TransitMatters
@transitmatters
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We are a non-profit organization that uses people-focused, data-driven solutions to improve transportation in Greater Boston & across the Commonwealth.
Boston, MA
Joined December 2009
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Pinned Tweet
🚨 New Regional Rail report alert!
🧵 Let’s talk about our vision for a modernized Franklin/Foxboro Line ↓
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Why does our Spotify Wrapped look different from everyone else’s?
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We did it!! The FMCB has resolved to transform
@MBTA_CR
into electrified, accessible, frequent
#REGIONALRAIL
essentially using the phased framework we laid out in our reports. THANK YOU!!!
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This Barbie is 2x slower than it was a month ago, according to our Slow Zone Tracker:
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Women are the predominant mass transit user, but planners design transit systems for men.
🧵 Read this thread to find out how gender roles have influenced women’s travel patterns & how designing transit for women will make it better for everyone.
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14th St has opened the floodgates. We *can* do this in Boston too.
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.
@Boston_Rooney
is right on the money. The MBTA Board's comments are the kind of "managed decline" that riders, businesses, and climate champions should fight tooth and nail.
The MBTA is leaning toward a “new normal” of lower ridership, a stance that is stirring criticism from Jim Rooney, the president and CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.
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The US is the 6th-most expensive country in the world to build rapid transit infrastructure, & yet the quality & quantity of transit projects is considerably inferior.
🧵 So, why does it cost so much to build transit in the US?
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This Barbie is still waiting for transit signal priority.
Some trips could be 2x as fast with TSP.
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Today we remember some transit heroes of 9/11: the PATH employees that saved thousands of lives at World Trade Center station 🧵👇
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🚨New report 🚨
Why electrifying the
@MBTA_CR
is critical to the transition to a reliable, frequent, and affordable
#RegionalRail
system. ⚡️
Let’s talk about why electrification matters. ⬇️
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The employee shortage at the MBTA is an emergency that the administration needs to address. We call on the T to promptly convene labor & workforce development partners, along with the FTA, to develop a comprehensive plan to staff up the MBTA.
Read our full statement:
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Can you imagine Storrow Drive free of cars?
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All night.
Every 10 minutes.
Tonight, the
#MBTA
is free after 8 pm! Here's a throwback to New Year's Eve in 1943, when Boston's subways ran all night, every 10 minutes.
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We are excited to announce the launch of the Regional Rail Explorer, a new tool for planning trips on a frequent, electrified Regional Rail network for Greater Boston! See how your trip with Regional Rail would improve using the Explorer:
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What we need from you is a plan to instantly convert regular vehicle travel lanes into emergency bus lanes for shuttles when bus shuttles are needed in emergency situations like this.
This week's
@MBTA
derailments are unacceptable. We need answers, solutions & more funding, and we need it now.
It is imperative that we have a public transportation system for Boston residents and surrounding communities that is safe and reliable.
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Ok, which one of you is viewing the Data Dashboard on your PS4?
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🚨 New Regional Rail report alert!
🧵 Let’s talk about our vision for a modernized Needham Line ↓
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Today we want to highlight a great trail project currently under construction: the Somerville Community Path Extension, as part of the Green Line Extension! 🚲🟢
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« Babe, come over. »
« I can't. The 1 bus is too slow & unreliable. »
« My parents aren't home. »
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A new Regional Rail Report is coming next week... 👀 Watch this space for the official launch!
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For years, the Commuter Rail has been too expensive, infrequent, and inconvenient for anyone but a white-collar worker with a steady 9-5 job, zipping in and out of Boston. The Commuter Rail must be transformed into a system that works for everyone: Regional Rail.
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Statements like these show that it's time for a new board. One that has a vision for the system, wants rider input, and asks questions and shows real engagement with the work.
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VICTORY!!!!
The MBTA will no longer bus local police to protests following heavy criticism for helping law enforcement at a time when people are protesting police violence.
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🚨 New Regional Rail report alert!
🧵 Let’s talk about our vision for a modernized Fitchburg Line ↓
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🚨 New Regional Rail report alert!
🧵 Let’s talk about our vision for a modernized Framingham/Worcester Line ↓
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"
@CityOfBoston
also noted that it can take up to one hour to get from Grove Hall to Mattapan Square by bus right now, & the center running bus lane could whittle that down to 25 minutes."
Big 🚍 news! ↓
City moves ahead with center-running bus lane plan for Blue Hill Avenue.
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🚨 New report alert!
➡️ The legislature,
@MassGovernor
,
@MassDOT
, &
@MBTA
cannot afford to wait for the T’s crisis to end to begin making investments in transforming the Commuter Rail into Regional Rail.
🧵 Let’s talk about WHY Regional Rail is important & HOW to make it happen
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🍂 The Mattapan Trolley matching the leaves!
