyone who works in Boston to live either in Boston or within walking distance of a commuter rail station.

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dpm25 t1_j6o7n6w wrote

Is it penalizing driving to subsidize driving less?

That's a pretty hard sell.

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