Saturday, June 8, 2013
The state may approve 18 more giant lighted boards as a way to boost revenue. Is it worth the money if the light burns all night long?
Are you ready for digital billboards on state land across the commonwealth? The Department of Transportation wants the glowing house-sized signs on its property across the state, and the revenue they'll bring to the state, according to the Boston Globe. Under the current deal signed with Clear Channel, the state would get a cut of each billboard's revenue—either 25 percent or $90,000 per year, whichever is higher. But other states negotiated more lucrative deals. Current state law allows these digital billboards, but prohibits any animation. So you won't see the latest Geico lizard ad or anything like that, but you may see a rotating set of images. It also requires the sign's owner to set aside time for public service announcements. You …
Sunday, June 2, 2013
The commuter train passes through Braintree on the way to Hyannis.
Robert Kearns, a Braintree High School student, recently took the CapeFLYER and provided these photos, along with the following description: Round trip to Buzzard's Bay $33, Round trip to Hyannis $35. Free bike storage and Wifi! Snacks and drinks (including alcoholic for over 21) served on board. Buzzard's Bay Station is right on the Canal near the Canal Bike Trail so there are options to bike to Scusset Beach or to other nearby locations. Hyannis stop is right on Main Street in Hyannis. There is a free Hyannis Trolley as well as a Free Shuttle to the Steamship Authority Ferry. Also there are buses that go to every Cape Cod Town as well as ones that connect with the Ferry in Wood's Hole. The ride is wonderful and it goes down through the …
Monday, May 20, 2013
The new system will provide more detailed service alert information via text and email.
The MBTA is rolling out an entirely new alerts system next month which includes changes from the details provided in alert messages to a visual website enhancement. Through the new system, which goes into effect June 4, users can opt to receive email or text alerts for a late bus or train or a service interruption, much like the old system. However, the new alerts “will be clearer and more detailed with additional information regarding specific trip times, service schedule changes, and distinct directional, branch, and station communications,” according to an MBTA press statement Thursday. MBTA Deputy Press Secretary Kelly Smith clarifies this in an email to Patch: "It’s built around a core of GTFS data. GTFS, or General Transit Feed …
Friday, April 19, 2013
With a manhunt continuing in Watertown, the Braintree Station on the Red Line was blocked off by Braintree Police.
Braintree Station and the East Braintree/Weymouth Landing MBTA Station are empty due to the full suspension of MBTA services. Governor Deval Patrick has ordered that all MBTA services, that includes the T, commuter lines and buses, be suspended indefinitely as police search for one of the two men suspected of killing three and injuring more than 170 people at the Boston Marathon on Monday. The parking lot for the Braintree Station, the final stop on the Red Line, is blocked by a Braintree Police SUV. In the Landing, the MBTA station is empty with no cars in the parking lot and no commuters waiting to board trains.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
The MBTA launched a wireless internet program at some locations and on certain cars in 2008. The transit system is now looking for a sponsor to upgrade the product at no cost to the T.
The MBTA wants to upgrade its wireless Internet service, but without spending precious tax dollars. The Boston area transit system is seeking sponsorship proposals to provide upgraded wi-fi service on commuter rail cars, ferries and select commuter rail stations, according to an MBTA press statement in early March. “The MBTA’s goal is to upgrade the current WIFI service to a system wide, state of the art standard, at no cost to the MBTA and its riders,” the statement says. The sponsorship opportunity would provide the sponsor with marketing rights such as “signage and advertising in commuter rail stations, cars and ferry facilities; corporate presence on MBTA commuter rail system maps and schedules; control of a WIFI landing page; links on…
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
The BHS girls basketball team fell to Central Catholic Monday night at TD Garden.
Braintree High School administrators and teachers are speaking with students Tuesday after a number of students traveling to and from the state semi-finals game against Central Catholic acted out on the train Monday night. Headmaster James Lee said that students will be talked to in a large group Tuesday afternoon and that letters will go home to parents. "There was misbehavior and we’re addressing that," he said. Lee said that a lot of the students taking the Red and Green lines to TD Garden to watch the Braintree girls basketball team play "did not handle themselves appropriately." In a letter to Lee that was forwarded to Braintree Patch, Boston resident Pamela R. Chang said she witnessed "a remarkable show of bad behavior, rudeness, and…
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Ridership aboard the MBTA went up by 2.3 percent system-wide in 2012 despite a mid-year fare hike.
Ridership was up on the MBTA in 2012. According to figures released by MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott Thursday, 400 million riders took trips on the MBTA in 2012, which is good for a 2.3 percent increase over ridership in 2011. Analysts projected ridership would decrease by 5.5 percent once the June increase took effect, but just the opposite occurred, according to a statement from Scott which accompanied the figures. Also, this was the first time that average daily ridership was above 1.3 million for an entire calendar year, Scott said. Overall MBTA ridership, which includes the subways, commuter rails, buses, private buses and the RIDE service, as increased each year since 2009, according to the figures. Ridership in 2012 went up 2.6…
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
The MBTA’s mobile ticketing app was launched last November.
Commuters are using the MBTA ticketing application in droves, according to new figures released Tuesday. The MBTA mTicket program surpassed $1 million in sales Tuesday morning when a Lowell customer purchased the application, according to Joshua Robin, MBTA's director of innovation. Robin said sales have surpassed expectations, adding that 9.58 percent of all ticket sales on the MBTA are through the mobile application. The first-in-the-country commuter mobile ticketing program launched in November. The system works by displaying the tickets on the phone’s screen as a digital “flash pass” barcode. The app is available for iPhone and Android and applicable to most MBTA commuter rail lines.
Monday, December 31, 2012
As an inducement not to drive downtown while the First Night celebrations are going on, the subways are free after 8 p.m. on New Year's Eve.
- NEWS
-
Monday, December 31, 2012
The MBTA is providing extra transit services throughout the First Night festivities and will be offering FREE service after 8 p.m. Extra MBTA Police will patrol the system to assist with crowd control and safety. Orange, Blue, Green, and Red Line trains will operate on a modified weekday schedule. Additional trains will operate and provide rush-hour levels of service throughout the evening from 3 p.m. until approximately 2 a.m. On New Year's Day, all lines will operate on a Sunday schedule. For more information, go to http://www.mbta.com/events.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
All subway, bus and commuter rail lines will be free after 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.
The MBTA has announced its holiday season schedule: Some highlights include:
lulu
9:42 pm on Saturday, June 8, 2013
leave cape cod quaint..... please!! more ›