Advocates Set An Agenda For Salvaging the T’s Troubled Buses
A new report from the LivableStreets Alliance and Boston's office of the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy (ITDP) establishes a clear agenda for the legislature, the MBTA's management, and municipal governments to improve the region's struggling bus system.
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Wanted: Experienced MBTA GM with ‘strong commitment to safety’
“If you’re looking for someone with a ton of expertise and someone with previous experience of the MBTA, Rick Leary would be an obvious choice to talk to or at least reach out to.”
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Boston Public Radio full show: Jan. 9, 2023
Jim Aloisi and Stacy Thompson shared their hopes on what Gov. Maura Healey should prioritize in Massachusetts transit, from safety at the MBTA to strengthening the state’s roads and bridges. Aloisi is a former transportation secretary, a member of the Transit Matters Board, and a contributor to Commonwealth Magazine. Thompson is the executive director of the Livable Streets Alliance.
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Who Is Gina Fiandaca, MassDOT’s New Boss?
“Gina was always friendly and collaborative. She served as commissioner while Go Boston 2030 was being drafted, so we didn’t have very much time to see her in action implementing the plan”
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Five big tests facing Healey’s administration
“She needs to be able to catch up while expanding the systems,” said Stacy Thompson, the executive director of LivableStreets Alliance. “We have to keep the state moving, literally.”
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Local 2023 predictions
“If you look at the data of where the slow zones are, for sure the Red line is going to have some sort of shutdown,” said Stacy Thompson, the executive director of the LivableStreets Alliance. “Do I think it’s going to be a whole line for 30 days? No. Do I think the public should be prepared for extended shutdowns that will impact their ability to get around? Yes.”
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Somerville had to wait — and wait — for the Green Line, but patience paid off
Stacy Thompson, executive director of the LivableStreets Alliance, says pouring money into a project that had fallen out of favor was politically risky.
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T quietly pulls new Orange Line trains from service, nearly doubling wait times
“For a public agency responsible for moving thousands of people every day to not communicate about this is unacceptable,” said Stacy Thompson, executive director of LivableStreets Alliance, a public transportation advocacy group. “They’ve already cut service so much that any further cuts dramatically impact a person’s ability to get where they need to go.”
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Speed restrictions plague MBTA, quietly slowing down commutes, new data show
“It’s entirely reasonable for a transit system to have various slow zones throughout the year. It’s common to do repairs,” said Stacy Thompson, executive director of the LivableStreets Alliance. “The reason it’s become a thing is because the T isn’t transparent about why.”
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A decade in the making, Massachusetts road safety bill again headed to Governor Baker’s desk
“This is an incredibly significant accomplishment,” said Stacy Thompson, executive director of the LivableStreets Alliance. “The kinds of things that people like me think about as no-brainer fixes — this is the kind of bill that will save lives, and that’s not hyperbolic. It both will protect the most vulnerable people on our roadways and also will give the state better data.”
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Green Line derailment highlights MBTA’s transparency problem
“I think the real question is, was the T transparent about the derailment when they had the information later on?” Thompson said.
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T LOOKS TO DOUBLE SHUTTLE BUS USE. IS ANOTHER SHUTDOWN LOOMING?
“Planning for something like this is a good thing, they’re probably looking at a pretty extensive slate of repair projects and haven’t figured out the mechanics of how they’re going to do it,” Thompson said.
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MBTA board ends 2-year hiatus on fare enforcement
“Without a low-income fare, you’re just penalizing people because they can’t pay,” said Catherine Gleason of the alliance.
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MBTA board approves new fare evasion regulations and a revised bus map to increase service around Boston
“We really want the MBTA to implement a reduced fare program,” said Catherine Gleason, program and policy coordinator at LivableStreets Alliance. She added that an evasion penalty system could disproportionately impact low-income riders, without the balance of lower-cost options.
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Boston Public Radio full show: Nov. 7, 2022
Jim Aloisi and Stacy Thompson shared their thoughts on MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak’s upcoming departure, and other transit headlines. Aloisi is a former transportation secretary, a member of the Transit Matters Board, and contributor to Commonwealth Magazine. Thompson is executive director of Livable Streets Alliance.
