Improve T to ease gridlock

It’s not just the taxi industry getting disrupted by the proliferation of ride-sharing services around Boston. Transportation activists are increasingly concerned that more and more consumers are choosing apps such as Uber and Lyft over cheaper, greener options like the MBTA, thereby contributing to climate change and gridlock.

These advocates have singled out rides to the airport as a major factor. “They don’t feel that public transportation is either frequent enough or reliable enough or comfortable enough,” transit advocate Matt Casale of MassPIRG said about potential riders. “It’s fine that some people are taking Uber and Lyft to the airport, but we should do things to make sure it’s better than it is now so people will actually take the T.”

Logan International Airport has boomed in recent years, jumping from 27.4 million passengers in 2010 to 36.2 million in 2016, according to Massport. But T usage has lagged, ticking up from 1.04 million to 1.07 million in that time.

To address these concerns, various proposals are being discussed, like dedicated lanes to make the Silver Line bus service faster, going forward with a Red Line-Blue Line connector, and fleet improvements for comfort and reliability.

But on this front, the MBTA faces an uphill battle. Uber and Lyft have set a high bar for affordability, efficiency and comfort for travelers in and around Boston. And they’ve done it all without spending public money. Advocates are right to be looking for ways to do better for their passengers so they can compete in the future. Good for them for this self-examination. Let’s hope they find ways to make the transportation options even better.