A policy Analysis of the mbta’s New Automated Fare Collection System
Section 1.3 – The First Subway in America
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Section 1.3 – The First Subway in AmericaBoston winters present a challenge to all aspects of life, and as mentioned before, establishing reliable mass transportation is no exception. However, in 1897 an infrastructure addition was unveiled that redefined the ability of city dwellers to travel largely unhindered by Mother Nature and other vehicle traffic. This was the year Boston opened the first subway system in America, and it paved the way for similar systems in urban centers across the country.7 The next half century was especially hard for the mass transportation systems as war, depression, and other economic challenges jeopardized the very existence of many railcar and subway routes. On August 3, 1964, the state of Massachusetts acknowledged the imminent situation and responded by forming the current Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) as a taxpayer supported public service. The new organization initiated an aggressive and rapid strategy of expansion, extending transportation links far into the suburban communities around Boston, including bus service, commuter rail, and subway. The MBTA also contributed by consolidating numerous small, struggling railways into its expanding system, including the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway on March 30, 1968 and the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway complex on July 1, 1972. These proactive responses ensured the availability and affordability of affordable mass transit to Bostonians for generations to come.8 T  
Source: http://www.mbta.com/insidethet/taag_history11.asp oday the MBTA is the 4th largest transit system in America, and the letter 'T' has special meaning for all who have come to know and love this city. Yet despite its rich heritage and continual progress, the MBTA finds itself now standing at a critical crossroads. The current token-based fare collection system is 30 years old, and most of the associated station infrastructure has become burdensomely costly to maintain. At the same time, law enforcement authorities are eager to develop frighteningly intrusive and evasive methods of passenger tracking and control. Fares only cover a small fraction of operating costs, yet customers are growing increasingly dissatisfied with the quality of service.9 The challenges are real and demand immediate attention. This paper will highlight the MBTA’s incredible opportunity to step confidently into the future while preserving the public trust, enhancing customer satisfaction, and protecting the privacy of every citizen. Other urban transportation networks have had similar experiences in upgrading their fare collection technology, but their responses have largely failed to address these critical issues of customer service, which have long set the MBTA apart as a leader in public transportation. Through this transition process, the MBTA can set an example to be emulated by the rest of the world and reestablish itself as first in mass transportation. Directory: mac -> classes -> 6.805 -> student-papers mac -> Issues paper mac -> Adaptation of Fisheries and Fishing Communities to the Impacts of Climate Change in the caricom region Issues paper Robin Mahon mac -> Life and letters of lord macaulay mac -> A message from Mr. Dryden mac -> Education: 2006-2010: Townsend Harris High School mac -> Human Rights in the Global Village: The Challenges of Privacy and National Security mac -> Allis-Roller, llc machine List mac -> Project summary mac -> Macroeconomics Machine-graded Assessment Items Module: Macroeconomic Measures of Performance student-papers -> Democratic Structures in Cyberspace Download 5.21 Mb. Share with your friends:
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