1 00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:06,320 Speaker 1: It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBS Boston's news radio. 2 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:10,879 Speaker 2: You know, the weather affects most people most of the time. 3 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:13,720 Speaker 2: It's very important. You want to know what the weather is. 4 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:17,599 Speaker 2: It affects everything. There are very few things that affect 5 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 2: you as much and as directly as no weather. You 6 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 2: want to know another one transportation. Transportation effects where you live, 7 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 2: the cost of the stuff you buy, how much you 8 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 2: make at your job, what kind of job you have. 9 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:39,440 Speaker 2: It affects your health, how you spend your time. And 10 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 2: it's so important that people are actually leaving Massachusetts because 11 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:49,519 Speaker 2: of transportation issues, and that is something that needs to 12 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 2: be addressed. And I have with me, and I'm very 13 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 2: happy to have Brian Keane, Executive Director of MBTA Advisory Board. 14 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 2: That's a big, important job. It must be kind of 15 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,640 Speaker 2: a brutally tough job having to deal with all these issues. 16 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:09,400 Speaker 2: And I spoke with you that this afternoon, and I 17 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 2: hadn't realized how transportation and I would have if I 18 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 2: thought about it, how transportation insinuates itself to every aspect 19 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 2: of life wherever you live. And here we are in Massachusetts, 20 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 2: and so I'd like to go through that if I 21 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 2: could do do one thing during the course of this 22 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 2: hour is how have folks go away from this realizing WHOA, 23 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 2: the traffic problem in Boston really affects me even though 24 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:40,480 Speaker 2: I live in Pittsville. The MBTA its well being really 25 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:44,400 Speaker 2: affects me, even though I might live in far away 26 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 2: you know, far Awayville. And so that's what we're going 27 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 2: to go through. Thanks for being with us. 28 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 3: It's a real honor to be on your air waves tonight. 29 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 2: I am fascinated by how someone gets to your position. 30 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 2: And you've been with the MBTA in trans intation for 31 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 2: a long time, and I'd love to hear that story journey. 32 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:08,399 Speaker 3: Well, first of all, I think BZ has figured out 33 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 3: the connection between the weather and transportation. You do traffic 34 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 3: and weather together. There you go on the threes, right, 35 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:16,519 Speaker 3: So good for you. Clearly BZ figured this one out, 36 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 3: you know. Good, good job there putting that together. I 37 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 3: went to graduate school at Northeastern. I wanted to be 38 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:26,240 Speaker 3: a town manager and I met this guy named Michael Dukakis, 39 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:28,960 Speaker 3: and I had him for three or four classes, and 40 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 3: he convinced me to not go into municipal management but 41 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 3: instead go down the transportation route. And I've been cursing 42 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 3: that man every day. So he had me believe that 43 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:42,360 Speaker 3: I could make more of a difference to this place 44 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:44,799 Speaker 3: that I love. And Massachusetts is a great place to live. 45 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:47,359 Speaker 3: It has one of the highest Human Development Index scores 46 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 3: in the world. It's up there with Norway, it's up 47 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 3: there with with Switzerland. 48 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 2: What's that Human Development School. 49 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 3: It's a score that is put together by international bodies 50 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:59,519 Speaker 3: that looks at how well people who live in a 51 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 3: particular place kind of do what. It's length, education, entertainment levels, 52 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 3: things like longevity, how long people live, how healthy they are, 53 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:09,200 Speaker 3: things like that. Massachusetts scores very high. This is a 54 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:10,840 Speaker 3: great place to live and a great place to raise 55 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:13,119 Speaker 3: my family. My wife and I are choosing to raise 56 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:15,639 Speaker 3: our kids here and we want them to be able 57 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 3: to stay here and also be able to live in 58 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:20,920 Speaker 3: this great place. But it's getting really hard to do 59 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 3: that because it's incredibly expensive to live here, and it's 60 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 3: really difficult to move around. It's really difficult to do 61 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 3: the things that we want to do. And that's what 62 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:30,079 Speaker 3: I've dedicated my career to trying to figure out. It's 63 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 3: how we can make that a little bit easier for 64 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 3: folks to move around and make it a little bit cheaper. 65 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 2: Right, And there are solutions out there and we'll get 66 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 2: to them. And what are some of your other career 67 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 2: notches in your journey? 68 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 3: Well, I so I after leaving graduate school, I was 69 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 3: a budget and policy ANOST at the Advisory Board where 70 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 3: I am now, which by the way, is a quasi 71 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 3: state agency, very small. There's three employees and we represent 72 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 3: one hundred and seventy eight cities and towns that comprise 73 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 3: the NBTA service District. So that's everywhere from Born to 74 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 3: the New Hampshire border and as far west as Worcester. 75 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 3: I left there. I was inside at the tea itself 76 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 3: for about eight years. Left my time there, moving people 77 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 3: on buses and trains and operations. And by the way, 78 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 3: I wanted to mention there's three or four thousand MBT 79 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:20,360 Speaker 3: employees working tonight. 80 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 2: I was going to mention that. I mean, this is 81 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:24,280 Speaker 2: a big, big New Year's Eve was a big night 82 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:28,560 Speaker 2: for the MBTA, and it's particularly valuable to all of 83 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:29,560 Speaker 2: us on New Year's Eve. 84 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:33,400 Speaker 3: And I think fairs just just went off, so it's 85 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 3: free right now as of now at eight o'clock. 86 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 2: I have to say before I forget. I noticed that 87 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 2: some of the trains were decorated. Did you notice. 88 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:43,280 Speaker 3: That it's a new thing this year they're doing. I 89 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 3: have to say I loved it. 90 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 2: It's great. Rangy Line has Christmas lights on some of 91 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:49,600 Speaker 2: the Orange nine trains have Christmas lights on the outside, 92 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 2: and a Green Line train one of the newer ones, 93 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 2: which I love. Those cars had sort of holiday happy 94 00:04:57,000 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 2: holiday yeah thing on it. 95 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:00,080 Speaker 3: It's nice, isn't it. 96 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,160 Speaker 2: It's real nice. Yeah. Some of them have Google. 97 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:04,360 Speaker 3: Eyes as well. I didn't see the Google Yeah, there's 98 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 3: googly eyes. Those are from a while ago. But I 99 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:09,840 Speaker 3: loved my time at the tea and I worked a 100 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 3: lot of nights. I looked, worked a lot of snowstorms. 