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 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:10,640 Speaker 2: Thanks Al, great to hear your voice here as those 3 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:14,200 Speaker 2: of us who are still working on a holiday night. 4 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:20,159 Speaker 2: Tonight is the MLK Day, the day that memorializes the 5 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:25,160 Speaker 2: birthday of civil rights icon doctor Martin Luther King, who 6 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 2: was assassinated at the age of I believe thirty nine, 7 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 2: and he's just left a tremendous mark on this nation, 8 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:39,960 Speaker 2: and his day is a national holiday. I like to 9 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 2: work on it because I like to mention occasionally during 10 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:47,159 Speaker 2: the program that it is such an important day in 11 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 2: a day that all Americans should embrace. Before we get 12 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 2: to my guest this hour, Brian Kine, the executive director 13 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 2: of the MBTA Advisory Board, to talk about a looming 14 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 2: fiscal crime for the tea. It seems like their entire 15 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:05,479 Speaker 2: existence has been a looming fiscal crisis. But I want 16 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:10,959 Speaker 2: to introduce the winner of everybody knows the Patriots played 17 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 2: The Patriots did play yesterday? Is that correct, Rob? I 18 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 2: believe there was a football game, right, Yeah, haven't heard 19 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:19,320 Speaker 2: much about it on the television Today television newscast. They 20 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:22,400 Speaker 2: need to give it more coverage. Anyway, We had about 21 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 2: twenty three of our listeners take a shot at the 22 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 2: final score, and we now have a winner. The decision 23 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:34,560 Speaker 2: of the judges is final, but it's totally on the 24 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:37,839 Speaker 2: level because I'm the judge. If you pick the Texans, 25 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 2: you're out. You had to pick the team that won, 26 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:45,040 Speaker 2: which was the Patriots. There were eighteen selections of the 27 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 2: Patriots and five for the Texans, which I thought was 28 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 2: about right. And our winner, who chose the score of 29 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 2: twenty eight for the Patriots and twenty one for the Texans, 30 00:01:56,920 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 2: a good traditional football score four touchdown to three touchdowns. 31 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 2: The final score was twenty eight if you haven't heard, 32 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:08,640 Speaker 2: the Patriots one yesterday, twenty eight to sixteen over the 33 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 2: Houston Texans. And our winner, the person who took who 34 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 2: came the closest to the final score. I take off 35 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:22,080 Speaker 2: points if you're under or over. Eileen of Cambridge. I 36 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 2: Leen of Cambridge, Congratulations, you picked twenty eight twenty one. 37 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:30,080 Speaker 2: You were right on the money with the New England 38 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 2: Patriots score and you were five points off the Houston 39 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 2: Texans score. There were I believe it was four people 40 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:43,840 Speaker 2: who were close with seven. They were off seven points. 41 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:46,800 Speaker 2: I was off nine points. I had it twenty seven 42 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:51,519 Speaker 2: to twenty four. But ii Leen was the best prognosticator 43 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:54,119 Speaker 2: last Friday night. And Eileen, if you would just call 44 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 2: Rob right now and give us your address, we will 45 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 2: get that beautiful, beautiful, dark blue nightside coffee mug in 46 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:07,360 Speaker 2: the mail to you from our friends at College Hype, 47 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 2: Jack Derty and everybody at College. HiPE provides night side gear. 48 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 2: If you want to purchase a mug or a sweatshirt, 49 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 2: a hooded sweatshirt, just go to nightsidegear dot com. You 50 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:21,320 Speaker 2: will be the best dressed person in your neighborhood with 51 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:26,120 Speaker 2: whatever nightside gear for all seasons. Gear stuff for the 52 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:29,959 Speaker 2: summer and stuff for the for the winter as well, 53 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 2: particularly the hooded sweatshirts. Anyway, congratulations to Eileen from Cambridge. 54 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 2: She came the closest, almost nailed it, nailed the Patriots 55 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 2: score twenty eight points for the Pats, sixteen for the 56 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 2: pathetic Houston Texans. Wow, what a what a dismal performance 57 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 2: by their offense yesterday. It looked like at different times 58 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:55,240 Speaker 2: it look like a Pop Warner game. But we'll leave 59 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 2: that alone with us now. Brian Kane, Executive Director of 60 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 2: the MBTA Advisory Board, Brian's been with us before, one 61 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 2: of my favorite guests. Hey, Brian, welcome back to Night Side. 62 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 2: How are you this evening. 63 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 3: I'm great, Dan. Thanks so much for having me on 64 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 3: your air. I really appreciate it. 65 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 2: Well. I read this article in the in the Globe 66 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:19,280 Speaker 2: on Friday by I think it's Jamie Moore Carrillo. 67 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 3: Is actually his first day. 68 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 2: I'm den him. Yes Hi may Hi may Hi may Okay, 69 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 2: thank you, Hi may more Carrillo. The DJ is spelled 70 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 2: a little differently, are pronounced himI Moore Corilla with the 71 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 2: Globe staff, thank you for that correction. And the news 72 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:43,279 Speaker 2: in the Boston Globe it said huge deficits could pop 73 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 2: Tease Balloon projected a worsen in the future, and the 74 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:52,279 Speaker 2: agency looks to Beacon Hill. This is a devastating analysis 75 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 2: because the governor releases her budget in advance of the 76 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:01,599 Speaker 2: state of the State of sometime later this week, so 77 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 2: it couldn't be more timely. But essentially what they're saying 78 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 2: is that the projected if I read this correctly, helped 79 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 2: me out, the projected deficit, not the debt, but the 80 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:19,720 Speaker 2: deficit for the fiscal year that will end in June 81 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:25,160 Speaker 2: is going to be five hundred and sixty million dollars, 82 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 2: and the projected deficit for next year, fiscal twenty twenty eight, 83 