re: MBTA

And scarcely a mention of that 2 Billion dollar bridge and tunnel that cost 22 Billion dollars to build - that kills people? Well, that's water under that bridge and in the tunnel now. The condescending arrogance of it all - to date.

It seems to me that the 3rd option of restoring MBTA to good financial health was either ignored or overlooked. That is classic bureaucracy because eliminating services or increasing fares represent the easiest solution for MBTA officials to follow. MBTA, like many other government agencies,have complex resources to manage, and more often than not, utilization of these assets are not always optimized. In particular, one major root cause to MBTA's financial stress is the huge bus fleet - it is notoriously inefficient. Buses, for example, frequently run nearly empty on routes during off-peak hours. Routes frequently overlap leading to service duplication. Why do we need big gas guzzling buses running during off-peak hours when mini-vans would be a far better resource match? Etc. Etc. Etc. Insofar to commuter trains, trolleys and subways, these transportation systems appear to be managed substantially more efficiently. Perhaps they are easier to manage because these vehicles have higher carrying capacity, enjoy right-of-ways and less vulnerable to traffic congestion. Service quality is more predictable. The management of the MBTA huge bus fleet represents its Archilles' heel. In the world of telecommunications, huge networks are managed by sophisticated network management and control systems. These systems excel at optimizing network resources to improve quality of service and lowering infrastructure costs. Such technology could be applied for managing MBTA's bus fleet and perhaps extended to include the trains and other transportation assets. We need smart fleet management and applying such technology can go a very long way to helping the MBTA address its current budget woes. Merrick

I agree with mlcohen - the MBTA is taking the 'easy-way' out of their financial mess and refusing to look at more efficient management of their resources. For example, "The Ride." Absolutely, senior citizens who no longer can drive ought to have transportation. Now, that being said, can anyone explain the number of midddle age, able-bodied persons utilizing "The Ride" as their chauffeur! If you were to stand out-side any state government building at the start or the end of a work day you would see state employees coming out of work and entering cars clearly labeled "The Ride" with MBTA chauffeurs. This morning (Sunday) at Market Basket, there was a middle-age woman with two children exit "The Ride" car and enter the store to shop. I watched the vehicle then enter a parking spot to wait for the sopper! I have also seen "The Ride" vehicles sitting empty at the curb of the Star Market at MIT! Something is the matter with the utilization of "The Ride" by ambulatory, people who appear to have no limitations which would prevent them from using buses, subways or paying for their own taxi-cabs. What is the criteria for using "The Ride" and is anyone in charge of this fiasco?

Pensions, health insurance.

I'm 83. I don't remember when the T has not been in some fiscal crisis. We need an independent study to understand the problem. I appoint Mike Dukakis as chairman of the study group. Hi, Duke. One thing we could study is the bus service in Cambridge. Look at the money that city has saved because the electric buses, as you know,do not burn fuel and spew their toxicity into the air we have to breathe. Not all bus routes can be electrfied but the main ones coould have been, could have been. Of all the words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, "It might have been." Wait a minute, maybe it is possible to bring back electric buses but I'm sure that must not be acceptable to the oil industry. I ask, Why over the many decades have not some Mass. cities and towns not adopted the Cambridge plam?