101 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 3: What did you do? I mean, what were your actual duties? 102 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 3: What were you doing? So I was a budget and 103 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:19,760 Speaker 3: policy analyst inside, and then I ran the operating budget, 104 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:22,280 Speaker 3: which at the time was about two billion. And then 105 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:24,159 Speaker 3: when I left in operations, I was in charge of 106 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 3: all the diversions that we do around that were being 107 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:29,599 Speaker 3: done around the city at the time. This was a 108 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:31,039 Speaker 3: while ago, so versions. 109 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:31,719 Speaker 2: Sorry. 110 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 3: When a bit of the rail line is shut down 111 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 3: and you got to move people on buses, I. 112 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 2: Always thought that must be a really hard thing to 113 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:39,400 Speaker 2: do to get a contract all these buses. 114 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:42,840 Speaker 3: Well, we started the process, it was there wasn't really 115 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 3: any any roadmap, so we kind of made it up 116 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:45,599 Speaker 3: as we went along. 117 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:47,800 Speaker 2: But I noticed a lot of them on Mercedes buses 118 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 2: and I, well, some folks are griping about having to 119 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 2: get on the bus. I think this is a Mercedes bus, 120 00:05:54,120 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 2: this is deluxe. So but those are driven by Contra outside. 121 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, so there's not enough buses that the Tea has 122 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:07,159 Speaker 3: itself in order to provide both daily service and run 123 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:08,920 Speaker 3: a diversion during the weekday. 124 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:10,800 Speaker 2: So you have to train them on the routes and 125 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 2: where the stops are. Yep. 126 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:16,280 Speaker 3: And it's very expensive. And for instance, when we shut 127 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:18,440 Speaker 3: down the Red Line, this was several years ago, we 128 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 3: had to bring in an additional two or three hundred 129 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 3: buses from all over the Northeast. We had buses coming 130 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 3: in from Washington, d C. We had buses coming in 131 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 3: from Pennsylvania. There's just not At the time, there wasn't 132 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 3: enough of a private coach fleet in the region to 133 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 3: move all the people we had to move. And one 134 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:36,479 Speaker 3: of my favorite notes is that when I was running 135 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:39,279 Speaker 3: a diversion. The then Secretary of Transportation for the United 136 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:42,159 Speaker 3: States was on one of my shuttle buses going to 137 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:45,160 Speaker 3: the Harvard commencement that year, and I felt very good 138 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:46,599 Speaker 3: that we were moving her safely. 139 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 2: And that is good, you told me, And I'd love 140 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 2: you to tell the folks how what percent of Massachusetts 141 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:55,560 Speaker 2: residents are in some ways served by the MBTA. 142 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 3: Well, the first thing to note is that seventy eight 143 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 3: percent of the state's population, sorry, eighty three percent of 144 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:03,919 Speaker 3: the state's population lives in something called the MBTA Service District. 145 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:06,080 Speaker 3: That's the one hundred and seventy eight cities in towns, 146 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 3: and that's you know, well over eighty percent. Forty percent 147 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 3: of the state's residents actually live within the one twenty 148 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 3: eight belt. If you think about that, I did not 149 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 3: realize that forty percent. So we are very heavily concentrated 150 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 3: in the eastern part of the Commonwealth. It's where a 151 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 3: lot of the economic activity takes place, it's where a 152 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 3: lot of the folks live. It's not to say there's 153 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 3: anything wrong with other parts of Massachusetts. These are just 154 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 3: the facts on the ground. And that's one of the 155 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 3: reasons why the Tea is so important to the overall 156 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 3: economy of the commonwealth. 157 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 2: Can you speak to that a little more? Can you 158 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 2: answer the question why Fred in Sturbridge should care about 159 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 2: the MBTA? Fred, if you're out there, I know what 160 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 2: you're saying. He's a made up person. You're saying, why 161 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:51,000 Speaker 2: do I care. I don't want to spend my tax 162 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:53,480 Speaker 2: dollars on that. Why should Fred care? 163 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:56,480 Speaker 3: So Fred's tax dollars are paying for that. One penny 164 00:07:56,520 --> 00:08:01,120 Speaker 3: of the sales tax that everyone contributes wide goes to 165 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 3: the MBTA, So we're all paying for it based on 166 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:06,400 Speaker 3: where the population is. More of it is being paid 167 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 3: here in the eastern part. But the reason why it 168 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 3: matters to Fred is that the Massachusetts state government exists 169 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 3: to do many things. One of the big reasons it 170 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 3: exists is to transfer money from the eastern part of 171 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 3: the state to the western part of the state. The 172 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 3: state does a lot of redistribution of wealth to make 173 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 3: sure that schools and all the stuff that is needed 174 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:28,640 Speaker 3: around the commonwealth are taken care of. And the fact 175 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 3: of the matter is, there just isn't the population in 176 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:33,360 Speaker 3: all parts of the state to be self supporting, So 177 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:35,680 Speaker 3: the state government takes some of the money that's generated 178 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 3: here and distributed to the rest of the state, and also, 179 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 3: by the way, distributed to the rest of the country, 180 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:42,720 Speaker 3: because Massachusetts is a net contributor state, not a net 181 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 3: recipient state. But that's another subject. The reason why Fred 182 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 3: and Shrewsbury or Sherburn or Stourbridge needs to worry about 183 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 3: this is because a lot of the state aid that 184 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 3: his town is receiving to operate its schools, it's police, 185 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:57,080 Speaker 3: it's fire, and all of the stuff that it does 186 00:08:57,160 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 3: is being generated here in Boston by folks taking the 187 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:02,240 Speaker 3: tar to and from work. And we have seen with 188 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:04,679 Speaker 3: the diversions, with the time the rail has been shut down. 189 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:06,760 Speaker 3: We saw in twenty fifteen when the snow knocked out 190 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:09,199 Speaker 3: everything that the tea was running that without the tea, 191 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 3: Boston doesn't work all right. 192 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:13,960 Speaker 2: After this quick break, we'll take a look at how 193 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:17,560 Speaker 2: a healthy tea and transportation system in Boston affects how 194 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 2: much you pay for things. It affects your bottom line, 195 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 2: It affects how much stuff food, et cetera, you can 196 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:24,360 Speaker 2: afford to buy. 197 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:29,480 Speaker 1: After this on WBZ, You're on Night Side with Dan 198 00:09:29,559 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 1: Ray on WBZ, Boston's news radio. 