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 2: will be seven hundred and thirty two million dollars. That's 84 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,280 Speaker 2: a lot of money here, Bryan. What is going on? 85 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 3: Well, So on last Thursday, the TEA released what they 86 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:45,120 Speaker 3: call a pro forma, which is a two or three 87 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:47,800 Speaker 3: year look ahead at what they expect their revenue and 88 00:05:47,839 --> 00:05:52,719 Speaker 3: expenses to be. You're actually off by by about a year, Dan, 89 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:55,839 Speaker 3: So the good news is the common fiscal year that 90 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,839 Speaker 3: ends at the end of June of twenty twenty six, 91 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 3: they're they're okay. They're projected to finish the year with 92 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:07,080 Speaker 3: a little bit of money left in the till next 93 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:12,120 Speaker 3: year twenty seven. I expect that they'll be about okay. 94 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 3: But the year after that is really that that devastating 95 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 3: seven hundred and thirty two million dollar deficit, that is 96 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 3: really That's where I was quoted in the Globe saying 97 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:25,800 Speaker 3: I'm out of superlatives to keep saying how bad this is. 98 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:27,560 Speaker 3: I don't know what else to say. 99 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:30,240 Speaker 2: Okay, so let me make sure I get this right. Okay, 100 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 2: fiscal year start on July first, or is it not. Well, 101 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:37,440 Speaker 2: the federal government is October first, but fiscal year in 102 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 2: Massachusetts July first, So the fiscal year that ends this 103 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:44,599 Speaker 2: June thirtieth. 104 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:49,719 Speaker 3: We're okay, We're okay because they have money in the bank. 105 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:54,440 Speaker 2: Well, they have money at the bank, but that but 106 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:57,840 Speaker 2: is that did they ever payoff the debt? I mean, 107 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 2: there's a difference between deficit and debt, and that's always 108 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 2: important to make sure people understand. If you're in debt 109 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 2: and you owe money on your credit card and the 110 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 2: debt is, you know, ten thousand dollars and this year, 111 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 2: between interest and all of that, you have another thousand dollars. 112 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:21,000 Speaker 2: You say, well, my deficit's only a thousand, But well, 113 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:23,040 Speaker 2: now you add the thousand to the ten that you're 114 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 2: owed before, and your debt is eleven. So did they 115 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 2: absolutely right? Did they run with a surplus this year? 116 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:31,720 Speaker 2: Will they run with. 117 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 3: So what happened then is in they were able to 118 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 3: save some money due to federal COVID relief funds. They 119 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 3: were able to cobble together and they sort of put 120 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 3: that money into something they call a deficiency fund. It's 121 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 3: basically the MBTA's rainy day fund. What's going to happen 122 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:53,360 Speaker 3: is because of these large deficits, that fund will basically 123 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 3: be zeroed out by the end of June of twenty 124 00:07:57,120 --> 00:08:00,240 Speaker 3: twenty seven, which means as we start physcical to twenty 125 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 3: eight on July first, twenty twenty seven, they're facing a 126 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 3: real challenge. 127 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 2: And that is the year where they project that without 128 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 2: those COVID funds which have will will have gone away, 129 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:19,760 Speaker 2: that they're deficit for twenty twenty eight. For fiscal twenty 130 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:24,320 Speaker 2: twenty eight, that would be the year that begins a 131 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 2: year and a half from now, because it gets confused, 132 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:31,040 Speaker 2: will be seven will be seven hundred and thirty two million. 133 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:34,319 Speaker 3: That's correct, and the. 134 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 2: Figure that says on Thursday in the article the NBT 135 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 2: is closed that bearing a huge infusion of new cash 136 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 2: from the legislature, it will have a massive deficit of 137 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:49,600 Speaker 2: some five hundred and sixty thousand for the fiscal year 138 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:51,480 Speaker 2: that begins in July. 139 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 3: That's correct, But the difference is they have that they 140 00:08:57,559 --> 00:08:59,719 Speaker 3: will have some money of those COVID relief funds, of 141 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 3: that any day fund, so they'll have some of that 142 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 3: still left over. They can apply that to the deficit. 143 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 3: That'll basically bring their deficits down to zero, and that's 144 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 3: well the only thing that's really saving us at this point. 145 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 2: Okay, So let me ask you, it's just why, and 146 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 2: I don't want to confuse things. Yep, there was a 147 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:20,320 Speaker 2: period of time where where the T was running a 148 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 2: huge debt. You know, Now has that debt been been erased? 149 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:28,680 Speaker 2: We are we back at zero zero here and we're 150 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:31,959 Speaker 2: starting anew with with the COVID money. Did that erase 151 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 2: all the was the debt from from prior years? Had 152 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:38,839 Speaker 2: that been erased? Or is it now down to zero? 153 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:40,679 Speaker 3: If only? 154 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:41,040 Speaker 2: I mean? 155 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 3: So, the good news Dan is that the NBTA has 156 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 3: paid off any debt that it owed on the big 157 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:53,080 Speaker 3: dig So those debts have been paid. However, they have 158 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:56,439 Speaker 3: to continue to borrow about six hundred million dollars every 159 00:09:56,520 --> 00:10:00,560 Speaker 3: year to fund their maintenance and new vehicle acquisitions, and 160 00:10:00,679 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 3: there's no way they're ever going to get out of 161 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:03,320 Speaker 3: debt at that rate. 162 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 2: Okay, So as of today, okay, let's put the deficits aside. 163 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:11,480 Speaker 2: As of today, if you and if anybody's gonna know, 164 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:15,040 Speaker 2: you know, what is the m BT A debt as 165 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:15,600 Speaker 2: of today? 166 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:22,480 Speaker 3: It's about four billion dollars. 