Stacy Thompson, LivableStreets executive director, said she expects slow zones to persist for a “couple of years” across many different lines.

“They should be aiming for people to have the information they can revolve their lives around,” she said. “That’s better than having an ambitious plan they know they can’t meet.”

Thompson pointed to a 2019 Massachusetts Institute of Technology study that found that low-income passengers who received a 50% discounted fare took more trips than lower-income passengers who paid a regular fare, including more trips related to with health and social services.

"And what that means is that when it is pouring rain outside, when it's snowing, you can get on the bus faster; the bus moves faster; there's more money in your pocket if you're not making a transfer and that's your only ride."

LivableStreets Alliance Executive Director Stacy Thompson said the GM might need a raise given the region's high cost of living, but stressed that she does not view compensation as "a dealbreaker."

While municipalities and state agencies are making laudable steps to improve bus service, progress has been piecemeal and insufficient. 

"We have a huge opportunity to invest in better buses to help people get where they need to go, all while boosting the economy, reducing traffic congestion, and tackling climate change.”

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.

“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.”

“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.”