199 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 2: We continued with Brian Kane. We're going to get into 200 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:39,840 Speaker 2: specifics about what's going on transportation wise in Massachusetts, but 201 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 2: I would like to really make you understand how important 202 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:49,240 Speaker 2: transportation that works, traffic that works in Boston, how it 203 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:52,960 Speaker 2: matters to everybody economically. And you pointed out to me 204 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 2: during our pre show chat that I hadn't even thought 205 00:09:57,160 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 2: about this. If the transportation syst and in Massachusetts is 206 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:09,960 Speaker 2: substandard and catastrophically bad, things cost bar explain that. 207 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:12,360 Speaker 3: Well, we do know that Boston. According to a recent 208 00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:15,720 Speaker 3: study by an international group, Boston ranks as the twelfth 209 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:21,840 Speaker 3: worst traffic in the world, and including like bygon Mumbay, yeah, anywhere. 210 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:25,760 Speaker 3: Now it's starting to look a little bit Mumbai, and 211 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:27,959 Speaker 3: it's the fourth worst in the United States. And what 212 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:31,080 Speaker 3: congestion does is drive up the cost of everything. Almost 213 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 3: everything we buy, we consume, we eat, we drink comes 214 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:35,960 Speaker 3: in by truck. There's very little that comes in by 215 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 3: rail anymore, very little that comes in by air free. 216 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 3: I mean there are some things, obviously, and a lot 217 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:42,720 Speaker 3: of stuff does still come through the Port of Boston, 218 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:46,040 Speaker 3: and most of that gets put on trucks. Those trucks 219 00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 3: make money by delivering stuff quickly, and if they're stuck 220 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:52,360 Speaker 3: in traffic, that's just racking up costs and racking up 221 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 3: costs and racking up costs, and it's really unproductive time 222 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:59,840 Speaker 3: that none of us benefit from. So moving trucks in 223 00:11:00,040 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 3: and around this region faster will reduce costs for everybody. 224 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:07,559 Speaker 2: We will get to some potential solutions. And I mentioned 225 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:13,280 Speaker 2: a list of things that it also affects. It can 226 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:15,320 Speaker 2: affect how much you make at your job, because it 227 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 2: can dictate where you can work. Absolutely, if you can't 228 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:23,520 Speaker 2: get to work in a humane amount of time, you 229 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:26,960 Speaker 2: just can't. You can't work there. And I mentioned that 230 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:32,520 Speaker 2: in general quality of quality of life, there's people seem 231 00:11:32,559 --> 00:11:36,439 Speaker 2: to focus on money, but time, time, time. It's not 232 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:40,679 Speaker 2: just time is money. Time is wildly important. And can 233 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 2: you give me an idea now, how much an average 234 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 2: person might spend how much of their life is taken 235 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:53,520 Speaker 2: up stuck in traffic or on the highway or in 236 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:54,800 Speaker 2: their commute. 237 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 3: Well, I mean, obviously it depends, but Boston, I believe 238 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:01,440 Speaker 3: the number was something like eighty three hours per year 239 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:05,040 Speaker 3: are wasted by the average Massachusetts residents sitting in traffic. 240 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:07,920 Speaker 2: Say time that by say the average lifespan seventy five. 241 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:11,920 Speaker 2: You take the working ISSU years, say say fifty years, 242 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 2: yeah times eight. That's insane and. 243 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 3: It's the years of your life. 244 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 1: Yeah. 245 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:19,480 Speaker 2: And if you how much do you make per hour? 246 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 2: How much you know what the opportunity cost of that 247 00:12:23,559 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 2: is used? That could have been you could have been 248 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 2: doing something else to make money. Instead you're sitting in traffic, 249 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 2: burning fuel and polluting and blocking ambulances trying to get 250 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:36,840 Speaker 2: to the trying to get to the hospital, blocking trucks, 251 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:39,719 Speaker 2: trying to get your goods in there. Now, explain to 252 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:41,400 Speaker 2: me how bad it's getting. I mean, you kind of 253 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:43,960 Speaker 2: gave them an idea saying it's the twelfth worst in 254 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:47,840 Speaker 2: the world, including can't including cities in India. 255 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:50,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, Africa's India. Well, I mean, think about this one. 256 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:54,200 Speaker 3: Bradley Jay so u Haul and other moving companies report 257 00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:56,679 Speaker 3: that Massachusetts is near the top of the list for 258 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:59,880 Speaker 3: one way moves out of state in twenty twenty four. 259 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:02,320 Speaker 2: Do you have a reason and do you have well 260 00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:03,160 Speaker 2: there causing effect? 261 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 3: There's polling, so a poll this earlier this month, one 262 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:09,199 Speaker 3: in three people have considered moving out of Massachusetts. There 263 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 3: is a poll last January that talks about one of 264 00:13:12,160 --> 00:13:15,280 Speaker 3: the two thirds of the people who were were polled 265 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:17,000 Speaker 3: said to the high cost of living was the primary 266 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:19,880 Speaker 3: factor why they considered leaving. There was another poll of 267 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:23,000 Speaker 3: people who'd already left Massachusetts who also said two thirds 268 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:26,360 Speaker 3: of them also said high cost of living was the factor. 269 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:28,800 Speaker 3: And there's a poll less in twenty twenty four that 270 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:32,680 Speaker 3: put transportation and housing costs as the principal reason why 271 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 3: folks are leaving. It's all linked together. 272 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:37,720 Speaker 2: You mentioned housing, How does the transportation affect housing? 273 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:42,200 Speaker 3: So we have a housing crisis here in Massachusetts. Statewide. 274 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:44,840 Speaker 3: The Commonwealth believes that we need to build about two 275 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 3: hundred and twenty two thousand more homes by twenty thirty 276 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:50,920 Speaker 3: just to keep up, just to keep prices from going 277 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:53,440 Speaker 3: through the roof. That's about twenty two thousand a year. 278 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:56,959 Speaker 3: Last year we built fourteen thousand, So we're already falling 279 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:59,360 Speaker 3: behind where we need to be. We all know that 280 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:01,720 Speaker 3: the further away you get from job centers, the cheaper 281 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:05,840 Speaker 3: housing gets. That's just economics, it's supply and demand. But 282 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:10,760 Speaker 3: we cannot build more housing in Massachusetts without doing something 283 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:12,880 Speaker 3: to be able to move folks around or else we're 284 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:15,000 Speaker 3: just going to make congestion worse, and I don't know 285 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 3: how it can get much worse. So imagine if we 286 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:21,200 Speaker 3: did build twenty two thousand more homes statewide every year, 287 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:23,480 Speaker 3: and those folks all get in a car one day, 288 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:25,400 Speaker 3: turn the engine on and start driving to where they 289 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:27,800 Speaker 3: want to be on roads that are already