167 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 2: Four billion dollars. Okay, So so they and the interest 168 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:32,200 Speaker 2: on that is probably on that four billion dollars is. 169 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:37,719 Speaker 3: What, Oh, it's it's hundreds of millions. 170 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:39,720 Speaker 2: Million a years. So we're back to where we Oh god, 171 00:10:39,800 --> 00:10:42,520 Speaker 2: we're back to where we were. And and with the 172 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:46,520 Speaker 2: with the COVID money. Without the COVID money, what would 173 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 2: the federal debt of the what would the debt of 174 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:52,800 Speaker 2: the n b t A without that infusion of COVID 175 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:54,560 Speaker 2: funds Probably twice. 176 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:57,520 Speaker 3: That, I'll bet, yeah, probably, I mean with without those 177 00:10:57,520 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 3: COVID funds and and the sort of bailout that the 178 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:03,960 Speaker 3: TEA got from the federal government, it'd be a much 179 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:07,600 Speaker 3: different scenario right now. And lots of transit systems around 180 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:10,240 Speaker 3: the country are actually in that situation and they're looking 181 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:13,000 Speaker 3: at massive service cuts and massive fare increases right now. 182 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 2: So the t our MBTA is in similar circumstances with 183 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 2: other metro transit country companies in major cities. 184 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:27,880 Speaker 3: Right well, we're actually one of the good news stories 185 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:32,319 Speaker 3: in this industry. Dan the TA is, relatively speaking, is 186 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:36,080 Speaker 3: in good financial position compared to its peers in say Philadelphia, 187 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 3: which is looking at wholesale cuts to commuter rail lines. 188 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:43,560 Speaker 3: And bus routes. We're doing okay here in Boston because 189 00:11:43,679 --> 00:11:47,800 Speaker 3: our crisis sort of comes in eighteen months as opposed 190 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:49,800 Speaker 3: to six months. 191 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 2: Yes, sir, okay, Well, we're going to talk more about this. 192 00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:57,560 Speaker 2: My guest is a guest who have had on many times. 193 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 2: He actually numbers. It tough to talk about, particularly when 194 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 2: we talk fiscal year, because you know, the fiscal year 195 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:09,840 Speaker 2: twenty twenty seven begins in July. First, we're just into 196 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:13,000 Speaker 2: calendar year twenty twenty six. But we're coming to the 197 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 2: end of fiscal year twenty twenty six at the end 198 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:20,040 Speaker 2: of June. So it's complicated, as we say, but Brian 199 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:23,000 Speaker 2: seems to make sense for us as always. Appreciate him 200 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:25,559 Speaker 2: being here tonight. If you'd like to join the conversation, 201 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 2: ask any question, make a comment, love to have you 202 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 2: join us. It's a holiday night, a lot of people 203 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:36,280 Speaker 2: probably are still dealing and celebrating, dealing with their celebrations 204 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:39,200 Speaker 2: from yesterday. The Patriots did play a football game yesterday. 205 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:42,240 Speaker 2: All rooms to the to the contrary if you if 206 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 2: you missed it, they beat the Texans if any of 207 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:48,440 Speaker 2: you were not paying attention and uh and so this 208 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:50,439 Speaker 2: would be a great night to become a first time caller. 209 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:54,040 Speaker 2: Six one, seven, two, five, four to ten thirty. Those 210 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 2: lines are actually full right now, which is great? Or 211 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:58,800 Speaker 2: six one seven, nine three one ten thirty back with 212 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:02,559 Speaker 2: Brian Kane, the exact the director of the MBTA Advisory Board. 213 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:07,880 Speaker 2: And if anybody knows the numbers for the mbtas as 214 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:10,040 Speaker 2: good or as bad as they are, it is my guest, 215 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:12,360 Speaker 2: Brian Kane. We'll be back on Nightside right after this. 216 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 1: It's Night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio. 217 00:13:19,559 --> 00:13:22,800 Speaker 2: With me, not with me, but on the phone is 218 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:25,559 Speaker 2: Brian Kane, the executive director of the MBTA Advisory Board. 219 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:27,720 Speaker 2: We only got a couple of minutes here before the break, 220 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 2: and what I want to do is just finish up 221 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 2: our conversation. What has to be done to solve this? 222 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:40,160 Speaker 2: A year ago, Governor Healy tried, tried, and proposed an 223 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:44,440 Speaker 2: infusion according to this article of six hundred and eighty 224 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:49,080 Speaker 2: seven million dollars, But our legislature, the Great General Court, 225 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:52,880 Speaker 2: and their infinite wisdom whittled that down that amount down 226 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:55,199 Speaker 2: by about a third and kept it at four hundred 227 00:13:55,200 --> 00:14:02,840 Speaker 2: and seventy million dollars. And what must be done, well, 228 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:03,720 Speaker 2: Dan I want. 229 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:05,480 Speaker 3: To be pretty clear here with the night Side folks. 230 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:09,200 Speaker 3: I'm totally apolitical when it comes to the stuff, and 231 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:12,520 Speaker 3: I call them like I see him. Sure, the governor 232 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 3: really did try a year ago to sort of fix 233 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:18,840 Speaker 3: this for the long run, and she deserves some credit 234 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:21,960 Speaker 3: for that. Like you said, the legislature, especially the Senate, 235 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:25,040 Speaker 3: just just didn't come through and gave them a much 236 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 3: lower number. To solve the problem, Dan, we as a 237 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 3: commonwealth have to decide what it is we want from 238 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 3: our transportation network and then pay for it. There will 239 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:39,560 Speaker 3: be some savings that have to be eked out of 240 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:41,720 Speaker 3: the TEA. I'm not going to at all tell anybody 241 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:43,920 Speaker 3: it's the most efficient organization in the world. 242 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:44,640 Speaker 4: Trust me. 243 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 3: I was there for eight years. I know there's a 244 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 3: lot that can be done there. But you're not going 245 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 3: to get seven hundred million dollars worth of deficiencies or savings. 