MBTA Letter

[bobquasit]

Below is an email I just sent to the head of the commuter rail. Don't know if I'll get a response.

Subject: 12/21/2004 #708 Franklin line

Hello.

I would like to register a complaint about the #708 Franklin train this morning, 12/21/2004. It completely skipped the Ruggles stop, to the consternation of many passengers. The conductor's voice was heard over the intercom saying "What happened to Ruggles?", but we were let out at Back Bay with no explanation.

I asked another conductor what had happened, and was told "We made an announcement that we were skipping Ruggles back at Dedham 128."

This was obviously not true. I was on the train and wide awake from Franklin Dean College all the way in, and I always listen for announcements. No announcement was made, at least not in our car, and our own conductor was as surprised as the rest of us.

I was disappointed by the failure to stop, but even more disappointed that no honest explanation was given.

Peter Maranci

Come to think of it, an apology would have been nice, too.

I tried calling the complaint line, and got a canned announcement that the office was closed; I should call back during normal office hours, 8:30am - 5pm. This would have been less annoying if it had not been 8:32 when I called. I redialed over the next few minutes, and received no answer; just a ring and then silence. Sigh.

We'll see if I get any response.

Comments

[unquietsoul5.livejournal.com]

Our wonderful transit once again at work.... All thanks to Gov. "Take the lowest bid from someone on my friends list" Romney. Not that we've had anything else from any of our governors in the last few decades (except of course Gov. "Why do we need a transit system?" Weld).

We need a governor that really wants a functional transit system in this state...

[klyfix.livejournal.com]

It's, uhh, weird for them to just blow off a major stop, and to not announce it over the speaker system. While I've been booted off the Green Line a number of times because they suddenly declare that they're going "express" (like you can really do that on the B line where they cross streets) to Boston College they at least usually boot us off at one of the more major stops. I can see them going past Ruggles if it's on fire or people are shooting up the place I suppose, but that should be announced.

Yeah, I think some of the problem is this ill-conceived "privatization" garbage; the idea that government services can be more efficiently be provided by private companies may sometimes be true but for the most part it's a philosophical decision from what I can tell.