full, on 290 00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:30,040 Speaker 3: trains that are already full, and buses that are already full. 291 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:32,760 Speaker 3: That's just going to add to the congestion walls, and 292 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 3: that's just going to add to the economic decline that 293 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:39,200 Speaker 3: we're facing. So for regular folks, we need to figure 294 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:41,200 Speaker 3: out a way to think a little differently about this. 295 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:46,720 Speaker 2: I would argue, okay, and each transport there's a big 296 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:53,200 Speaker 2: overall system, and each element of the transportation system affects 297 00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:57,560 Speaker 2: the other. Can be pretty specific about how a busted 298 00:14:57,680 --> 00:15:04,280 Speaker 2: MBTA effects traffic and how and vice versa. How endless 299 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:07,520 Speaker 2: building and high rise luxury condos in a world where 300 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 2: was finite road space crowds traffic to the point where 301 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 2: there's actual gridlock and you can go through multiple light 302 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:18,080 Speaker 2: cycles and not move at all. How does that affect 303 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:20,680 Speaker 2: the MBTA? How does it all affect each other? 304 00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:21,400 Speaker 1: Well? 305 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 3: The so I do talk to folks that operate these 306 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:26,520 Speaker 3: systems quite a bit. I talk to the folks in 307 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:29,320 Speaker 3: highway operations at the Department of Transportation, and they will 308 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:32,480 Speaker 3: tell you point blank that if a commuter rail line 309 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 3: is down, traffic is going to be worse on that road. 310 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:37,320 Speaker 3: And it makes sense. If there's a couple of thousand 311 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 3: people taking the Wooster Line in from Wooster, they're not 312 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:43,240 Speaker 3: folks gone on the pike. Same thing on Route three 313 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:45,600 Speaker 3: and the old Colony line, same three on the north side. 314 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 3: It's all connected together. So if the trains are not running, 315 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:50,920 Speaker 3: there's going to be more cars on the road. If 316 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:53,720 Speaker 3: there's more cars on the road, congestion is just going 317 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 3: to get worse. Costs are going to just go up, 318 00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:58,000 Speaker 3: and our air quality is going to get worse. So 319 00:15:58,040 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 3: what we need to figure out a way to do 320 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:02,760 Speaker 3: is to keep people moving in and around the region 321 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:08,080 Speaker 3: without adding to the congestion and without adding to the pollution. 322 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:10,400 Speaker 3: And I think there are ideas that are out there 323 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:12,160 Speaker 3: that could do that. One of them is this idea 324 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:15,800 Speaker 3: called regional rail, where you have smaller trains running within 325 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 3: one twenty eight every fifteen to twenty minutes. And like 326 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 3: I said, forty percent of the state's population lives within 327 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 3: one twenty eight. There's fifty commuter rail stations inside one 328 00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:28,200 Speaker 3: twenty eight. Would you have to build new rails new already? 329 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:31,040 Speaker 3: Have the rails already, have Smar trains already, have North Station. 330 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:33,040 Speaker 3: We need to build elect we need to electrify it, 331 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:35,480 Speaker 3: and we need to get new trains. Right now, we're 332 00:16:35,520 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 3: running more or less thirty to forty year old diesel 333 00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:41,360 Speaker 3: locomotives along those lines. In fact, on the Providence line, 334 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:45,680 Speaker 3: we run diesel trains under an electric wire that propels 335 00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:47,080 Speaker 3: Amtrak trains electrically. 336 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:48,880 Speaker 2: So you could just use that electricity. 337 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:50,520 Speaker 3: You could do it tomorrow. 338 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:53,160 Speaker 2: And why hasn't it been done? 339 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 3: The TEA, for a variety of reasons, decided years ago 340 00:16:57,520 --> 00:17:00,920 Speaker 3: that it wanted to move if the Pharamont line. It's 341 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:03,920 Speaker 3: the first electrified rail line in the system, even though 342 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:05,879 Speaker 3: Providence was already done. I happened to think that was 343 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 3: a strategic mistake. How much influenced does the the board have? 344 00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:15,840 Speaker 3: So the advisory board, we are a consultant dive agency. 345 00:17:15,840 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 3: We used to have a veto over their budget, but 346 00:17:17,320 --> 00:17:18,719 Speaker 3: they didn't like what we did with that, so they 347 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:22,080 Speaker 3: took that away from us a few years ago. Right now, 348 00:17:22,119 --> 00:17:24,320 Speaker 3: we have soft power by talking to folks like you. 349 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:26,479 Speaker 3: But we also do have one member of the MBTA 350 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:28,720 Speaker 3: Board of Directors. Now it's a little confusing. There's a 351 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:31,920 Speaker 3: nine person board of directors that runs the tee. One 352 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:34,760 Speaker 3: of those nine is appointed by us, and three of 353 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:37,040 Speaker 3: the other members are members of our organization, and so 354 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:39,159 Speaker 3: they kind of, we like to tell, we like to 355 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 3: think they listened to us. 356 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:44,119 Speaker 2: From time to time, we all see a lot of 357 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:47,480 Speaker 2: the development cranes up in the air. I guess it's 358 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:49,800 Speaker 2: reduced a little bit, but it seems still seems kind 359 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:52,720 Speaker 2: of endless. Again, I find the roads. You're already fool 360 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:59,520 Speaker 2: building more more housing, lectually, condos, et cetera. Do you 361 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:02,359 Speaker 2: have to do we have to slow down development. We 362 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:04,080 Speaker 2: don't have to slow down development. What we have to 363 00:18:04,119 --> 00:18:07,040 Speaker 2: do is slow down the number of cars that are 364 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:09,880 Speaker 2: that are needed per development. Okay, do that? 365 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:11,960 Speaker 3: Well, that's a project of something called zoning, which we 366 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:15,520 Speaker 3: all know about. So in right now in Massachusetts, for 367 00:18:15,640 --> 00:18:18,560 Speaker 3: every depending on the town you live in, for every bedroom, 368 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:21,120 Speaker 3: you have to have at least one car in many places, 369 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:24,159 Speaker 3: or sometimes two cars. As a requirement to build the building, 370 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 3: whether or not someone's gonna have the car or not, 371 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:27,280 Speaker 3: they have to have the parking space for the car. 372 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:29,119 Speaker 3: And so one of the things that folks are doing 373 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 3: is thinking about ways to decouple that. Why, especially in 374 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:35,879 Speaker 3: downtown Boston, the Beeg high rise building on top of 375 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:38,800 Speaker 3: South Station had to have something like two thousand parking 376 00:18:38,840 --> 00:18:41,680 Speaker 3: spots built with it, even though it's sitting on top 377 00:18:41,720 --> 00:18:43,800 Speaker 3: of South Station because of our zoning. 378 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:47,320 Speaker 2: And how why is it hard to change that rule? 379 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:48,719 Speaker 2: It seems like it's a no brainer. 380 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:51,879 Speaker 3: It's just the way it's been done. And again, we 381 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:53,560 Speaker 3: need to think differently about this kind of stuff. 382 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:57,920 Speaker 2: What will be your strategy to try to make that happen. 