246 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:56,400 Speaker 3: You can get two or three hundred million, but you're 247 00:14:56,440 --> 00:14:58,520 Speaker 3: not going to close the budget deficit every year by 248 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:02,640 Speaker 3: doing that. Need to give them more of the taxpayer's money, 249 00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 3: or we need to begin to shut down sections of 250 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:09,240 Speaker 3: the TEE and just accept that we don't need them. 251 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 3: As a Commonwealth. 252 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:15,080 Speaker 2: Well, I think a lot of people would would would say, hey, 253 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:18,120 Speaker 2: you know, I needed to get to work, et cetera. 254 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:22,120 Speaker 2: My understanding is that they're going to be hiring. Is 255 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 2: it about one thousand new people on the tee? 256 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:29,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, So they do plan to go up to about 257 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:32,840 Speaker 3: eight seven hundred employees over the next two years. 258 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 2: Normally, when the companies in the hole in the private sector, 259 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 2: they effectuate some economies, including laying off people. How does 260 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:45,320 Speaker 2: the TEA do this side to get that? Were we 261 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:47,000 Speaker 2: owe money, let's hire more people. 262 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 3: It is a catch twenty two. So the what happened 263 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:53,400 Speaker 3: is the federal government came in two or three years 264 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:57,560 Speaker 3: ago and basically told them point blank, you're an unsaved system. 265 00:15:57,680 --> 00:15:59,600 Speaker 3: And one of the reasons why your system is so 266 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:03,520 Speaker 3: unste is that you don't have enough employees to operate 267 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 3: this system and maintain it adequately and safely. Wow, the 268 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:10,720 Speaker 3: Fed's actually mandated that they increase hiring. And I'll be honest, Dan, 269 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:13,000 Speaker 3: I mean I was at the TEA I left in 270 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 3: twenty eighteen. When I left, there was an all time 271 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 3: low of about fifty five hundred employees and it was 272 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 3: really too small to get the job done. In a 273 00:16:21,680 --> 00:16:24,440 Speaker 3: safe way. And that's just not me saying that. The 274 00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 3: FEDS came in and said that. So there is a 275 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:30,400 Speaker 3: certain number of employees that are necessary. I'm not sure 276 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 3: it's eighty seven hundred, to be very frank, but I 277 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 3: do think it's more than fifty five hundred. 278 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:40,040 Speaker 2: Wow, boy, I'll tell you what a catch twenty two 279 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 2: they find themselves in here. I mean, obviously they don't 280 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:47,400 Speaker 2: want to run a mass transit organization that is unsafe. 281 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:49,720 Speaker 2: Let's do this, Bran. I have full lines, and I 282 00:16:49,720 --> 00:16:51,840 Speaker 2: think we're gonna get some great questions and some great 283 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:54,800 Speaker 2: comments from listeners. So let's give them a chance to 284 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:58,800 Speaker 2: chat with you. We'll take a quick break for news 285 00:16:58,840 --> 00:17:00,360 Speaker 2: at the both the bottom of the eye or so, 286 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:03,360 Speaker 2: sit back and buckle up. Brian Kaye, the executive director 287 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:07,920 Speaker 2: of the MBTA Advisory Board, coming right back on Nightside. 288 00:17:08,600 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 1: It's Night Side with Boston's News Radio. 289 00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:16,280 Speaker 2: My guess is Brian Kane. He is the executive director 290 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 2: of the MBTA Advisory Board. Brian. In the article in 291 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:27,399 Speaker 2: The Globe on Friday by Hami Haimi Moore Carillo, it 292 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:30,040 Speaker 2: said the TEA expect to hire a thousand new employees 293 00:17:30,040 --> 00:17:35,520 Speaker 2: by fiscal year twenty twenty eight, that's like a year 294 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:38,680 Speaker 2: and a half from now. Wages the agency is the 295 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:41,960 Speaker 2: largest operating expensive projected to increase by roughly one hundred 296 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 2: and fifty million dollars. Now, I just did the math 297 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:45,800 Speaker 2: on that. I am not a math major, but I'm 298 00:17:45,800 --> 00:17:50,160 Speaker 2: pretty good at this. Thousand employees one hundred and fifty 299 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 2: million dollars, that works out to about one hundred and 300 00:17:52,840 --> 00:18:03,000 Speaker 2: fifty thousand dollars as an average salary. My math. You're 301 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:05,199 Speaker 2: better at math than I am. I mean, say, its 302 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:09,480 Speaker 2: salary and benefits one hundred and fifty k average. 303 00:18:11,160 --> 00:18:13,040 Speaker 3: Look at it. That's not what I made when I 304 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:14,600 Speaker 3: was there. I can assure you of that much. 305 00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:17,200 Speaker 2: How do I get? How do I apply for a job? 306 00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:23,040 Speaker 2: Oh man, let's go to the phones. Brian, we're having 307 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:26,879 Speaker 2: too much fun here, Okay, I don't know whether to 308 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:29,720 Speaker 2: laugh or cry. Let's go to Steve and Gabridge. Steve 309 00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:32,239 Speaker 2: first up this week on Nightside. 310 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:36,199 Speaker 5: Good Evening, Dan, Good Evening, Brian, Steve. Brian, there's a 311 00:18:36,600 --> 00:18:42,640 Speaker 5: principle and taxation that you you tax at the lowest 312 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:51,520 Speaker 5: rate possible over the largest base possible. And I bring 313 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:56,320 Speaker 5: that up because I want to know what percentage of 314 00:18:56,480 --> 00:19:00,120 Speaker 5: te writers are writing at reduced fair. 315 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 3: So Steve, that number has gone up dramatically in the 316 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:10,320 Speaker 3: last year and a half because the legislature, right around 317 00:19:10,320 --> 00:19:13,359 Speaker 3: the same time that they were not funding the tee 318 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:17,800 Speaker 3: at the level requested, required them to give what are 319 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 3: called low income fares based on income. So the number 320 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:25,000 Speaker 3: of low income writers has increased exponentially. I don't have 321 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:26,879 Speaker 3: that number right in front of me, but I will 322 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:28,440 Speaker 3: try to get it by the end of the program. 