📸: Instagram user @/smcc_photography
Peak fall foliage for Greater Boston is right around the corner! Send us your autumn transit photos & we’ll repost them throughout the month 🍂 🚋
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To celebrate the last day of
#BlackHistoryMonth
, we have a bonus Black transit leader profile: TransitMatters' very own Jarred Johnson!
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Boston's lucky to have a mayor who's made public transit and active transportation a key part of her platform since she was elected as a Councilor nearly a decade ago. Happy birthday 🎂
@MayorWu
. We hope you caught a new Orange Line train today 🥳
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This Ken is only running 9 trains right now.
See how many trains are running on each line, how many new trains are in service, & where trains are at any time with our Train Tracker:
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We condemn the use of public transport vehicles for the transport of police.
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@MBTA
buses carrying police waiting across from the Heath Street stop as
#bostonprotest
happen near JP
@jarjoh
@transitmatters
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⚡️ Electric trains are coming to the Fairmount Line!
🧵 Today, the MBTA Board of Directors approved Commuter Rail operator Keolis’ plan to bring battery-electric trains to the Fairmount line by 2028, setting the stage for more frequent, fast, & reliable service.
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And so it begins. Like last winter and the winter before that and so on..., we ask: where is the plan to ensure station crosswalks and bus stops are properly shoveled and de-iced
@MBTA
?
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"It's time to start making generational investments like the Rail Link to set our Commonwealth on the path to inclusive, sustainable growth for the long term.” – Our Executive Director,
@jarjoh
Massachusetts has a choice to make:
Do we plow ahead with a half measure expanding South Station, or do we connect the Commonwealth by bridging North and South station to link our rail network?
The question isn’t “Can we afford it,” but rather “Can we afford not to?”
🚇 🚧
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This Barbie is 20x less reliable than electric trains.
Learn more about Regional Rail here & take action:
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The agency has yet to release a timeline for restoring subway service and the agency has to step up their efforts to hire bus operators. Any talk of accepting "a new normal" at a time of poor service is downright offensive.
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"One of the fiercest advocates for more equitable and reliable public transportation in greater Boston"
#mapoli
-
@SenWarren
introducing our ED,
@jarjoh
❤️
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The rare double newboi! 🥰
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Boston's new mayor makes history as the city's first Black & woman mayor, but also as the first mayor without a car in generations. Mayor
@Kim_Janey
knows the challenges of Boston's transit system first hand. We're thrilled to have her leading Boston at this critical time
#mapoli
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🎉 TransitMatters is celebrating 10 years of advocacy! For the next 6 weeks, we will be highlighting landmark moments in our history so far.
🧵 First up: Our guerrilla diversion poster campaign, which inspired the T’s current diversion signage ↓
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UPDATE:
@BrendanCrighton
has submitted an amendment to the Mass. Senate climate bill that would commit the
@MBTA
to electrifying service on the Commuter Rail in the coming decade and a half!
ICYMI: Here's our full press release on the new MA Senate Climate Bill. Read to find out why we believe this bill is a missed opportunity for utilizing public transit to promote a more equitable and sustainable future.
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Good morning everyone and welcome back to Orange & Green Lines! Please note the T says slow zones will remain in place for around a week to accommodate the track wear-in period. Please do not make inferences on performance using our Data Dashboard or Slow Zone Tracker until then.
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These cuts will have a permanent impact for tiny short-term savings. Tell your legislators and
@MBTA
,
#StopTheCuts
&
#TransitIsEssentialMA
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🟢 If you haven’t taken a ride on the new Medford Branch of the GLX yet, here’s some motivation!
🚉 Check our guide for things to do around each stop ↓
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Yeah, no one is getting to work today. Why not have parades on weekends to separate parade goers from workers? Our
@MBTA_CR
system isn't cut out for high volume ridership like this without frequent electric trains.
@MBTA_CR
I NEED TO GET TO WORKKKKKKK when will the next train to south station be coming to westboro? the 741 didn’t pick up any passengers
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🎉 TransitMatters is celebrating 10 years of advocacy! For the next 5 weeks, we will be highlighting landmark moments in our history so far.
🧵 Next up: Our exposure of the T’s nearly $7M mistake with Auburndale Station ↓
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You love to see it! 😍
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The decision to close this already-limited vital service to riders is deeply concerning. This storm was never forecast to be severe, merely up to a few inches overnight, and only 0.8" ended up falling in Boston. Riders deserve access to help with MBTA services in sun and snow.
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🧵 Here's what you missed at last week’s Red–Blue Connector public meetings ↓
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🎉 TransitMatters is celebrating 10 years of advocacy! To celebrate, we've been highlighting landmark moments in our history so far.
🧵 Next up: Our advocacy & evidence-based research that pushed the MBTA to endorse TM' vision for Regional Rail.