383 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 3: Well, it's already happening in cities and towns across Massachusetts, 384 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:03,240 Speaker 3: including in Boston. They are getting rid of something called 385 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:06,280 Speaker 3: parking minimums, which is the required number of parking spaces 386 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:10,199 Speaker 3: needed for each bedroom and each bed. So that is 387 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:12,080 Speaker 3: starting to change, and that's a great thing. We need 388 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:14,920 Speaker 3: to accelerate that. We also need to look at changing 389 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:18,520 Speaker 3: some of the other requirements to be built into buildings, 390 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:20,920 Speaker 3: like some in some parts of the country, some parts 391 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:23,920 Speaker 3: of the world, they're getting rid of second staircases in 392 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:26,520 Speaker 3: smaller buildings. Right now, you have to have two forms 393 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 3: of egress, two staircases to get out of even a 394 00:19:28,760 --> 00:19:32,960 Speaker 3: three story building. Places like France other parts of Europe 395 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:35,760 Speaker 3: they don't have that, and it makes building a lot cheaper, 396 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:37,360 Speaker 3: and it makes you to be able to build more 397 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:40,399 Speaker 3: housing within the structure for people to live instead of 398 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 3: just having space for people to move around. 399 00:19:43,920 --> 00:19:52,479 Speaker 2: You're doing anything to motivate developers to encourage micro mobility. 400 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:56,040 Speaker 3: Well, there are lots of requirements as part of what 401 00:19:56,080 --> 00:19:58,720 Speaker 3: it's called mitigation. So when a developer agrees to build something, 402 00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:00,480 Speaker 3: they have to also agree to give the city or 403 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:03,879 Speaker 3: town or the local regions some goodies. Micromobility is one 404 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 3: of those things. Think about the blue bikes that we 405 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:08,480 Speaker 3: have here in Boston as a version of micromobility. There's 406 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:13,719 Speaker 3: also a lot of requirements for putting up screens and buildings, 407 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:16,880 Speaker 3: but there is no requirement or even ability right now 408 00:20:16,920 --> 00:20:19,679 Speaker 3: for developers who build massive developments to give money to 409 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:23,639 Speaker 3: the tea to run additional service. That mechanism just doesn't 410 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:24,640 Speaker 3: exist in state law. 411 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:26,960 Speaker 2: All right, They're going to take a break before we do. 412 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:29,640 Speaker 2: I just want to give you a little number here 413 00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:35,040 Speaker 2: can make you understand how important making this transportation system 414 00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:38,760 Speaker 2: work and doing what you can, calling who you must 415 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:43,800 Speaker 2: to make it happen. Rapid delivery growth, the tonal number 416 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:46,399 Speaker 2: of third party food delivery. Actually that's going to be 417 00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:48,639 Speaker 2: part of another I'd rather put that as part of 418 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:51,520 Speaker 2: another question that I ask you. So we'll break now 419 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 2: and I'll get to that later. I'm busy. 420 00:20:55,320 --> 00:20:59,800 Speaker 1: You're on night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ Boston's News. 421 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:04,960 Speaker 2: You. Our guest is Brian Kane, Executive Director, MBTA Advisory Board. 422 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:07,119 Speaker 2: And during the break, I was just saying, and I 423 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:10,040 Speaker 2: know you all know how much I love the MBTA. 424 00:21:10,960 --> 00:21:12,840 Speaker 2: I love not having to drive in Boston. I love 425 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:15,720 Speaker 2: I can get way way far. I can go to Providence. 426 00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:18,879 Speaker 2: You know, I can go where I want and I 427 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:23,760 Speaker 2: don't have to drive. I love it. And you said, boy, 428 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:26,480 Speaker 2: I hope I get a chance to talk about how 429 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:28,199 Speaker 2: the more people that are like you, the better it 430 00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:29,320 Speaker 2: is for everybody on the road. 431 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:32,800 Speaker 3: And so well, I mean, one of the worst parts 432 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:34,359 Speaker 3: about driving I think all of us have had this 433 00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:37,520 Speaker 3: experience is other drivers, others they're just it's just awful. 434 00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:38,280 Speaker 3: You get cut off. 435 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:42,040 Speaker 2: Okay, all right, let's which brings me to I guess 436 00:21:42,040 --> 00:21:43,480 Speaker 2: this is as good a time as any to get 437 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:46,800 Speaker 2: to this. It is part of the problem with traffic 438 00:21:46,920 --> 00:21:50,840 Speaker 2: is everyone knows there's no trafficing. There's very little traffic enforcement. 439 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:54,680 Speaker 2: I have seen zero in where I live. I've seen 440 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:59,240 Speaker 2: zero in Boston, none, zero people pulled over. I see 441 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:04,160 Speaker 2: many in fract and even many, many more by scooters, 442 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:06,879 Speaker 2: which seem It seems folks have decided that they are 443 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:09,800 Speaker 2: immune from traffic laws and let them just turn the 444 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:13,479 Speaker 2: bike lanes, which cost so much money, into delivery scooter 445 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:18,000 Speaker 2: lanes at the peril of bike riders. That's another thing 446 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:23,560 Speaker 2: we'll get to later. But in order to have the 447 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:26,720 Speaker 2: economy run, transportation has to run, which means traffic has 448 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:29,320 Speaker 2: to run, and there have to be rules, and the 449 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:32,120 Speaker 2: rules have to be obeyed. In Scandinavian countries, you don't 450 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:34,960 Speaker 2: need so much enforcement because they like their government, they 451 00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:39,000 Speaker 2: like their rules. But not here. It's like we're a 452 00:22:39,119 --> 00:22:45,240 Speaker 2: nation of outlaws, even in Massachusetts. And I'm curious. I 453 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:49,080 Speaker 2: would ask you first how much of an issue is 454 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:51,919 Speaker 2: lack of enforcement and lack of adherance to the rules. 455 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:55,200 Speaker 2: I would try to take a cab from my house 456 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:59,119 Speaker 2: in Brookline to the Liberty Hotel. It took like an hour, 457 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 2: and people were blocking the box, against the law, against 458 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:08,000 Speaker 2: the rules. And when that happens, you go through multiple 459 00:23:08,040 --> 00:23:10,600 Speaker 2: light cycles not moving at all, and then people just 460 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:12,959 Speaker 2: get fed up, get out of line, and it becomes 461 00:23:13,040 --> 00:23:18,560 Speaker 2: it looks like Saigon. It's just a free for a 462 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 2: literal free for all. People get to the point where, Wow, 463 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:25,879 Speaker 2: I'm not going to get home unless I now break 464 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:32,280 Speaker 2: the law. So I'm curious. I don't know if I 465 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:35,880 Speaker 2: can get into why. Well, it's a lack of willfrim 466 00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:38,520 Speaker 2: communities don't seem to want to prioritize it. 467 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:41,679 Speaker 3: I think a lot of it has to do with 468 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:44,320 Speaker 3: the human factor. And I think what we're seeing with 469 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:46,600 Speaker 3: a lot of law enforcement folks is that they are 470 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:49,879 Speaker 3: getting more and more concerned about being asked to use 471 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:53,720 Speaker 3: their best judgment in a situation for a variety of reasons. 