Something That Worked on the MBTA
Like most commuters, I’m pretty hard on the MBTA. So I figured I should write about an incident resulting from my own stupidity and incompenence, where the MBTA’s systems worked well and saved me a bunch of hassle and money.
Basically, a few weeks ago, on one of the first cold days this fall, I grabbed a jacket as I headed out for work. This was the first day of the year that I needed a jacket… I’d like to think this contributed to my boneheaded move on the way home.
I caught the normal Commuter Rail train to Worcester in the afternoon and sat in my normal place in the vestibule of a double-decker car. I threw my jacket on the overhead rack above my head and rode all the way to Grafton. We were 20 minutes late BTW … Anyway, when we stopped a young man who clearly hadn’t ridden the train before slid open the door to the stairs and then looked back at me in a panic – the stairs leading down led only to the chain link fence in between tracks – we had been switched to a different track than normal and the conductor hadn’t adjusted the stairs in our car. So I pointed to the far end of the car where people were getting off and we walked all the way down and made it off the train. I bet you see where this is going … As the train started ro roll out I realized that my jacket was still on the overhead rack. Great.
As I reached the top of the stairs to the parking lot I also realized that my house and car keys were in the pocket of the jacket. Shit.
I called my wife and she agreed to strap our 4 1/2 year-old into the car seat and come rescue me with a spare key to my car. And I started down an MBTA Customer Support odessy that actually worked. Here’s what happened:
- I got on my cellphone web browser and searched MBTA Customer Service. I found an 800 number and called. (This was at 7:45 PM BTW). I navigated the voicemail and got to “lost items.” A nice woman answered the phone (at almost 8 PM — a real person) and I explained my situation. Good thing #1: real people answered the phone at night.
- The woman explained that items left on the train, if turned in or found by a conductor would be taken to Lost and Found at South Station. I didn’t believe this, thinking that they must check the train at Worcester, but it turns out that she was absolutely right. She also gave me the phone number and said that if I called and left them a description they would call me back if it was turned in. Good thing #2: the late night Customer Support person gave me correct information immediately.
- I called the Lost and Found number the woman gave me and left a message as the recording instructed. But I didn’t believe I’d ever see my keys again.
- Not believing the woman, I got the new keys from my wife and drove to Union Station to see if it might end up there. The night security guy said, “No — all that stuff goes to South Station. And the train already turned and went back to Boston.” So, basically, if I had just waited on the platform in Grafton, the train on which I left the jacket would have come back and I probably could have boarded and grabbed it — but anyway …
- I went to Lost and Found the next morning at South Station. A very nice young lady helped me and looked to see if anything was turned in to match my description. It wasn’t. But she checked the “log” and lo and behold, my information from the message the previous night was logged. Good thing #3: the information was correct and the voicemail system worked as I was told. The woman also said that it wasn’t uncommon for something found on late night runs by the crew to be turned in late the following day — they often put the stuff in their lockers since Lost & Found was closed at night and turned it in when starting their shift the following day.
- I didn’t hear from them all day and figured I’d never see my jacket again. On the way home I checked in person and was told that crews might have a day off and it would very likely turn up.
- Still not hearing anything the next morning, I went and bought a new jacket. Now you know what’s coming right … the next morning I got a call from Lost and Found at South Station. My jacket and keys were turned in. Good thing #4: the honest people at the MBTA actually followed the system and I got my stuff back.
It turns out that the train had been 20 minutes late due to mechanical problems, so when the train made it back to South Station it was taken out of service. The delay in finding my jacket was because it was a maintenance worker who found my jacket after the repairs were done and who turned it in.
So there you go — something at the MBTA worked well. Everyone I spoke to was kind and courteous and gave me correct information. And the system worked to get me my stuff back. See — it’s not all bad!
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I think people criticize the MBTA too much. Sure they could improve service by connecting the lines, better, having extra hours at night, and not wasting so much money, and maybe more parking, but overall I find that I never have too many issues on the MBTA. The problem occurs because too many people don’t bother to learn the system. If you learn the system, you won’t have any problems. Learn the Green Line letters, and the tricks of the trade, learn which stops to get off where, so you don’t make the mistake of getting off at the wrong place and having to backtrack or walk. Learn the approximate times of the trains, for example there is almost always an inbound Orange line train (forest hills train) on the top of the hour and 10 min after the hour. If you learn the system you won’t have any problem. I always get a train within 10-20 minutes wait. I have never had to wait longer than 20 min and most of the time the wait is under 5 or 7 minutes max, sure at night you might wait 10-15 minutes for a train and weekends but you should expect this and PLAN AHEAD. Don’t arrive at the parking lot 20 min before you have to be at your office desk clocked in and expect to be on time. I always allow an hour between the time I leave home and the time I get to the parking lot to account for traffic and unexpected issues. and then I allow an extra 30 to get into town on the train wherever I am going. Learn how long it takes you and the system and you should be fine. But don’t take it out on the employees who are just trying to earn a living. I have never had a bad experience with an Mbta employee. Regardless of the situation, they are always friendly and courteous and they try to help you the best they can. Sometimes they can’t do much for you like if its the winter time and the trains are all 20 min late because of the icy conditions on the tracks. But people shouldn’t get so upset. Just roll with it and you’ll get there eventually, its better than getting injured or killed in a commuter rail accident because they rushed things. Sure there can always be some improvements, but for the most part I find the MBTA is pretty efficient.
I agree that I have never had a bad experience with an MBTA employee either. Even when we rode a commuter train from Grafton to Boston with no heat in the winter or when breakdowns made us an hour late. Everyone I’ve encountered on the commuter rail and subway has been courteous and informative. Even the station worker who took pity on my intoxicated friend one Saturday and helped me walk him through the handicapped gate on the Orange Line because he couldn’t seem to master the challenge of tapping his Charlie Card and THEN walking through the open gate. After 3 tries the MBTA guy helped him out. (I suggested we wait until he ran out of money tapping the card.)
I’ve even seen a single conductor run an entire train from Worcester to Boston by himself and he opened at least two sets of doors per stop. That kid busted his ass that morning and I wrote a note to the T thanking him.
But management … those assholes have got to go. Not just someone – EVERYONE in MBTA and MBCR management with more than 2 years on the job needs to get canned immediately. If they’ve been there longer than 2 years they are part of the problem and the reason the system is a disaster.
Personally – I think the only viable solution is for the state to privatize the system and declare bankruptcy to void all the union contracts and pension obligations. Reinvest and start over. Then in 10 years the state can take over again. But there’s no way that will happen.