Despite falling gas prices, T ridership continues increase in September

Wait until parking goes up to $4+, then watch ridership fall.

If the T expects to double its income with the doubling of the parking fees, think again. I am already scouting out a legal place to park outside the T lot where I can park for free all day : ) I'm sure a lot of other T riders are @#$% off with the doubling of parking fees on Nov. 15

The highest amount in TEN years.
I've got a good idea, let's raise parking rates by 60% and then raise fares in 2009.

Thanks to GM Dan and the 100% parking increase at commuter rail lots, I will be returning to the roads. $10 per week additional parking may not seem like a lot, but it makes driving to work cheaper again. Way to go Dan. Hit people when they are down.

That might change once the new parking fees hit mid-Nov. From what I found on the MBTA site, commuter rail lots will be going from $2 per day to $4. That ought to lower the numbers, especially with gas more reasonable at the moment.

Unreliable service, early closings, expensive parking rates and fares...the T really has this city by the throat and it's time some changes are made to this horrible transit system.

Gas prices didn't drop significantly until October. See how this changes in November when the MBTA raises parking fees 100% in some locations.
I know for sure they'll be losing one rider.

Parking fees up 100% on 11/15. Ridership may fall a little then they'll raise fares another 25% in fall 2009. If they keep it up it will actuall y be cheaper to drive into the city since gas prices are down. As we get deeper into the recession the costs get higher. Great way to do business!!

I'll be paying $7 per day to park in Quincy. Does anyone know of any free public parking on the south shore?

Maybe you should get some extra service with the new ridership. So sick of full trains and buses.

Quit Complaining! Why not carpool or have someone drop you off at the T Station. You'll save $4 a day or $20 a week. We need to get away from the 1 car per driver mentality!

There are real inefficiencies in the current commuter rail operation. Lack of automatic fare collection, the old-fashioned conducter coming around and checking tickets. Yes, I know it's a warm and fuzzy thing and I would miss it too but this is a high overhead expense. Also, the heavy diesel locomotives in a push pull configuration. Many Japanese and European commuter trainsets have smaller locomotives and are double-ended. Another point, late night service outbound. Lack of midnight outbound trains on weekend inhibiits their use for people attending events in-town, most of which let out at after 10:30 pmbetween 10

What's wrong with this system when it becomes cheaper to drive or take a bus? When the parking rates double, you'll be losing this rider. Aside from the $, it's ridiculous to have to find and fold (4 ) $1 bills into eighths each day, wait in line to shove it into a 1" slot and have no receipt for your payment. How many times have you paid and then found a notice on your car saying that you didn't? Ridiculous.

I plan to pay the $4 daily parking fee with a personal check. Who has time to play fold the dollar bills game and try to push in the slot that is too small to accomodate? The least the T could do is to have slots that allow $1 coins. geeez.

As bad as MBTA may seem, it's paradise compard to what I was used to in Chicago. I just moved here and I don't drive. While the Ts can be crowded, it's nice to be able to go by subway to almost anywhere in the city. Chicago's system is so old and worn down, derailments are happening regularly and the cost increases while services decrease.

I think GM Dan has done some good things in the 3 years since inheriting the disaster known as the MBTA. He should be lauded for working towards improving efficiencies & getting out of debt. It's not an easy job with all of the red tape. We should be more appreciative that there's any suburban service at all, otherwise your complaints would be directed at the thrice congested traffic and smog. Consider carpooling if you drive, biking or using the local bus to the train station. Yes, we can.

Bus was 30 minutes late yesterday, didn't show up at all on Columbus Day, a Needham commuter rail train was cancelled on Columbus Day. I don't mind paying if I get good service, but I certainly do mind paying when I get service like this.

Never mind any of this- where is the COMPETITION?????? I would be willing to bet you could get to Boston cheaply and quickly if there were companies like FungWah going out to the suburbs. Anyone wanna start a commuter bus?

with parking doubling to 4 dollars at the salem commuter lot use the increase to get some mbta/cops or salem police to direct the traffic coming out of the lots painting arrows going one way do not turn on right coming out of the lots does not cut it as people do go the wrong way waiting to exit the lot this is an accident waiting to happen increase fares should mean better service for us

$4 is still a bargain to park and working on the train beats the stress of driving any day!

i agree about the extra parking fee - just gives these bozos more money to waste

Why is the Patrick administration spending so much money on commuter rail while making cuts to other public transportation? I learned last week that the MBTA will no longer provide any commuter bus assistance and Peter Pan is now planning to cut my bus service into Boston. I do not live near the commuter rail station so I need to take the bus to get to work. I don't understand the inequity in cutting the relatively small commuter bus contracts while adding substantial new commuter rail service.

If Charlie doesn't go there, neither do I. That's what I always say. Every single time I get into a car with a friend to go anywhere it takes soooo much longer than if we had taken the T. Why anyone attempts to do anything that involves driving nowadays is beyond me. Now, don't get me wrong, do I get annoyed at my fellow T riders who block the doors, and take up 3 seats so they can sit spread eagle and read the Globe, and pretend to be asleep and not see the gigantic 8 month pregnant woman standing in front of them? Sure, of course I do. I feel strongly though, that at least 60% of the time there is a delay on the red or green line it has nothing to do with the staff of the MBTA and probably to do with some bozo who didn't renew his Charlie Card in time for the first of the month, or some moron who didn't realize that THIS was her stop. Get it together people, keep your eye on the ball.

If you go to Alewife, I know where there is free parking. Just off Bedford center
at the end of Loomis st. there is a big red building at the end of the bikeway. There are about 77 unmetered spaces. This is a short walk from the #62 bus stop on Loomis. Take the #62 directly into Alewife Sta.