472 00:23:54,359 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 3: One of the ways to sort of make that easier 473 00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:00,880 Speaker 3: for them and better and fairer, though not one hundred 474 00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 3: percent fair, but fairer is by making it automatic and 475 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:07,040 Speaker 3: using technology. Lots and lots of places use cameras to 476 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:09,920 Speaker 3: do enforcement. We don't do that here in Massachusetts, although 477 00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:12,560 Speaker 3: we are about to start. We are, we are. I 478 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:15,960 Speaker 3: did not know on T buses. New legislation was passed 479 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:18,520 Speaker 3: last year. The TEA just finalized its rules. So there's 480 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:22,119 Speaker 3: we're tiptoeing into camera enforcement. How will that work with 481 00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:24,679 Speaker 3: TEA buses? What do you mean so right? If it 482 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:26,960 Speaker 3: hasn't started yet, But if if a car is parked 483 00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:29,080 Speaker 3: in a bus stop and a T bus shows up 484 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 3: and can't get into that bus stop, the bus is 485 00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 3: equipped with cameras, three sixty cameras, it's going to be 486 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:37,160 Speaker 3: able to identify that car by its license plate, the operator, 487 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:39,080 Speaker 3: et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, and that person will 488 00:24:39,119 --> 00:24:40,640 Speaker 3: automatically get a fine in the mail. 489 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:42,560 Speaker 2: Okay, they've broken the seal. 490 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:47,240 Speaker 3: I certainly hope that's the case. It's won't. It'll there'll 491 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:48,840 Speaker 3: be some challenges we're gonna have to get through it. 492 00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:50,879 Speaker 3: But I hope that is the start of many to come. 493 00:24:50,840 --> 00:24:53,240 Speaker 2: All right and listen to all of you out there, 494 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:56,440 Speaker 2: no matter where you are, within the sound of my voice, 495 00:24:56,680 --> 00:24:58,760 Speaker 2: I'm now going to make the case for your town 496 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:04,920 Speaker 2: adopting automated enforcement. Most people you know we're America. No, 497 00:25:05,080 --> 00:25:07,600 Speaker 2: that's so an American. That's terrible. But let me make 498 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:10,280 Speaker 2: the case. First of all, it will save it will 499 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:13,359 Speaker 2: make money for your town. It will be a money generator. 500 00:25:14,160 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 2: You can spend that money on whatever you want. Spend 501 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:19,880 Speaker 2: that money on more police officers to do other non 502 00:25:19,920 --> 00:25:22,879 Speaker 2: traffic related things. Spend it on your school, spend it 503 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:26,840 Speaker 2: on what you guys decide, you people decide. That's fine. Secondly, 504 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:33,560 Speaker 2: it will erase any chance that people are stopped based 505 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:39,320 Speaker 2: on things they shouldn't be stopped on, based on discriminatory 506 00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:43,000 Speaker 2: potentially discriminatory reason they will take. It will relieve the 507 00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:46,760 Speaker 2: police of worrying about that. It just won't happen. It 508 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:50,960 Speaker 2: will be you're a lawbreaker. That will be it. And 509 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:57,119 Speaker 2: of course it will traffic will run more smoothly. And 510 00:25:57,240 --> 00:25:59,720 Speaker 2: it's a crucial thing. It's a crucial part of the 511 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:04,920 Speaker 2: answer to how the transportation can be fixed, so our 512 00:26:04,960 --> 00:26:07,119 Speaker 2: economy can get fixed in the price of things, it 513 00:26:07,119 --> 00:26:09,760 Speaker 2: will be less expensive. It's just a crucial thing. I 514 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:11,960 Speaker 2: don't know what. And I'll ask you right now, anybody 515 00:26:11,960 --> 00:26:14,240 Speaker 2: six one, seven, two, five, four, ten thirty, what is 516 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:17,880 Speaker 2: your beef with automated enforcement. It's good. Your town will 517 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:22,080 Speaker 2: make money. Police departments will be relieved of that responsibility. 518 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:26,080 Speaker 2: I don't I don't see the problem. What am I missing? 519 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:29,040 Speaker 2: I think you're you're, you're nailing it. 520 00:26:29,040 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 3: It will also allow police to focus on actual crime, 521 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:34,080 Speaker 3: right and making people's lives better, which is really what 522 00:26:34,119 --> 00:26:34,880 Speaker 3: we want them to be. 523 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:42,040 Speaker 2: Doing, right, all right. Next up is a potential piece 524 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:45,960 Speaker 2: of the transportation situation. A lot of people drive cars, 525 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:48,240 Speaker 2: don't need to really drive cars. They're only one of them, 526 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:51,639 Speaker 2: and they're not going on a highway or anything. And 527 00:26:52,560 --> 00:26:55,480 Speaker 2: you know, I have a love hate relationship with the scooters. No, 528 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:58,000 Speaker 2: I don't have a love. There's no love, actually, but 529 00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:01,120 Speaker 2: I can see where school might be part of a 530 00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:06,040 Speaker 2: transportation solution because they take up exponentially less space then 531 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:10,600 Speaker 2: an suv, which most people have some for crossover suv 532 00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:17,119 Speaker 2: during decent weather and all. However, of course, there seems 533 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:20,920 Speaker 2: to be zero enforcement on those. Seems to be a 534 00:27:21,040 --> 00:27:24,479 Speaker 2: knowledge that the uppers seem to have that knowledge, and 535 00:27:24,520 --> 00:27:27,359 Speaker 2: this is all This is sort of economically driven, perhaps 536 00:27:27,359 --> 00:27:31,119 Speaker 2: because businesses want scooters to deliver their goods as quickly 537 00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:34,680 Speaker 2: as possible and are happy that the scooters don't have 538 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:38,920 Speaker 2: to obey traffic laws, and the scooters are have usurped 539 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:43,399 Speaker 2: the bicycle lanes, which I don't know, hundreds of thousands, 540 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:45,600 Speaker 2: probably millions of dollars has been spent on to create 541 00:27:45,640 --> 00:27:50,240 Speaker 2: a safe alternative route for bicyclists, and that's not safe 542 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:52,600 Speaker 2: anymore because the scooters are in there using it as 543 00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:57,360 Speaker 2: those are delivery lanes like delivery super highways with no rules. 544 00:27:58,600 --> 00:28:01,400 Speaker 2: So I can see scooters would be a good thing 545 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:05,440 Speaker 2: if they were regulated properly, ensured properly, so when one 546 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:07,520 Speaker 2: hits you, you're not on the hook for all your 547 00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:12,679 Speaker 2: hospital bills. I believe that businesses that hire scooter delivery 548 00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:15,720 Speaker 2: people need to they have to be employees so that 549 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:19,359 Speaker 2: you can sue the company when their employee breaks the law. 550 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:25,120 Speaker 2: And further, in a state and in towns that profess 551 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:28,600 Speaker 2: to be green and care about the environment, it is 552 00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:34,399 Speaker 2: my understanding that scooters have they don't have to be 553 00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 2: tested for emissions. How much have scooters increased in numbers? 554 00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:46,520 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, well I have here. You know, if you 555 00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:48,640 Speaker 2: don't trust AI, then you can dismiss this. I actually 556 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:51,160 Speaker 2: don't really trust it, but maybe this one happens to 557 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:54,760 Speaker 2: be right. Rabid delivery growth. The total number of third 558 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:58,680 Speaker 2: party food delivery trips in Massachusetts more than doubled between 559 00:28:58,840 --> 00:29:02,720 Speaker 2: back in twenty nine to twenty twenty one, and it's 560 00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:05,600 Speaker 2: gone way off the chat since then. But it grew 561 00:29:05,720 --> 00:29:09,640 Speaker 2: then from forty five million trips to over one hundred 562 00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:13,720 Speaker 2: million trips, and it's much more than that now. So 563 00:29:14,040 --> 00:29:18,360 Speaker 2: these scooters have to be taken seriously as a possible solution, 564 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:22,840 Speaker 2: but as a real danger to the environment and to 565 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:27,120 Speaker 2: public safety and to traffic flow. That was a big, 566 00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:30,240 Speaker 2: long statement, But what do you say. 567 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:34,480 Speaker 3: Well, you're obviously correct. The state has yet to catch 568 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:37,880 Speaker 3: up with the technology. I was at a form a 569 00:29:37,880 --> 00:29:40,040 Speaker 3: couple weeks ago with the two chairs of the Transportation 570 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:42,120 Speaker 3: committee from the House and the Senate. They agree that 571 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:44,000 Speaker 3: this is something that needs to be addressed. They're actually 572 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:46,280 Speaker 3: working on it right now. I would expect to see 573 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:49,800 Speaker 3: legislation come out in twenty twenty six. But until the 574 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:52,520 Speaker 3: state takes action, cities and towns are really hampered because 575 00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:54,480 Speaker 3: right now there are no laws that they can actually 576 00:29:54,560 --> 00:29:58,000 Speaker 3: enforce on a lot of these things. And the manufacturers 577 00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:00,880 Speaker 3: also need to be sort of talk to in a 578 00:30:00,880 --> 00:30:04,040 Speaker 3: certain way, because right now, from what I understand. My 579 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:05,680 Speaker 3: mechanical knowledge is very limited. 