No surprise to most riders
and commuter rail operator Keolis are running Fuming commuters at one of the nation’s worst South Station say they systems — except one don’t need a federal report tall, redheaded former to know the MBTA governor, that is:
Maria Johnson, Milton: “Every day, it's a wish and a prayer . ... They just have to get better. The thing is, every two years there's a fare increase. To me it's like they're being rewarded.”
Alison Rutley, Canton: “Normally by now we're on the train and gone, but everybody here has been delayed. This is just par for the course. It's been like this since they took over the line. You cannot depend on it . ... They need to post a schedule that they can stick with. It says `Delayed' on the board, but I don't know if I'm here an hour, or all night, or if I have to wait for the next one.”
Helen Vlachos, Canton: “They never tell us why. This happened Monday. This is Thursday. All the major train lines were delayed. There was never an explanation as to why they were delayed ... and there was no forewarning that this was going to happen. So you can't plan to get another way home, or stay and work later. They have all these apps and text warnings, but you get the text an hour after you're already on the delayed train.”
Kate Kelley, Walpole: “It doesn't even say that the Franklin Line is delayed right now and it's delayed. It's hard as a new professional to pay a full fare when the train is over a certain amount late . ... My pass is $280 and it's four dollars a day to park.”
Matthew Smith, Needham Heights: “I'm frustrated that my phone doesn't tell me. I feel like the technology is there but I'm not getting texts. I could have been at work . ... Instead I ran to the train and now I'm waiting and standing here and I'm uninformed. The technology should exist for them to do it. That's my frustration.”
Former Gov. Bill Weld, Readville: “I have very good experience with the Fairmount line. I commute daily from Readville, very satisfactorily. I don't think we've had a single breakdown since I've been riding it, which is 2 1⁄2 years. It is a little slower than the other lines. It takes 30 minutes to get here, instead of 18.”