The No 500 bus — which runs from downtown Boston to Riverside — is one of four bus routes the MBTA plans to eliminate starting in July. Weekend service on the Needham commuter rail will also be ending.
MTBA fares in general will be going up by an average of 23 percent but many of the other service cuts that were originally being debated are not happening, Boston.com reports.
Subway riders using a CharlieCard would pay $2 instead of $1.70. Bus riders using CharlieCards would pay $1.50 instead of $1.25, a 20 percent hike.
I’ll help jump in with some bait for Mr. Roche’s next article:
In June 1980, subway fare went from 25 cents to 50 cents. The price of gas was $1.25. A subway ride was priced 40% the value of one gallon of fuel. This increase makes the ride 50% of one gallon.
The 50 cents adjusted for inflation to date is $1.40 (rounded).
If anyone got any info on Greyhound fares, that would be interesting. (even though that data is effected by competition)
One more:
1980 min wage (national) $3.10; subway ride 50 cents, Time to earn round trip subway ride (absent of taxes) 20 minutes
2012 min wage 7.25; subway ride $2. Time to earn round trip: 35 minutes
Much better than it could have been. The only Newton bus they eliminated is the one most duplicative of remaining services.
I haven’t seen anything about whether they’re changing senior/youth fares. It seems to me that it’s about time to make them a set fraction of the standard fare, rather than being kept artificially low because it requires actively changing them each time and is politically unpopular.
All of the information about the proposed fare hikes and service cuts can be found on the MBTA website at http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/?id=23567.
Thanks, Ted. That’s very helpful. The comparisons to other cities are useful.
Interesting stuff Hoss.
Could someone do a story about benefits and the MBTA. In my experience in the private sector, as companies need to watch the bottom line, the employees pay higher copays and more in monthly premiums (the company’s percentage goes down or stays the same). What is the typical compensation package like for drivers and managers?