323 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:34,600 Speaker 5: And you also, of course have senior citizens writing at 324 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:39,960 Speaker 5: less than half fair. I think you have students writing 325 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:44,360 Speaker 5: at a very low rate. You have disabled people writing, 326 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:49,199 Speaker 5: and who knows. My point is, if the t is 327 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:54,360 Speaker 5: going bust, why are so many people writing it reduced fair? 328 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:57,439 Speaker 5: Why not eliminate some of that? 329 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:04,240 Speaker 3: Good question? So politics and unfunded mandate. So federal law 330 00:20:04,280 --> 00:20:09,800 Speaker 3: requires that anyone over sixty five get a fifty reduced fare, 331 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:15,400 Speaker 3: and the NBTA policy for over one hundred years has 332 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 3: been or and its predecessors has been the kids ride 333 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:24,160 Speaker 3: for free with a fair paying adult. Maybe we should 334 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:26,119 Speaker 3: look at that. You're not wrong, I mean. 335 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:28,800 Speaker 5: If you could reduce the number, that would be a 336 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:32,680 Speaker 5: way to increase revenue somewhat. I don't know if you've 337 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:38,600 Speaker 5: written I have occasion to ride out to Newton. Have 338 00:20:38,760 --> 00:20:43,280 Speaker 5: you noticed that when you get on a T train 339 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:47,080 Speaker 5: on your way back, you can get on in the 340 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:52,360 Speaker 5: very back door of the train or the middle door. Yes, 341 00:20:52,520 --> 00:20:55,280 Speaker 5: and there is a device there that is supposed to 342 00:20:55,359 --> 00:20:59,920 Speaker 5: read your phone. Yes, but there is no way for 343 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:03,720 Speaker 5: the driver to ascertain whether people getting on the car 344 00:21:04,119 --> 00:21:10,119 Speaker 5: are actually swiping their phone. Have you noticed that I have? 345 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:14,320 Speaker 3: Indeed? And something else, just to note, Steve, the good 346 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:18,560 Speaker 3: legislature also recently changed the law making it no longer 347 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:21,640 Speaker 3: a criminal offense to not pay your fare. It's now 348 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:23,639 Speaker 3: a civil infraction like a parking ticket. 349 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:28,280 Speaker 5: All right, that aside, How is it so now there 350 00:21:28,359 --> 00:21:31,639 Speaker 5: was anyone getting on the tee is basically getting on 351 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:35,200 Speaker 5: that the driver can't observe them. So it's basically entirely 352 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:36,560 Speaker 5: an iron honor system. 353 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:40,960 Speaker 3: Yes, that is correct. Oh and see if I looked 354 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:43,160 Speaker 3: at up, thirty thousand people have enrolled in the low 355 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:44,200 Speaker 3: income program in the. 356 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:47,280 Speaker 5: Last nine months, and that is not to count all 357 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:49,880 Speaker 5: the other people who are writing at reduced fares. 358 00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:53,800 Speaker 3: Absolutely so, I would I think. 359 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 5: It would be good to cut out as many possible 360 00:21:56,640 --> 00:22:01,280 Speaker 5: reduced fares and then keep the rate as low as possible. 361 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:05,159 Speaker 5: But the tea has to do something to increase its revenue. Okay, 362 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:05,960 Speaker 5: thank you gentlemen. 363 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:09,960 Speaker 2: Steve, that was a great call. Ran tell yous are great. 364 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:12,520 Speaker 2: Then what's that I said? 365 00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:13,560 Speaker 3: Nights are great? 366 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:15,640 Speaker 2: Well, they really are. I mean they do their homework 367 00:22:15,720 --> 00:22:19,800 Speaker 2: and I would not want Steve to be a prosecutor 368 00:22:19,800 --> 00:22:21,399 Speaker 2: and being the witness stand. 369 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:27,840 Speaker 5: Dan happthing to worry about. You're too smart, I. 370 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:30,200 Speaker 2: Thank so, Steve. I think you beat me every time. 371 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:32,840 Speaker 2: Thank you, my friend, Dougt. You soon have a great one. 372 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:37,639 Speaker 2: Good night. Let me go next to Brian in Marblehead. Brian, 373 00:22:37,680 --> 00:22:42,040 Speaker 2: you were next on nightside. My guest Brian Kane got ahead. 374 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:44,400 Speaker 2: Brian and Marshfield in Marblehead. 375 00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:48,080 Speaker 6: Excermey, I have a bunch of relatives who are former 376 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:49,520 Speaker 6: and current tea employees. 377 00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:50,159 Speaker 2: Nice. 378 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:53,280 Speaker 6: So you're one hundred and fifty thousands dollar a year 379 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:55,919 Speaker 6: salary is way underestimated. Three of them work in the 380 00:22:55,920 --> 00:23:00,720 Speaker 6: maintenance depotment over Insemable. They're making the high twos every day. 381 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:03,919 Speaker 6: Is a double shift over there as going on for 382 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 6: twenty years. 383 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:08,400 Speaker 2: Mister bulstation. 384 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:13,320 Speaker 6: The problem with the TEA really is the unfounded pension. 385 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:16,639 Speaker 6: How many people you have collecting MBTA pension? 386 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:19,520 Speaker 2: Uh? 387 00:23:20,119 --> 00:23:22,240 Speaker 3: Not sure, Brian, that's such think. 388 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 6: I think it's five thousand. 389 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, so you know I've heard this argument many times, Brian. 390 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 3: That is. 391 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:33,919 Speaker 6: Pensions about ten billion. 392 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:36,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, Brian, Brian in Marvelhead. Give them a chance 393 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:40,200 Speaker 2: to finish the questions. He's a guest, Brian, go ahead. 394 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:42,600 Speaker 2: You were making the point that you're not sure the number. 395 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:46,679 Speaker 2: My question are they? Are they all alive? My question? 396 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:53,480 Speaker 3: So there's about fifty according to I'm looking online right now, 397 00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:57,359 Speaker 3: fifty eight hundred active members in over sixty eight hundred 398 00:23:57,400 --> 00:24:00,640 Speaker 3: people who have retired, who collect about a billion seven 399 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:03,520 Speaker 3: every year in assets. Now, it's important to note that 400 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:06,760 Speaker 3: that's not money that's paid directly by the tee. The TEA, 401 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:10,560 Speaker 3: like every most employers, makes a contribution to its employees 402 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:15,080 Speaker 3: retirement that's matched by the employer by the employee. Excuse me, 403 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:18,639 Speaker 3: that rate should probably be increased. You're not going to 404 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:21,960 Speaker 3: get any argument for me on that one, Brian. Even 405 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:25,280 Speaker 3: if the pension were sort of straightened out and put 406 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:28,240 Speaker 3: into the state system, which I believe it should, be 407 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:33,399 Speaker 3: this tea would still have a massive deficit. And fixing 408 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:36,399 Speaker 3: the pension alone, despite what folks have been saying for years, 409 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:40,840 Speaker 3: is just not going to do it. 410 00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 6: The medical that goes along with it. And my last 411 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:46,600 Speaker 6: question is why do you let them retires so early? 412 00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:50,000 Speaker 6: I know people that retired enough work somewhere for thirty 413 00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:51,439 Speaker 6: years afterwards. 