580 00:30:06,720 --> 00:30:06,880 Speaker 2: Thing. 581 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:10,680 Speaker 3: If your vehicle can go over twenty five mph, it's 582 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:13,200 Speaker 3: considered a vehicle. If it can't. 583 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:16,760 Speaker 2: Talking the fast e bikes now or the fast well, 584 00:30:16,800 --> 00:30:19,800 Speaker 2: I didn't get to that. Okay, that's us. I have 585 00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:23,560 Speaker 2: a complete beef for that. Yeah, right, Some of them go, 586 00:30:23,680 --> 00:30:26,960 Speaker 2: I know a lot about this, and I have actually 587 00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:33,480 Speaker 2: written to my town very carefully worded missives and receive 588 00:30:33,600 --> 00:30:36,200 Speaker 2: not a whole lot of love on it because it 589 00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:38,680 Speaker 2: doesn't seem to for whatever reason, doesn't seem to be 590 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:42,040 Speaker 2: a will. Everybody's so locked into the idea of bicycles 591 00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:44,680 Speaker 2: they don't realize that these aren't bicycles. Now. I went 592 00:30:44,720 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 2: to a dealer and asked them, I asked all about them. 593 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:51,960 Speaker 2: Many of them go forty forty five miles an hour. 594 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:56,400 Speaker 2: They're marketed. I can send you this as as a 595 00:30:56,440 --> 00:30:59,920 Speaker 2: group of them not getting to work or home or school, 596 00:31:00,320 --> 00:31:03,880 Speaker 2: but you know doing you know, ramming around, as my 597 00:31:04,560 --> 00:31:10,000 Speaker 2: mother would say. And I was told at a place 598 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:13,000 Speaker 2: of business that sold these that, yeah, the pedal is 599 00:31:13,080 --> 00:31:15,400 Speaker 2: just put on there, so they're legal in bike lanes. 600 00:31:16,080 --> 00:31:20,400 Speaker 2: It's a weird loophole. It seems pretty easy to seem 601 00:31:20,720 --> 00:31:23,200 Speaker 2: easy to close one thing you could do without spending 602 00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:27,280 Speaker 2: many money, Well much money is nobody even knows if 603 00:31:27,280 --> 00:31:30,800 Speaker 2: there are rules. Nobody even knows if there are community expectations. 604 00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:35,040 Speaker 2: So communities could put up signs, they could have a 605 00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:37,960 Speaker 2: digital campaign. Look, this is how we expected to behave 606 00:31:38,080 --> 00:31:42,160 Speaker 2: on a scooter and on a bike. That's that's starters. 607 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:45,840 Speaker 3: Well, much like what with with vehicles years ago, where 608 00:31:45,920 --> 00:31:49,200 Speaker 3: the federal government and states got involved in setting regulations. 609 00:31:49,360 --> 00:31:51,960 Speaker 3: States and the Feds need to set some regulations around 610 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:54,600 Speaker 3: e bikes. It's just one of those things that has 611 00:31:54,680 --> 00:31:57,080 Speaker 3: to happen and be enforced at a at a bigger level. 612 00:31:57,080 --> 00:31:59,080 Speaker 3: Cities in towns alone can't do it. I'm glad you 613 00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:02,280 Speaker 3: brought that up. So what makes you think something will 614 00:32:02,320 --> 00:32:07,880 Speaker 3: happen in twenty twenty six? Hearing rumblings of people writing legislation, Yeah, yeah, 615 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:12,000 Speaker 3: the Saint the chairs of the House in Centate Transportation 616 00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:13,960 Speaker 3: Committee have been very vocal the last few weeks and 617 00:32:14,560 --> 00:32:16,640 Speaker 3: will continue to be based on their schedules talking about 618 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:18,680 Speaker 3: this stuff. So I do think they're very serious and 619 00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:22,000 Speaker 3: they want to do something with that. Said, twenty twenty 620 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:23,880 Speaker 3: six is an election year, and I think we all 621 00:32:23,920 --> 00:32:26,240 Speaker 3: know how things go in election years. We don't tend 622 00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:29,000 Speaker 3: to make big moves in election years, but maybe you 623 00:32:29,120 --> 00:32:29,440 Speaker 3: never know. 624 00:32:30,520 --> 00:32:33,000 Speaker 2: All Right, We're going to take a break and finish 625 00:32:33,160 --> 00:32:35,600 Speaker 2: up with Brian here on WBZ. 626 00:32:36,440 --> 00:32:42,440 Speaker 1: Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ Boston's news radio Radley. 627 00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:44,520 Speaker 2: J for Dan Beck with Brian Kane, executive director of 628 00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:49,040 Speaker 2: the MBTA, and so much more. We want the you 629 00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:51,120 Speaker 2: want a lot of ridership on the MBTA, You need 630 00:32:51,200 --> 00:32:54,000 Speaker 2: to make some money. Now, I know that fairs don't 631 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:57,120 Speaker 2: account for a large you know, the largest allion's share 632 00:32:57,160 --> 00:32:58,640 Speaker 2: part of the budget. 633 00:32:58,680 --> 00:33:01,240 Speaker 3: Right, it was forty percent sent in twenty nineteen for 634 00:33:01,400 --> 00:33:04,320 Speaker 3: the pandemic. Well now it's down to around thirty percent. 635 00:33:04,640 --> 00:33:07,560 Speaker 2: And why didn't people not come back after the pandemic. 636 00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:10,239 Speaker 3: Well, what's interesting is that the ridership numbers themselves have 637 00:33:10,360 --> 00:33:12,520 Speaker 3: come back, but it's really a different kind of ridership. 638 00:33:12,560 --> 00:33:16,840 Speaker 3: We're seeing a lot more folks riding on weekends with passes. 639 00:33:16,880 --> 00:33:19,000 Speaker 3: Ten dollars passes. You can buy a family pass on commuter. 640 00:33:19,080 --> 00:33:20,480 Speaker 3: That's one of the best deals arise in the state. 641 00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:23,320 Speaker 3: I think four people for the cost of two on 642 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:26,440 Speaker 3: commuter rail ten bucks per adult and you can go 643 00:33:26,480 --> 00:33:28,120 Speaker 3: anywhere you want to the whole system all weekend. 644 00:33:28,160 --> 00:33:31,560 Speaker 2: It's amazing. Okay, So of course funding, everything's about money, 645 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:35,480 Speaker 2: and funding is very important and paying the fare, which 646 00:33:35,520 --> 00:33:39,040 Speaker 2: is crazy reasonable for a ride. It goes. You can 647 00:33:39,080 --> 00:33:42,440 Speaker 2: go anywhere you want for a handful of change. Really 648 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:49,640 Speaker 2: and for a while, well, no, for the longest forever 649 00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:53,120 Speaker 2: until recently, every phrase there was a bottle that because 650 00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:54,280 Speaker 2: you had to get on the front and pay you 651 00:33:54,360 --> 00:33:56,280 Speaker 2: fair on the front, I didn't open the doors on 652 00:33:56,320 --> 00:34:01,080 Speaker 2: the outside on the above ground tracks, and it seemed 653 00:34:01,120 --> 00:34:03,520 Speaker 2: they would be a good idea to have a system 654 00:34:03,560 --> 00:34:07,800 Speaker 2: where people got on and any door and paid, Like 655 00:34:07,880 --> 00:34:12,880 Speaker 2: in most countries, most civilized countries that have public transportation, 656 00:34:13,040 --> 00:34:15,799 Speaker 2: you have some sort of pass, you validate that pass 657 00:34:16,320 --> 00:34:20,440 Speaker 2: or pay somehow at whatever door you go into, and 658 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:24,239 Speaker 2: of course if you didn't, if you just got on, 659 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:29,759 Speaker 2: you would be subject to a serious penalty. That would 660 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:32,840 Speaker 2: be the incentive to pay. Well, part of that dream 661 00:34:32,880 --> 00:34:38,200 Speaker 2: came true. The NBTA did install payment devices at doors 662 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:43,840 Speaker 2: at all doors. However, they don't seem to have the 663 00:34:43,920 --> 00:34:46,600 Speaker 2: will to make people pay. I use the t all 664 00:34:46,640 --> 00:34:50,239 Speaker 2: the time and I feel like I'm one of the 665 00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:55,520 Speaker 2: few fools who pay my fare. People know no one cares, 666 00:34:55,880 --> 00:34:58,480 Speaker 2: nothing's going to happen to them. They get on and 667 00:34:58,520 --> 00:35:03,160 Speaker 2: they don't pay their fare once some people do, I 668 00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:08,799 Speaker 2: would say, in my opinion, most don't. Why the hesitation 669 00:35:09,160 --> 00:35:11,879 Speaker 2: to have some sort of enforcement. It wouldn't be that hard. 670 00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:18,080 Speaker 2: All you'd have to do is have some somebody paid 671 00:35:18,360 --> 00:35:23,239 Speaker 2: very little money to go around check and check did 672 00:35:23,320 --> 00:35:27,640 Speaker 2: you pay? Did you validate? And if you didn't define 673 00:35:27,680 --> 00:35:30,480 Speaker 2: it would be five hundred bucks something painful and people 674 00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:32,879 Speaker 2: would then pay. That's the way it works and has 675 00:35:32,920 --> 00:35:39,000 Speaker 2: worked for decades in other countries. Why not enforce that here? 676 00:35:39,040 --> 00:35:42,839 Speaker 2: Otherwise those payment methods at Easter waste of money. Why 677 00:35:42,880 --> 00:35:44,160 Speaker 2: not just say hey, it's free. 678 00:35:45,120 --> 00:35:46,920 Speaker 3: So one of the things that filling the new GM 679 00:35:47,040 --> 00:35:48,919 Speaker 3: I guess he's not new now it has been doing? 