Demaris (Route #117) – "It’s like a nightmare. The buses are so packed that I have to leave early if I want to get to home on time. I expect to wait 45 minutes to an hour in Bellingham Square
(in Chelsea). It’s always crowded so drivers and passengers are all in a bad mood. And the afternoon rush hour is the worst. The sad part is from Bellingham Square it takes 20 minutes to get to Revere (where I live). That means my wait can be more than twice as long as my actual bus commute. There needs to be less crowding and more buses."

Donna Dear (Silver Line) – As a TRU Bus Route Captain, Donna kept a journal of her experience on the Silver Line over the course of forty trips between July and November 2005. Some highlights (really they're lowlights) from her journal: Nearly 30% of the time the bus did not arrive on schedule and nearly 35% of the time, 11-20 people were standing on the bus. In addition, she wrote, “the AFC (automated fare collection) boxes are frustrating. They break down regularly and increase commuting time.” Finally she was frequently concerned for her own safety and the safety of other passengers on the bus: drivers accelerated and braked too aggressively, while elderly passengers complained about falling over because support bars are not easy to reach.

The following is a speech made by Donna Dear, a T Riders Union member who lives in Roxbury, during ACE’s 2006 Greater Boston environmental Justice Tour which occurred on September 27, 2006 as part of a national Environmental Justice for All tour. The proposed fare increase has decreased slightly, due to the diligent organizing of T Riders Union members, but the sentiment remains the same.