414 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 3: I mean, I wish I was in that system. I'm not, 415 00:24:56,680 --> 00:24:58,760 Speaker 3: and I don't get to choose who gets to retire. 416 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:03,280 Speaker 2: Could they still retire? Can they still retire as early 417 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:04,080 Speaker 2: as forty two? 418 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:08,800 Speaker 3: There are still some folks who can retire. I think 419 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:12,879 Speaker 3: it's forty three, Dan, eighteen years old. If you start 420 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:15,120 Speaker 3: and you can get out of there in twenty three years, in. 421 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:19,120 Speaker 2: Three months, forty three retiring at forty three. 422 00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:20,640 Speaker 6: Wow, in full medical. 423 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:26,679 Speaker 2: Well okay, Brian, these are two great calls. 424 00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:27,320 Speaker 3: You're out of. 425 00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:30,240 Speaker 6: The problem there. It's just just too generous for a 426 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:31,840 Speaker 6: public service business. 427 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:34,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, well you can thank you. 428 00:25:34,560 --> 00:25:37,920 Speaker 6: No, we're not talking an Oracle or Microsoft, Amazon. We'll 429 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:41,640 Speaker 6: talking to Nicholin Diame operation that's broke. They don't every 430 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:43,719 Speaker 6: time they make payroll. They got to borrow money, they 431 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 6: got to float bonds, they got no money. 432 00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:51,200 Speaker 3: All right, Brian, I think you made I got more 433 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:53,320 Speaker 3: money in my piggyback I have on my shelf than 434 00:25:53,320 --> 00:25:53,720 Speaker 3: they got. 435 00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:58,520 Speaker 2: Brian and marblehead. You got to become a regular caller. 436 00:25:58,640 --> 00:25:59,680 Speaker 2: This is your first time call. 437 00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:02,000 Speaker 7: Int I by any chances, no I call it before. 438 00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:04,840 Speaker 6: But this is just two delicious of a subject not 439 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:05,320 Speaker 6: to call. 440 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:06,440 Speaker 2: Well, yeah, call. 441 00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:10,040 Speaker 6: Unfortunately he had to hear my questions. I have three 442 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:14,560 Speaker 6: brothers that work there, and uh, they they're always doing 443 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:17,679 Speaker 6: the double shifts, and they're talking about how much you know, 444 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:19,439 Speaker 6: how much they make too. I think one of them 445 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:22,280 Speaker 6: said he made two eighties in twenty twenty five. And 446 00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:25,359 Speaker 6: they they worked there for sixteen hours. They might do 447 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:26,480 Speaker 6: one hour work. 448 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:31,320 Speaker 2: A lot of brother we loved going on here. Hey Brian, 449 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:34,359 Speaker 2: thank you so much. Talk to you so much. 450 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:38,040 Speaker 3: Pretty money all right, Thanks Brian, keep. 451 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:39,479 Speaker 6: Calling all right, I'll get you late. 452 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:42,040 Speaker 2: This is a great call. Mark is in Austin. Mark, 453 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:44,000 Speaker 2: go right ahead, you're next on night side. 454 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:49,159 Speaker 8: Thanks for taking my call. Dad. It seems to me 455 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:53,359 Speaker 8: is a long time MBTA riders that there's an unwritten 456 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:58,560 Speaker 8: rule among MBTA busts and train drivers. Whatever you do, 457 00:26:59,280 --> 00:27:03,320 Speaker 8: keep the tree, you know, the bus moving because very 458 00:27:03,359 --> 00:27:08,320 Speaker 8: often I reach into my wallet and start to pay 459 00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:15,679 Speaker 8: my fare, but the driver just waves me aboard, and 460 00:27:15,840 --> 00:27:21,760 Speaker 8: I can't help. But wonder how much money the MBTA 461 00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:27,320 Speaker 8: loses to this. Shall we call it a custom? 462 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:28,400 Speaker 2: Yeah? 463 00:27:29,280 --> 00:27:30,040 Speaker 3: Driving crazy? 464 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:31,320 Speaker 2: We call it a tradition. 465 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:36,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, its me crazy. The estimate is about six million 466 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:37,240 Speaker 3: dollars a year. 467 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 8: Six million. That is not chump change. 468 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:45,399 Speaker 3: No, no, I wish I had it. 469 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:50,440 Speaker 2: Mark, you're an honest man. Thank you for Look if 470 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 2: they wave you by, I get it. I get it. 471 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:56,520 Speaker 2: But boy, I'll tell you that that that's the quote 472 00:27:56,520 --> 00:27:59,080 Speaker 2: of the night. Mark, that's not jump change. Thank you 473 00:27:59,119 --> 00:28:00,800 Speaker 2: so much for the call. I gotta get to a 474 00:28:00,840 --> 00:28:02,560 Speaker 2: break here, but they didn't want to have you way 475 00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:03,160 Speaker 2: through the break. 476 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:05,960 Speaker 8: Okay, okay, thank you very much. 477 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:08,520 Speaker 2: Thank you, Mark, take a quick break. Coming right back 478 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:11,800 Speaker 2: on Nightside with Brian Kane. Brian, I feel like we're 479 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:14,480 Speaker 2: in the in the eighth round of a fifteen round 480 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:18,440 Speaker 2: map match here and you're not the problem. You're the guys. 481 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:24,680 Speaker 2: Let me tell you. That's you know. We'll keep going 482 00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:27,120 Speaker 2: with more phone calls. Brian, you're a great sport man. 483 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:31,320 Speaker 2: Thank you so much. Stay right there. Round nine comes 484 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:32,920 Speaker 2: up right after the break. 485 00:28:34,119 --> 00:28:37,040 Speaker 1: You're on Night Side with Dan Ray. I'm telling you 486 00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:39,040 Speaker 1: Boston's News Radio. 487 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:42,440 Speaker 2: My guess is Brian Kaney is the executive director of 488 00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:46,240 Speaker 2: the MBTA Advisory Board. We're going to keep rolling here 489 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:48,960 Speaker 2: with more comments and questions from our from our callers. 490 00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:52,280 Speaker 2: Melissa in Oregon. Melissa, welcome next on Nightside. 491 00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:57,160 Speaker 4: Hi darn hi Brian. I thought I heard Brian say 492 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:01,360 Speaker 4: that there was these COVID fun Yes, and so I 493 00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:04,960 Speaker 4: have a bit of a dumb question, dumb. 494 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:07,000 Speaker 2: Questions, Melissa, you know that. Go ahead. 