ravena_kade

Today I did a trial run for my first day of work next week. The first train still leaves my station at 5:28. I was there too early...5 AM. As the train arrival neared I could tell the different type of workers...Mostly construction workers and cleaning folks...mostly by listening to conversation and seeing the different uniforms. I was also able to pick out a few medical people by the lanyards they had on their necks.

Then I got to the next train stop I saw that the medical center shuttle was already parked. I could not use it without an ID. The medical people that I saw all boarded the shuttle. It wait for the commuter rail train to pull in and then more people got on. It was about 75% full. It left before my regular bus came. Good to know I wont be traveling alone at that hour in the morning.

My regular bus was also filled with workers. Some medical, some cleaning people and some students. That bus ride took almost 45 minutes. The bus went around many side streets and pass 2 large homeless shelters. I know I will need to take this bus if I ever need to take a suitcase to work (to travel after work) There would be no room on the medical center hospital as they use touring busses.

All in all an hour and a half commute...an actually hour of travel time and 30 min just waiting. I know I can cut that a it shorter now that I know the timing.

I did not go to the beach this morning as it was only 23 degrees and I forgot my gloves. Maybe I will go on the weekend.

I finally have cleared up the desk in my bedroom for the laptop. There is so much paper...old mortgages and old bills. A ton of paper work of my Dads. I need to go buy a shredder to get rid of 10 years of bank statement (I will just keep Dad's last 2). It's ridiculous how much paper needs to be tossed.

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palusbuteo

Oooh. Hour and a half is a haul and you're like next door to Boston (jazz hands) than I am.

But, here's to hoping the T actually gets the slow zones fixed, as promised, and (they) won't have to rely so much on buses that get stuck in normal car traffic.

They are also supposedly implementing a "low wage" reduced fare for commuter rail, supposedly between $15,000-30,000, and I'm part time/seasonal so hopefully I qualify.

My friend Mike accepted a job with the T, mostly in data analysis, and hearing how ridiculous some things are, I dunno.
(ie he was scheduled to go in for a drug test, the train was late/delayed, the clinic basically couldn't be bothered, and him pretty much crossing his legs begged to pee into the cup, but because he was late, they told him he had to re-schedule etc. So he wasted a whole day and almost all the money he had left. and when he told the HR they were apparently WTF.)

ravena_kade

I watched a news story about the income based reduced fare and I really support it. The T is too expensive for people making minimum, or poorer elderly who only have social security, never mind the disabled. And I don't care how much New York pays. They have a better service and lots and lots of trains. I even support the Boston Mayor's plan for the 3 free bus routes. I go through some really poor places on this bus so I can't imagine how poor the routes are that are free to the people. I think the City of Boston is picking up an 8 million dollar tab for that as the T can't just absorb it now.

As for me, I decided years ago not to do the car thing as I always worked where there is no parking free parking so my $90 T pass is cheaper than a car, gas, and car insurance. I just dont want my train catching on fire or dragging people to their deaths.

YUP! I agree with everything you're saying. I've seen ads last year at Back Bay saying how the T is going to invest for the elderly (something along the lines of "one in 5 people will be over 60 by 2028" or such) and they're (desperately) trying to fix all the busted elevators and provide "better access" to people with mobility etc. And yeah it's really important they get that shit figured out now and working on it now. And it feels like "working to make it easier for elderly" benefits everyone in the end, as I imagine if it's easier to get a baby carriage around, as it is for wheelchairs, that'll mean younger women & new families might be lured into the Big City.

I also agree with the free bus routes. I really hope the admin. starts to focus on the (poor POC) areas like Mattapan and get that all fixed up because these communities have been screwed over for decades.