January 4, 2012
By Richard Weir, Boston Herald

Ferry service would be abolished, weekday bus routes would be cut, and suburban sports fans would no longer be able to take the commuter rail to weekend games at Fenway or the Garden as part of service cuts and fare increases the MBTA unveiled yesterday in a bid to plug a $161 million deficit.

“The impact on the riders, people who depend on the system, will be crippling,” said Lee Matsueda of the T Riders Union, who predicted MBTA customers will be “furious” when they learn their public transit links, such as the 112 bus line in Chelsea, are on the chopping block. “We have seniors who depend on the 112 to go shopping.”

The T released two scenarios with equally painful outcomes: a 35 percent fare increase with significant service reductions — including the elimination of 101 weekday bus routes and dozens of weekend routes — or a steeper 43 percent fare hike with fewer service cuts, including ending 23 weekday bus routes and 19 Saturday routes.

[...]

Both proposals call for ending all commuter ferry service and eliminating commuter rail service on weekends and after 10 p.m. on weeknights.

“These are not easy choices, in fact painful choices, that we have,” said state Transportation Secretary Richard Davey.

The MBTA will host 20 public hearings on the proposals beginning Jan. 17. A final proposal will be presented to the board in April to be approved and implemented by July 1.

Read full article...