495 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:11,040 Speaker 4: Well, I'm trying to figure out why the MTA would 496 00:29:11,080 --> 00:29:15,400 Speaker 4: need COVID funds. In second, why the funding would go 497 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:20,120 Speaker 4: through twenty six when COVID was officially over. Was it 498 00:29:20,200 --> 00:29:24,160 Speaker 4: twenty three or twenty four? And then the final question 499 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:27,520 Speaker 4: is is do they have to pay the federal government back? 500 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:28,440 Speaker 1: Like? 501 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:32,440 Speaker 2: Okay, an the whole bunch of questions, Brian, go ahead, 502 00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:35,600 Speaker 2: Why don't you just click those off one at a time? 503 00:29:36,560 --> 00:29:40,160 Speaker 3: Sure, thanks Melissa, Thanks for going from Oregon. So the 504 00:29:40,760 --> 00:29:43,400 Speaker 3: source of them was COVID funds, but they're not technically 505 00:29:43,560 --> 00:29:46,560 Speaker 3: COVID funds anymore. So what happened is during the pandemic. 506 00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:49,360 Speaker 3: That t got some money from the Federal Transit Administration, 507 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:52,760 Speaker 3: which is a federal agency. It was able to use 508 00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:56,720 Speaker 3: those funds to pay for its employees like lots of 509 00:29:56,760 --> 00:29:59,800 Speaker 3: other employers did, and then it was able to save 510 00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:02,800 Speaker 3: that has sort of got from the Massachusetts taxpayer that 511 00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:05,760 Speaker 3: year and used the COVID funds instead. And if those 512 00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:10,560 Speaker 3: Massachusetts taxpayers saved dollars that were sort of made possible 513 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:12,840 Speaker 3: by the COVID funding that they have in the bank 514 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:13,440 Speaker 3: right now. 515 00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:18,400 Speaker 4: Okay, so really I'm the people across the country they're 516 00:30:18,440 --> 00:30:22,600 Speaker 4: paying for it, right, But then. 517 00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:27,720 Speaker 2: We also paid COVID funds for other you know, transportation 518 00:30:27,800 --> 00:30:30,560 Speaker 2: authorities said probably all evens out in the wash. I 519 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:33,280 Speaker 2: would think it's not as if we were, you know, 520 00:30:33,400 --> 00:30:38,720 Speaker 2: specifically benefited. And and you know, there was a lot 521 00:30:38,760 --> 00:30:42,160 Speaker 2: of money Congress passed. They were in a panic on COVID, 522 00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:46,080 Speaker 2: you know that, and Congress Democrats and Republicans alike. You know, 523 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:48,600 Speaker 2: they filed and now they're trying to claw back some 524 00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:53,080 Speaker 2: of the money that people fraudulently applied for. So there's 525 00:30:53,440 --> 00:30:57,080 Speaker 2: there's a little bit of that. But yeah, Melissa, on 526 00:30:57,480 --> 00:30:58,960 Speaker 2: a side note, I don't know if you know that 527 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:00,760 Speaker 2: Wilbert Wood passed away over the weekend. 528 00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:02,120 Speaker 4: I did hear that. 529 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:04,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, to hear that. 530 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:10,680 Speaker 2: By the way, Melissa is a huge sports enthusiastics. She 531 00:31:10,800 --> 00:31:16,400 Speaker 2: writes and speaks around the country on baseball and interesting 532 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:20,200 Speaker 2: baseball issues. Has spoken just for your information Brian at 533 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:25,000 Speaker 2: Cooperstown at the Hall of Fame. Uh. And I never 534 00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:27,960 Speaker 2: I never had a chance to call him. I was 535 00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:30,160 Speaker 2: still one of those callers I was always going to 536 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:32,360 Speaker 2: make just to tell him how much I enjoyed him. 537 00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:34,240 Speaker 2: I'm hoping that he had a chance to listen to 538 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:35,960 Speaker 2: Night Side over the years before he passed. 539 00:31:36,160 --> 00:31:38,480 Speaker 4: I'm sure he did, and he was a very time man. 540 00:31:38,760 --> 00:31:42,000 Speaker 4: And for your guests, sounds like you're a transportation person. 541 00:31:42,840 --> 00:31:46,320 Speaker 4: And there are some great photos through Getty Images and 542 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:52,560 Speaker 4: other sources of in the lates when Malid played in 543 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:55,800 Speaker 4: the sixties and early seventies, and then you know far 544 00:31:55,840 --> 00:31:58,640 Speaker 4: back to the forties and thirties with the Negro leagues 545 00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:05,320 Speaker 4: of players traveling on buses and trains and really shows 546 00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:09,560 Speaker 4: how transportation played a key part and really moving baseball 547 00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:12,360 Speaker 4: across the country. So if you ever have a chance, 548 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:17,120 Speaker 4: I highly If it sounds like you're a transportation person. 549 00:32:17,360 --> 00:32:19,959 Speaker 4: So if you want to see some great photos, I 550 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:21,680 Speaker 4: highly encourage you to check them out. 551 00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:24,360 Speaker 2: It wasn't until the Dodgers and the Giants left New 552 00:32:24,480 --> 00:32:28,160 Speaker 2: York that we had West Coast teams then, and then 553 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:31,479 Speaker 2: surely they were after some expansion teams. Melissa, I had 554 00:32:31,480 --> 00:32:33,800 Speaker 2: owed you a phone call, but we will talk soon. 555 00:32:34,320 --> 00:32:34,480 Speaker 3: Yeah. 556 00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:37,080 Speaker 4: No, and thank you to your guests for explaining, like 557 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:40,760 Speaker 4: I think this whole thing with We're very blessed here 558 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:45,240 Speaker 4: in Portland. We do have an excellent transportation system with 559 00:32:45,280 --> 00:32:49,040 Speaker 4: our buses and our trains. But you know, well, when 560 00:32:49,040 --> 00:32:52,000 Speaker 4: you hear about all these costs and when it comes 561 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:54,680 Speaker 4: down to Texas, it's like how much can we pay 562 00:32:54,720 --> 00:32:58,720 Speaker 4: for and at what point do we have accountability, you know, 563 00:32:59,040 --> 00:33:01,760 Speaker 4: for for having a budget, just like we have for 564 00:33:01,760 --> 00:33:03,560 Speaker 4: our house our household. 565 00:33:04,440 --> 00:33:07,320 Speaker 2: The government hasn't learned much about accountability. And it's guys 566 00:33:07,360 --> 00:33:10,560 Speaker 2: like Brian Kane who serve on the advisory board who 567 00:33:10,680 --> 00:33:14,400 Speaker 2: are responsible. And I think Brian has gotten some ideas 568 00:33:14,440 --> 00:33:18,320 Speaker 2: from some of our listeners earlier tonight, Melissa, Melissa, we'll 569 00:33:18,320 --> 00:33:21,760 Speaker 2: talk soon, okay, Happy twenty twenty six. Hopefully this will 570 00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:23,200 Speaker 2: be nice. 571 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:24,320 Speaker 4: To talk to you. 572 00:33:23,800 --> 00:33:28,000 Speaker 2: Thanks Melissa, thank you. Next up is George and chelmps 573 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:30,120 Speaker 2: for George, you were next time. Nice that with Brian Kane, 574 00:33:30,120 --> 00:33:33,200 Speaker 2: Executive Director of the MBTA Advisory Board. 575 00:33:34,760 --> 00:33:37,640 Speaker 7: Hew, you guys doing. I just have one question. Wasn't 576 00:33:37,800 --> 00:33:39,960 Speaker 7: I hear something right earlier? What is the average pay 577 00:33:39,960 --> 00:33:40,720 Speaker 7: of a bus driver? 578 00:33:43,400 --> 00:33:45,080 Speaker 3: So the average pay of the bus rumber. I got 579 00:33:45,160 --> 00:33:47,280 Speaker 3: to look it up. I do know that the TA 580 00:33:48,600 --> 00:33:52,160 Speaker 3: usually has the highest paid bus operators of any public 581 00:33:52,160 --> 00:33:56,720 Speaker 3: transportation system in the country. And there's a good question 582 00:33:56,760 --> 00:33:59,480 Speaker 3: about whether you know bus operators. It's harder to drive 583 00:33:59,480 --> 00:34:01,680 Speaker 3: a bus here to New York City or anywhere else. 584 00:34:03,800 --> 00:34:07,080 Speaker 3: So real quick as looking online, they get thirty two 585 00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:10,719 Speaker 3: bucks an hour. Basically, let's see what does that work 586 00:34:10,760 --> 00:34:11,200 Speaker 3: out to be. 587 00:34:11,880 --> 00:34:14,080 Speaker 2: That would be about twelve That would be about you know, 588 00:34:14,120 --> 00:34:18,799 Speaker 2: twelve hundred and fifty dollars an hour in a forty hour, 589 00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:23,960 Speaker 2: in a forty hour a week of twelve yeah, yeah, yeah, 590 00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:26,440 Speaker 2: thirty two bucks an hour forty we get you to 591 00:34:26,520 --> 00:34:28,799 Speaker 2: about sixty thousand dollars. But then you got to add 592 00:34:28,800 --> 00:34:31,360 Speaker 2: in some overtime, right right, exactly? 