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🚅 As Boston moves toward Regional Rail, let’s look at another system in transition: Toronto.
⚡️ Toronto is currently transforming its diesel Commuter Rail network into an electric Regional Rail system.
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This is a very bad take. That debt is not the MBTA's, it's from the Big Dig, & Charlie Baker was the one who put the Big Dig debt on the MBTA's books. We are still suffering from that decision to this day & people like this are using it to prevent further investment in the system
#MBTAderail
brings into focus
@jimstergios
' words in
@Bostonglobe
in 2015 against North-South rail link: “MBTA — buried under nearly $9B in debt &interest, with $7B maintenance backlog — should focus on avoiding replay of this past winter’s horror story”
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🚍 The TransitMatters NextGen Bus team is excited to announce the installation of our new bus posters at 18 bus stops across Boston!
🧵 It’s time to modernize our buses & prioritize bus riders:
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The T recommended that Commuter Rail riders take the Red Line today as an alternative to Middleborough, Kingston, & Greenbush Line service due to severe delays.
The T has also made the same Commuter Rail lines alternatives for avoiding Red Line slow zones 🤦
@MBTA_CR
So because of Red Line speed restrictions you’ve been encouraging people to use their Charlie Card on the Commuter Rail but because of a rail defect on the commuter rail in the same area, commuter rail passengers should consider the Red Line instead? 🧐
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🚨 Cool map alert!
🧵 Our newest Explainer explores a report from 1972 & the recommendations given to the MBTA about how to best improve public transit in the Boston area by utilizing railroad rights-of-way ↓
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🎉 TransitMatters is celebrating 10 years of advocacy! To celebrate, we're highlighting landmark moments in our history so far.
📽️ Next up: How our Slow Zone Tracker became the leading resource for holding the MBTA accountable after last year’s Orange Line Shutdown.
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This guy held up no fewer than 20 Orange Line emergency shuttle buses.
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As advocates, we often say "fix the T." The reality is that "fixing the T" will involve these kinds of disruptions. At TransitMatters, we always prefer the fastest, lowest-cost approach. By shutting down the lines completely, the T will save money & avoid 11mo of nighttime work.
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Have you heard of Equal or Better? It’s the story of the silver line, and how it replaced the old orange line that used to run between Dudley Station in Roxbury and Downtown Boston. Kris Carter's documentary takes a look at this, and we break it down in the thread below. ⬇️
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ICYMI: The Union Square Branch of the GLX will open on Monday, March, 21 & the Medford Branch is scheduled to open this summer!
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🚨 New Report 🚨
⬇️ Let’s talk about our vision for a better Lowell Line!
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📈 TransitMatters Labs is excited to announce that the Data Dashboard now offers real-time bus data, just like rapid transit!
🧵 Explore the data of the T's slowest & most bunched buses ahead of the release of our bus report... coming next week 👀
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📢 Read our statement on the MBTA's global speed restrictions:
📨 For media inquiries, please e-mail media
@transitmatters
.org
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Today, we released a new report on modernizing the Newburyport/Rockport Line for
#RegionalRail
. The report details how to dramatically reduce travel times & improve frequency on this line, improving the transit experience & daily life of riders.
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📈 TransitMatters Labs is excited to announce the launch of the all-new Data Dashboard!
🧵 The new version of our Data Dashboard makes it easier to explore our more popular metrics: service, speed, slow zones, & ridership:
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🧵 104 years ago today the Great Molasses Flood of 1919 engulfed Boston’s North End neighborhood destroying everything in its path, including the Elevated Train.
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With Regional Rail,
@MBTA_CR
would be able to serve
@GilletteStadium
more frequently with reliable & fast ⚡️ trains.
This means Swifties would have the chance to take a train every 30 min. leading up to Taylor Swift's concert without stressing about securing 🎫 weeks in advance.
⚠️ 3,230 additional tickets to Taylor Swift Concert trains were made available today. Within the first 2 minutes more than 2,000 of those tickets sold.
🎟️ All Boston train tickets sold out in less than 90 sec & only a limited number of Providence Line tickets remain available.
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There are no words... apparently it is too much to ask of a mayor of a world-renowned city to have a transit plan. Madness.
Mayor Walsh on Boston transportation woes: “How could a mayor have a plan, where would you find that?”
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In spite of the House passing a relief bill yesterday with $850M+ for the MBTA, unnecessary service cuts are going into effect this weekend. Essential workers & riders dependent on public transit will bear the brunt of this decision.
#TransitIsEssentialMA
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We are awaiting the
@MBTA
press conference at 10 am before making any statements to the media on the systemwide speed restriction. Thanks for your patience.