680 00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:52,960 Speaker 3: Is Is Is that very much that Bradley? So today 681 00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:56,239 Speaker 3: or yesterday fairgates at sut Station opened for all Salts side. 682 00:35:56,239 --> 00:35:57,880 Speaker 2: I noticed that, yes. Yeah. 683 00:35:57,960 --> 00:36:00,279 Speaker 3: When they were installed in North Station, revenue went up 684 00:36:00,320 --> 00:36:03,399 Speaker 3: by twenty seven percent year over year. So this will 685 00:36:03,440 --> 00:36:05,480 Speaker 3: be a game changer on the South Side for at 686 00:36:05,560 --> 00:36:08,399 Speaker 3: least for folks who take commuter rail and the Tea 687 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:10,319 Speaker 3: will see a lot more money coming out of that good. 688 00:36:10,400 --> 00:36:14,320 Speaker 3: With respect to the Green Line and buses, they are 689 00:36:14,480 --> 00:36:18,720 Speaker 3: trying to introduce what are called fair enforcement officials out there. However, 690 00:36:18,960 --> 00:36:21,000 Speaker 3: the law was also changed a couple of years ago 691 00:36:21,040 --> 00:36:23,600 Speaker 3: where it's now no longer really that much of a 692 00:36:23,640 --> 00:36:26,200 Speaker 3: penalty or really that much of a fine for for 693 00:36:26,280 --> 00:36:26,840 Speaker 3: faar evating. 694 00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:28,319 Speaker 2: Who's in charge of that law? 695 00:36:29,320 --> 00:36:32,839 Speaker 3: That was the legislature passed it two or three years ago. 696 00:36:33,480 --> 00:36:37,279 Speaker 2: It's now it's not even a misdemeaning group that goes 697 00:36:37,320 --> 00:36:40,520 Speaker 2: there and says shakes them by the collin and says, 698 00:36:40,560 --> 00:36:41,600 Speaker 2: wake up, legislature. 699 00:36:41,719 --> 00:36:47,200 Speaker 3: I think there's some concerns that folks might get caught 700 00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:50,600 Speaker 3: up in stuff and in fairness. Mean, you don't want 701 00:36:50,600 --> 00:36:53,560 Speaker 3: a kid getting a criminal record for not paying. 702 00:36:53,320 --> 00:36:55,200 Speaker 2: A fair It wouldn't be a crime. It would be 703 00:36:55,239 --> 00:36:56,080 Speaker 2: like a parking ticket. 704 00:36:56,320 --> 00:36:58,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, look at I agree. I mean when I was 705 00:36:58,680 --> 00:37:00,520 Speaker 3: at the tee, this was ten years ago, I ran 706 00:37:00,560 --> 00:37:03,040 Speaker 3: the numbers. It would have cost more money at the 707 00:37:03,120 --> 00:37:05,960 Speaker 3: time to put people on all the platforms with portable 708 00:37:05,960 --> 00:37:08,680 Speaker 3: devices to make it, but we don't need to do that. Yeah, 709 00:37:08,760 --> 00:37:10,680 Speaker 3: than it would. Now, what we need to do is 710 00:37:10,719 --> 00:37:15,400 Speaker 3: get folks on board, running around, running on the system, 711 00:37:15,440 --> 00:37:16,920 Speaker 3: making sure that they can actually do that. 712 00:37:17,400 --> 00:37:20,319 Speaker 2: Now, if there was a hint, a sentilla of a 713 00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:22,960 Speaker 2: chance that you would have to pay five hundred bucks, 714 00:37:22,960 --> 00:37:24,879 Speaker 2: it would make a difference. It would least, you know, 715 00:37:25,239 --> 00:37:27,239 Speaker 2: make people know this is what's expected of you. Get 716 00:37:27,320 --> 00:37:29,080 Speaker 2: you get no argument from me now. They don't even 717 00:37:29,080 --> 00:37:31,239 Speaker 2: know that it's expected. They think it's kind of free 718 00:37:31,280 --> 00:37:32,680 Speaker 2: and you only pay if you're a sucker. 719 00:37:32,880 --> 00:37:34,839 Speaker 3: One of the things that drives me most crazy about 720 00:37:34,840 --> 00:37:36,120 Speaker 3: the Tea, and I've been working with them for a 721 00:37:36,160 --> 00:37:38,000 Speaker 3: long time, is they have one of the third I 722 00:37:38,040 --> 00:37:40,200 Speaker 3: think it's the third or fourth biggest police department in 723 00:37:40,239 --> 00:37:43,719 Speaker 3: the state. And you never see a police officer on 724 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:45,080 Speaker 3: board a train or a bus. 725 00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:47,320 Speaker 2: There you go and you don't even need police officers. 726 00:37:47,440 --> 00:37:49,000 Speaker 3: No, but start with them if you really want to. 727 00:37:49,880 --> 00:37:52,239 Speaker 2: You have people already on the pay roll. Yeah, every 728 00:37:52,280 --> 00:37:54,640 Speaker 2: once in a while, Every once in a while, let's 729 00:37:54,640 --> 00:37:55,839 Speaker 2: have a few roam in the tea. 730 00:37:55,960 --> 00:37:59,080 Speaker 3: I don't think I've ever seen a te cop on 731 00:37:59,200 --> 00:38:00,000 Speaker 3: a train or a bus. 732 00:38:00,160 --> 00:38:02,799 Speaker 2: I mean, there there are many many countries where it works, 733 00:38:02,840 --> 00:38:06,600 Speaker 2: like a charm yep and we seem broken. One further thing, 734 00:38:06,640 --> 00:38:10,120 Speaker 2: as far as enforcement goes happy to talk, how many 735 00:38:10,120 --> 00:38:12,120 Speaker 2: people have gone under the tee and seen somebody with 736 00:38:12,200 --> 00:38:15,880 Speaker 2: a bicycle on the tee taking up I have a 737 00:38:15,920 --> 00:38:18,640 Speaker 2: photo in my phone that I just showed Brian of 738 00:38:18,760 --> 00:38:23,280 Speaker 2: a one of the giant e bikes that's foldable, folded 739 00:38:23,360 --> 00:38:28,479 Speaker 2: up in the handicapped spot, and somehow that's okay. First 740 00:38:28,520 --> 00:38:32,239 Speaker 2: of all, shame on you whoever did it. But the 741 00:38:32,320 --> 00:38:37,879 Speaker 2: system says, just as is with traffic and scooters, we 742 00:38:37,920 --> 00:38:41,920 Speaker 2: really don't care. We are for some reason do not 743 00:38:42,040 --> 00:38:44,400 Speaker 2: have the will to make you do what you probably 744 00:38:44,440 --> 00:38:48,480 Speaker 2: should do. What about that? Do you need to just 745 00:38:48,520 --> 00:38:52,080 Speaker 2: tell the operators to to tough it up a little bit? Well? 746 00:38:52,160 --> 00:38:54,359 Speaker 3: I think we as a society need to have a 747 00:38:54,400 --> 00:38:58,560 Speaker 3: real debate about what isn't isn't a bike because when 748 00:38:58,560 --> 00:38:59,680 Speaker 3: the two bikes. 749 00:38:59,520 --> 00:39:02,200 Speaker 2: Are not bike, they're electric motorcycles. Fair enough, if you 750 00:39:02,280 --> 00:39:05,240 Speaker 2: go forty miles an hour your electric motorcycle and certainly 751 00:39:05,280 --> 00:39:07,279 Speaker 2: should not be allowed in a bike lane or on 752 00:39:07,320 --> 00:39:11,279 Speaker 2: the tee or on the tea. Thank you, I appreciate that. 753 00:39:11,400 --> 00:39:15,960 Speaker 2: Let's we have Steven Brookline and Steve, you have two minutes, 754 00:39:15,960 --> 00:39:17,520 Speaker 2: as Dan Ray would say, what can you do with it? 755 00:39:17,520 --> 00:39:21,840 Speaker 2: What can you do with it? Steve? Hie, Steve, Steve, 756 00:39:21,840 --> 00:39:24,160 Speaker 2: are you there? Hi? Hi? 757 00:39:24,239 --> 00:39:26,280 Speaker 4: Hello, This is actually Keith. 758 00:39:26,840 --> 00:39:27,000 Speaker 2: Hi. 759 00:39:27,239 --> 00:39:29,920 Speaker 4: It's actually Keith, not Steve, and I'm here with Brian. 760 00:39:31,000 --> 00:39:32,640 Speaker 4: I just wanted to say I moved to it to 761 00:39:32,719 --> 00:39:37,000 Speaker 4: Brookline in nineteen ninety four and one of the things 762 00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:40,239 Speaker 4: that I kept calling home to Swansea, Massachusetts about was 763 00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:44,080 Speaker 4: the fact that Boston never shut down because the tea 764 00:39:44,120 --> 00:39:47,840 Speaker 4: always ran. And you know, over the cost of time, 765 00:39:48,520 --> 00:39:53,160 Speaker 4: we witnessed the team not running anymore. And it's nice 766 00:39:53,200 --> 00:39:55,800 Speaker 4: to kind of see the tea starting to run again. 767 00:39:56,040 --> 00:40:01,080 Speaker 4: And I have Brian with me, Brian Kane. It's it's 768 00:40:01,080 --> 00:40:03,920 Speaker 4: a different Brian, and I don't know who you are, 769 00:40:03,960 --> 00:40:06,200 Speaker 4: but but I appreciate everything you doing. 770 00:40:06,360 --> 00:40:09,399 Speaker 2: Thank you. I appreciate that too. Jesus out of time. Well, 771 00:40:09,400 --> 00:40:12,640 Speaker 2: look who it is on the phone calling now, Tim Murphy. Wow, 772 00:40:12,760 --> 00:40:16,439 Speaker 2: famous tea operator. He's an inspector. He's even above an inspector. Now, 773 00:40:16,800 --> 00:40:19,040 Speaker 2: he's a legend. He's a legend. He's a he's a 774 00:40:19,120 --> 00:40:22,240 Speaker 2: te operator. This gives me an opportunity to remind everybody 775 00:40:22,320 --> 00:40:26,560 Speaker 2: that as I understand that every Tea employee in operations 776 00:40:26,600 --> 00:40:29,359 Speaker 2: is working tonight on New Year's Eve. 777 00:40:29,440 --> 00:40:30,719 Speaker 3: Yeah, four or five thousand. 778 00:40:30,480 --> 00:40:32,720 Speaker 2: Of them, So be nice to them. Say thanks, Please 779 00:40:32,760 --> 00:40:35,080 Speaker 2: be nice, and thank you so much for coming in 780 00:40:35,120 --> 00:40:38,880 Speaker 2: and being very frank in your responses to me. I 781 00:40:38,920 --> 00:40:42,719 Speaker 2: appreciate thanks for having me. Well, you know what, folks, 782 00:40:43,320 --> 00:40:45,280 Speaker 2: New Year's Eve, if you're listening to me, you're probably 783 00:40:45,280 --> 00:40:48,719 Speaker 2: not out with you know, the the party yours. So 784 00:40:48,840 --> 00:40:51,319 Speaker 2: it's you and me, you plural and me, and we'll 785 00:40:51,400 --> 00:40:53,359 Speaker 2: chat together. I'm going to open up the line. It's 786 00:40:53,400 --> 00:40:55,719 Speaker 2: going to be open lines, but I kind of lean 787 00:40:55,840 --> 00:41:00,000 Speaker 2: towards talking about the year past, the year future, hope 788 00:41:00,040 --> 00:41:03,440 Speaker 2: with your dreams. Well, we'll have more specific questions to that. 789 00:41:03,800 --> 00:41:06,480 Speaker 2: That's coming up on WBZ. There's Radio ten thirty and 790 00:41:06,520 --> 00:41:07,439 Speaker 2: Tim callin then