T has an offer for riders: Take a cup of kindness yet

MBTA officials will be out and about today looking for something rare and elusive in Boston, especially on the T, passengers being nice.

If they should find any, Transportation Secretary John Cogliano has supplied T employees with $2 gift cards to Dunkin' Donuts to say thanks.

Twenty-five T employees will be handing out 500 of the caffeinated kudos on buses, subways, and commuter rail, part of a new Courtesy Counts campaign aimed at improving the conduct of T employees and riders.

``By and large, riders of the T are courteous," Cogliano, a rider himself, said yesterday. ``And MBTA employees are courteous, by and large. But this campaign at the T is meant to heighten everyone's awareness that they need to be more courteous."

In interviews on the Red Line and at South Station during yesterday's afternoon commute, some passengers scoffed at the effort, while others praised it.

``Anything that's going to result in one kind act being rewarded by another is a good thing," said Karen Shea, 33, of Newton. ``But if the T gave out free tickets instead, you'd probably see more of it."

Niki Hill, however, recalled having to ask a passenger to give up a seat reserved for the handicapped while she stood next to him with a full leg brace and a cane.

``There will be many complete books of Dunkin' Donuts gift certificates because there will be no acts of kindness on the T," she said. ``I don't think they could solve it with $10 gift certificates." MAC DANIEL