593 00:34:32,520 --> 00:34:35,280 Speaker 7: All right? So I was saying about seventy eighty maybe well. 594 00:34:35,160 --> 00:34:38,680 Speaker 2: The base would be about sixty plus a little bit. Yeah, 595 00:34:38,719 --> 00:34:40,839 Speaker 2: and then if you get some overtime in there, yeah, 596 00:34:41,080 --> 00:34:41,800 Speaker 2: seventy eighty. 597 00:34:43,200 --> 00:34:45,319 Speaker 3: And I wasn't sure if I heard longevity. 598 00:34:46,520 --> 00:34:50,040 Speaker 7: Yeah, yeah, And I wasn't sure if I heard it directly. 599 00:34:50,480 --> 00:34:54,880 Speaker 7: The average pay for an MBT employee is one hundred 600 00:34:54,880 --> 00:34:58,960 Speaker 7: and fifty That was That was. 601 00:34:58,960 --> 00:35:01,160 Speaker 3: Some Dan Ray math there. Dan, You'll have to explain it. 602 00:35:01,239 --> 00:35:05,520 Speaker 2: Well, what is the government. The federal government is asking 603 00:35:05,600 --> 00:35:09,720 Speaker 2: the agency to hire one thousand new employees in different 604 00:35:09,760 --> 00:35:13,080 Speaker 2: capacities by fiscal year twenty eight, a year and a 605 00:35:13,120 --> 00:35:16,799 Speaker 2: half from now, and the projective cost of that is 606 00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:19,160 Speaker 2: roughly one hundred and fifty million. You do the math. 607 00:35:19,239 --> 00:35:21,600 Speaker 2: You divide one thousand into one hundred and fifty million, 608 00:35:22,040 --> 00:35:26,680 Speaker 2: it's about one hundred and fifty thousand per person salary 609 00:35:26,719 --> 00:35:30,759 Speaker 2: and benefits. So there could be some administrators involved in that, 610 00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:32,280 Speaker 2: some bus drivers as well. 611 00:35:32,840 --> 00:35:35,279 Speaker 7: But that's just yeah, I could, right, I mean, if 612 00:35:35,320 --> 00:35:37,040 Speaker 7: you look at it like another way, because I mean 613 00:35:37,120 --> 00:35:38,800 Speaker 7: I had some thoughts on it to my head, and 614 00:35:38,800 --> 00:35:40,719 Speaker 7: then I heard that, and I said, I just wanted 615 00:35:40,800 --> 00:35:43,319 Speaker 7: to call yep. But I mean, say, let's go even 616 00:35:43,400 --> 00:35:46,600 Speaker 7: numbers they'd say average bus driving makes eighty grand a year. 617 00:35:46,840 --> 00:35:47,080 Speaker 2: Yep. 618 00:35:47,760 --> 00:35:50,880 Speaker 7: So to get up to the average and pay for 619 00:35:50,920 --> 00:35:55,080 Speaker 7: all employees, to every one bus driver to have an 620 00:35:55,120 --> 00:35:59,040 Speaker 7: average of one fifty, you have to have another person 621 00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:01,120 Speaker 7: earning at least two Well, you just. 622 00:36:01,080 --> 00:36:04,640 Speaker 2: Heard from was it Brian and Marblehead who said he 623 00:36:04,680 --> 00:36:08,319 Speaker 2: had three brothers who worked as mechanics and they were 624 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:10,359 Speaker 2: making somewhere between two fifty and two eighty. 625 00:36:12,800 --> 00:36:14,960 Speaker 7: Okay, yeah, I'm just trying to tell. 626 00:36:14,840 --> 00:36:17,200 Speaker 2: You what was said. I got to get one more 627 00:36:17,239 --> 00:36:19,359 Speaker 2: in here, George. Have you called before, this's your first 628 00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:19,920 Speaker 2: time calling? 629 00:36:20,280 --> 00:36:21,560 Speaker 7: No, first time calling. 630 00:36:21,640 --> 00:36:23,040 Speaker 2: Well, we've got to give you a cutting out of 631 00:36:23,080 --> 00:36:25,000 Speaker 2: the claws from my digital audience. 632 00:36:25,080 --> 00:36:28,080 Speaker 7: Every bus driver out there, there's got to be a 633 00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:30,640 Speaker 7: mechanic earning at least two twenty to come to that 634 00:36:30,640 --> 00:36:32,839 Speaker 7: one fifty average. And there's got to be other jobs 635 00:36:32,920 --> 00:36:33,279 Speaker 7: up there. 636 00:36:33,239 --> 00:36:35,960 Speaker 2: This administrators and stuff. I mean, I assume that phil 637 00:36:36,160 --> 00:36:38,640 Speaker 2: Ing makes more than one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. 638 00:36:38,680 --> 00:36:41,160 Speaker 2: It's not you know, we can figure it out, all right, 639 00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:43,560 Speaker 2: Thank you, George, appreciate it very much. Call it call again. 640 00:36:43,640 --> 00:36:46,040 Speaker 2: Look forward to your next call. Joe and Lynn Joe, 641 00:36:46,120 --> 00:36:48,719 Speaker 2: you were next on night side. You're the caboos in 642 00:36:48,760 --> 00:36:49,880 Speaker 2: the train here, Joe, you got. 643 00:36:49,719 --> 00:36:51,759 Speaker 9: To be quick in the train. Well, I have a 644 00:36:51,800 --> 00:36:55,200 Speaker 9: little two questions. One's a little off and one's about 645 00:36:55,200 --> 00:36:56,960 Speaker 9: the tea. They used to be first a comment, They 646 00:36:57,040 --> 00:36:59,480 Speaker 9: used to be so nice, Brian. I used to walk 647 00:36:59,520 --> 00:37:02,400 Speaker 9: down with a cane. They let me through. Now I 648 00:37:02,520 --> 00:37:04,919 Speaker 9: know if I have to have a card to get through. 649 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:06,600 Speaker 9: And my other question is do you take care of 650 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:09,239 Speaker 9: the ride? Because I hope Dan eventually does a show 651 00:37:09,239 --> 00:37:11,120 Speaker 9: on the right. We have a hell of a problem 652 00:37:11,120 --> 00:37:13,160 Speaker 9: with the right and the Bible. 653 00:37:12,719 --> 00:37:15,319 Speaker 2: Well, right, we're running out of time, Joe. I know 654 00:37:15,360 --> 00:37:18,800 Speaker 2: this is an important question. Joe has has told me 655 00:37:18,840 --> 00:37:21,640 Speaker 2: and I've heard from others that the ride is uh 656 00:37:22,400 --> 00:37:26,920 Speaker 2: is unreliable, They're difficult to deal with. Is there any 657 00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:29,960 Speaker 2: authority that the advisory board has over the ride? Brian? 658 00:37:30,920 --> 00:37:34,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, we we We talked to the folks that run 659 00:37:34,120 --> 00:37:36,879 Speaker 3: the ride and their contractors on a quarterly basis, and 660 00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:38,759 Speaker 3: we basically yell at them on behalf of the cities 661 00:37:38,800 --> 00:37:39,560 Speaker 3: and towns we work for. 662 00:37:39,880 --> 00:37:43,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, and also the individuals I know, people like Joe 663 00:37:43,400 --> 00:37:46,600 Speaker 2: who have given me some real horror stories. Maybe at 664 00:37:46,640 --> 00:37:49,600 Speaker 2: some point Brian will do something on the ride and 665 00:37:49,680 --> 00:37:52,080 Speaker 2: give people an opportunity to call in because some of 666 00:37:52,080 --> 00:37:52,600 Speaker 2: these stories a. 667 00:37:52,640 --> 00:37:54,879 Speaker 9: Right, I hope so, Dan, because the right we get 668 00:37:54,880 --> 00:37:57,759 Speaker 9: nowhere when Joe making my case for you. 669 00:37:57,800 --> 00:38:01,120 Speaker 2: Okay, So so I think you your case for you 670 00:38:02,600 --> 00:38:05,480 Speaker 2: and Brian, we'll have you back if you if you're 671 00:38:05,480 --> 00:38:08,160 Speaker 2: willing at some point. Is they're not too distant future, 672 00:38:08,160 --> 00:38:10,120 Speaker 2: and let's focus just on the ride. Is that okay? 673 00:38:10,920 --> 00:38:12,880 Speaker 3: That'd be great? I mean I do know, Dan. It 674 00:38:13,160 --> 00:38:15,200 Speaker 3: costs the tea about one hundred and three dollars every 675 00:38:15,200 --> 00:38:17,799 Speaker 3: time it picks up a ride customer, and they pay 676 00:38:17,840 --> 00:38:22,360 Speaker 3: about five bucks. So yeah, very expensive thing to provide, 677 00:38:22,480 --> 00:38:23,960 Speaker 3: but very necessary. 678 00:38:23,560 --> 00:38:26,080 Speaker 2: Very important, very necessary. But maybe there should be some 679 00:38:26,160 --> 00:38:29,160 Speaker 2: limits put on it. Brian Kane, as always on a 680 00:38:30,160 --> 00:38:33,839 Speaker 2: holiday night, thank you for your time, great calls, great 681 00:38:33,920 --> 00:38:37,120 Speaker 2: questions and great answers. Thank you so much, Brian. We'll 682 00:38:37,160 --> 00:38:38,040 Speaker 2: talk soon. Okay. 683 00:38:38,080 --> 00:38:39,840 Speaker 3: It's an honor, real honor, Dan, Thank. 684 00:38:39,719 --> 00:38:41,680 Speaker 2: You, look back at you and Joe. We will make 685 00:38:41,760 --> 00:38:44,440 Speaker 2: that happen. I promise you stay on me on that one. 686 00:38:44,840 --> 00:38:47,799 Speaker 2: We are done for this hour. Here comes the news. 687 00:38:47,840 --> 00:38:49,520 Speaker 2: When we come back on the other side, we're going 688 00:38:49,560 --> 00:38:54,920 Speaker 2: to talk about how to save some money with your doctors. 689 00:38:55,120 --> 00:38:57,400 Speaker 2: This is going to be a great couple of hours.