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Happy Car-Free Day! Today let’s take a look at some successful car-free initiatives around the world 🧵👇
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"A number of MBTA riders have worse commutes today than when
@MassGovernor
started. That should be a deeply embarrassing fact."
Watch our ED
@jarjoh
on
@wbz
↓
"Deeply embarrassing": MBTA added more new slow zones last month than they fixed
@KristinaRex
reports
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We won't rest until these nice new displays show trains no more than 15-30 minutes apart with
#RegionalRail
by investing in electrification/modern EMUs and high platforms! ⚡🚉
As part of station brightening, Keolis and
@MBTA
teams are installing new digital signs across the
@MBTA_CR
network- like the one seen here in Roslindale Village. Along with new software, these signs will help provide passengers with better train information.
#BuildingABetterT
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TransitMatters congratulates
@wutrain
for her election as mayor of
@CityOfBoston
. We look forward to working in close collaboration with the city as it advances the mayor-elect’s agenda for equitable, sustainable urban mobility.
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The
@MBTA
Orange Line shuttles are being run so poorly tonight. Honestly don't risk it. It's too cold to stand outside waiting for over capacity shuttles at extremely inconvenient locations. Use Uber or Lyft tonight. This is pathetic. Honest truth.
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"We deserve a [transit] system that brings our communities together, a system we can rely on & trust."
♥️ Thank you for the 10th anniversary wishes,
@MayorWu
!
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➡️ ICYMI: We released a new Regional Rail report last week!
🧵 Let’s talk about how investing in Regional Rail IS investing in a state of good repair ↓
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It’s finally here!
After decades of advocacy & endless delays, the full Green Line Extension is open for passenger service. Send us your
#GLX
selfies & enjoy the celebrations today & this week 🥳
⏰4:51 AM
🗓️December 12, 2022
📍Medford/Tufts Station
With a ring of the bell, the first Green Line train departs, formally opening the
#GreenLineExtension
Medford Branch for passenger service. The momentous
#BuildingABetterT
milestone is just the start of today's celebrations.
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"A round trip on the Red Line was around 75 minutes slower on Friday than it would be if trains were traveling at full speed, up from around 40 minutes slower before the announcement."
TransitMatters data in the news 🫠
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🧵 Here are our favorite urbanism & transit videos from 2022! ↓
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2300 riders won't save 5-7 minutes if this new lane is not being properly enforced. Cars galore are using it still. Enforcement is needed!
2,300 weekday bus riders will save 5-7 minutes of travel time thanks to the new Summer St bus lane between Dorchester Ave & Atlantic Ave. Located in one of the most traffic congested areas of Boston, the lane will help improve reliability & move buses more efficiently and safely.
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🚧 It’s been 1 year since the Orange Line shutdown. Did riders get the “improved service, fewer delays, & faster Orange Line trips” former Gov. Baker & the T promised?
📈 …No. In fact, there are MORE slow zones. Take a look at the data:
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Nope.
@MassGovernor
did not even ride the train. He got in a black SUV and left.
@JWLevitt
@JanetWuNews
@universalhub
@MBTA
@MassGovernor
@spoftak
@bloombergbaybiz
@transitmatters
did the governor or the secretary actually get on the train, or just another empty photo op
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🚍 From Roxbury—Cambridge, we all want to get where we need to go quickly & reliably. And we should be able to rely on the bus to do that.
🧵 Our new Pokey/Schleppie report identifies the MBTA's top 10 slowest & most bunched buses & the steps the T can take to improve our buses.
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⏱️ As a part of Bus Network Redesign (BNRD),
@MBTA
plans to increase the 1 bus's frequency to every 15 mins. or better throughout the day.
🚍 On Marathon Monday, riders got a taste of this frequency! However, our data shows that the 1 bus was still extremely bunched.
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Shame on
@Massport
for this tweet. Taking
#publictransit
@MBTA
is the only substantial way to reduce your impact on the environment when traveling to
@BostonLogan
. If you can't access public transit, you can use a Park & Ride to reduce your footprint by not driving into the city.
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This Ken is planning to ghost 5% of their trips this spring.
Join our bus service advocacy team to help the T improve bus service around the region:
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🚧 It’s been 1 week since the Ashmont Branch & Mattapan Line reopened. Is the Ashmont Branch faster than it was before the shutdown?
📈 …Yes! Red Line trains are finally moving along the branch as fast as they did in 2018. Read our full analysis here:
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Don’t want to dig your car out of 2ft of snow?😨😝Take the T instead!
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📈 TransitMatters data in the news... and on the front page of the Boston Globe! → "SOURCE: TransitMatters"
In today's paper: If you ride it, you know. The Red Line is the worst. Just look at the stats. Utilities and the business community are making changes; and more.
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TOMORROW after 8:00PM,
@MBTA
is free on all modes for New Year’s Eve 🎉 Celebrate safely & take the T!
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