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MBTA’s top job drawing interest and intrigue
But Stacy Thompson, LivableStreets executive director, said her personal preference would be to stick with someone local.
“I wouldn’t write someone off who isn’t from the Boston area, but it’s valuable to have someone who knows people and who people respect,” she said.
She would like to see the next governor look at candidates with prior knowledge of the system, who weren’t there “when problems were going on, but still understand the MBTA.”
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Transit advocates worry about finding a new MBTA general manager
“He took a job that no one wanted, and he stepped into already tough circumstances,” said Stacy Thompson, executive director of Livable Streets. “The problems with the T are problems that the governor and the Legislature created long before Steve stepped into that job.”
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Poftak Resigning In January From MBTA’s Top Post
LivableStreets Alliance Executive Director Stacy Thompson said Poftak was "a consistent voice who stepped in when other people were unwilling to do it."
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The Orange Line is finally faster than it was before the shutdown. There’s more work to do to get to full speed
Stacy Thompson, executive director of LivableStreets Alliance, said the MBTA needs to be more transparent with “metrics that matter to the public,” such as work to eliminate speed restrictions and hiring efforts to improve train and bus frequency.
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Boston Public Radio Full Show: Oct. 18, 2022
Jim Aloisi and Stacy Thompson discussed Massachusetts Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey questioning MBTA officials over multiple safety incidents, and the current state of driving in Boston. Aloisi is the former Massachusetts transportation secretary, a member of the Transit Matters board and contributor to Commonwealth Magazine. Thompson is executive director of Livable Streets.
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Some Orange Line Slow Zones Still in Place Two Weeks After Shutdown
“There’s certainly been public frustration that the slow zones are still intact,” said Stacy Thompson of the Livablestreets Alliance... ”I think people expected a miracle overnight and maybe are coming to terms with the reality that this was the first step in what’s going to be a long process.”
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Unfare? Transit Advocates Question Costly MBTA Study To Determine New Fare Structures
“Should we just wait a month or two to spend this money wisely, on the goals of the administration that people elect in November?” said Stacy Thompson, the Executive Director of LiveableStreets Alliance. “There’s a question of politics.”
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Wu Wants Fed Help To Shore Up MBTA Workforce
"These service cuts will overlap with the unprecedented Orange and Green Line shutdowns, compounding significant challenges for riders and the region, and raising serious equity, mobility, environmental, and economic concerns," Wu said in a statement with the groups LivableStreets Alliance, A Better City and Transit Matters "Magnifying the impact of chronic underinvestment in infrastructure, these cuts underscore the MBTA's continued inability to address critical systemic staffing issues."
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Subway service cuts will remain in place for the fall; bus service to be further reduced, T says
“Unless you have stood on a bus corner in a blizzard, you do not understand what it means to wait an extra 20 minutes for a bus,” said Stacy Thompson, executive director of LivableStreets Alliance.
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Boston Public Radio full show: Aug. 23, 2022
Jim Aloisi and Stacy Thompson discussed the Orange Line shutdown, including the merits of some of the alternative options, the plausibility of a 30-day deadline, the possibilities for getting the MBTA out of crisis and the future of electric vehicles. Aloisi is the former Massachusetts transportation secretary, a member of the TransitMatters board and contributor to CommonWealth Magazine. Thompson is executive director of Livable Streets.
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How the shutdown of the Orange Line is impacting commuters
The 30-day shutdown of the MBTA's Orange Line has begun. Stacy Thompson, executive director of Livable Streets, joined WBUR's Weekend Edition to discuss its impact.
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How Boston-Area Officials Are Responding to Transit Turmoil
“The MBTA’s ability to execute this successfully or not will determine the mood going forward,” Thompson says. “If this project is successful, we can turn a corner in terms of public confidence. We’re just not there yet.”
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Massachusetts transportation boss takes a vacation as Orange Line shutdown looms
“I honestly don’t think it’s a big deal,” said Stacy Thompson, LivableStreets executive director. “Everyone leaves the state of Massachusetts at some point.”
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MBTA not on board with push for free fares during Orange Line shutdown
“To make the entire system free, including the commuter rail, we’re talking about a minimal expense in the grand scheme of things,” Thompson said. “I understand not everyone is on board for free fares all the time. I would say this is a suspension of fares to alleviate stress during the crisis.”
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