I take the magnificent MBTA Commuter Rail twice a day to get to and from my job in Boston. I pay $250/month for this privilege, plus, the MBTA makes me pay $2 a day to park in order to take the train. Recently the MBTA decided, partially because it can’t balance a checkbook, to up the parking rate to $4 a day, a 100% increase. You know, because people are swimming in money right now. Anyway, since I have no choice, myself and other riders have ince resigned myself to this fate, and just have thought of doing evil things to the giant banners that appeared at the parking lots at the start of November.
Imagine my surprise this morning when I saw this sign posted above the collection box this morning:
$3! I was in shock! I had heard nothing about this! Had the T had come to its senses and made a more reasonable increase? I was pleased, but my hopes were quickly dashed when I looked 3 feet to the right and saw this sign:
Uhhhh… What? How much will it be MBTA? You have conflicting signs not even 3 feet apart at this station. Which one is correct? I did some research, and after looking at the MBTA Parking Increase FAQ I see no mention of a $3 rate at commuter rail spots.
What say you, MBTA?
UPDATE (11/13): As of this morning, the “$3.00/day” sign is gone, proving that the MBTA was just playing a cruel joke on half-awake morning commuters. (I keed! I keed)
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God bless Boston, and her strange, strange way of doing things. The MBTA is a complete mess…and will be for some time. I thought they would clean up their act when the T derailed at Woodland on the D-line, but from everything I have heard…it is as bad as ever. Funny signs nevertheless
Posted by Stuart Foster on November 12th, 2008.
Please post the name of the station where this occurred. It will help us to identify and fix the problem
Posted by MBTA QA on November 12th, 2008.
@MBTA QA - This is at the Middleboro/Lakeville station, the honor box in the corner.
Posted by Innismir on November 12th, 2008.
Bet you can’t wait to stand in line behind a whole line of people to get your chance to stuff 4 singles into those tiny little slots!
Posted by commuter on November 12th, 2008.
@commuter *Thrilled* - I’m going to be pissed the first time someone tries to pop in 16 quarters into one of the slots.
Still, I could be using Quincy Adams and paying $7/pop…
Posted by Innismir on November 13th, 2008.
Sign at Hersey is handwritten about the $4 fee. Hilarious!
Posted by Peter on November 13th, 2008.
2 reasons for a Southeastern MA resident to carry $2 bills. One is T parking and the other is a certain lounge near the Mashpee Rotary….
Posted by agingcynic on November 13th, 2008.
My company operates the City of Boston lot across from the Orange Line Sullivan Station lot.
We will be offering a discount to the MBTA lot’s new $5.50 daily rate. Our new rates will be $4.00 after 1PM weekdays and all day Saturday and Sunday. Weekday mornings will remain $6.00.
You may find that other private operators close to MBTA parking lots will offer simalar discounts.
Posted by Chuck on November 13th, 2008.
Chuck Lane: Where’s the discount? Your daily rate is still more than the T’s has been for years. After 1pm on weekday or weekends when there is no game or event in town, right? The only reason anyone would park at Sullivan at night is for a Bruins or Celtics game and I highly doubt you’re getting rid of your absurd $10 event rate.
Posted by Kev on November 13th, 2008.
Doubling the fee is bad for everyone taking commuter rail, but the lot I park in on the Green Line is going from $3.50 to $5.50. This is after parking meters in Brookline doubled this past year. I would be happy to walk the 1 !/4 miles from my house to the Green Line, but my daughter has to get to school by 7:30, and it’s tough enough for her to get out of the house that early. The closest bus is .7 miles away and runs infrequently. So poor tranist service necessitates driving and parking at significant daily expense. Oh, and the lot fills up by 7:15 a.m.
Posted by Greenliner on November 14th, 2008.