Poll: More than three-quarters of Massachusetts residents support boosting funding for regional bus service

79% of Massachusetts residents support increasing funding for the state’s 15 Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs)

As lawmakers on Beacon Hill dig in on this year’s state budget, 79% of Massachusetts residents support increasing funding for the state’s 15 Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs), which provide local bus and paratransit service beyond the reaches of MBTA bus and subway service.  Nearly as many (74%) support using some of the new voter-approved surtax

Poll: Mass. voters say an even split of millionaire’s tax would be a fair share

Two-thirds think surtax proceeds should go into a trust fund.

February 10, 2023 When Massachusetts voters approved a new surtax on income over $1 million last year, it was clear what that money was supposed to go to: transportation and education. But how much should go to each? A new poll from The MassINC Polling Group (topline, crosstabs) finds that just under half of voters

Poll: 78% of voters view transportation system in only ‘fair or poor’ condition

New MassINC Polling Group Poll finds 59% of voters support future MBTA shutdowns to expedite improvements

October 20, 2022 Voters have a long transportation to-do list for the next governor of Massachusetts. Improving roads, bridges, and public transit is the top priority, but voters also support major expansions like bringing rail service to Western Massachusetts and reimagining the Commuter Rail network. To pay for it all, voters continue to support Question

Senate budget key to future of housing and transportation in Gateway Cities

The Gateway Cities Journal

The Senate budget debate next week could determine how competitive Gateway Cities will be in the post-pandemic economy. At a key moment when housing and transportation investments could help make these communities more attractive for an age of remote work, the danger of missing out on the opening and backsliding is real. Housing: Housing Development

For the T, Equity is the train that got away

The Gateway Cities Journal

The MBTA presented a package of proposed fare reductions to its new governing board late last month. Billed as an effort to increase equity, it’s hard to see how the changes will do anything but prolong and perhaps even amplify current inequities.

Andre Leroux offers testimony to Joint Committee on Transportation

On low-income and zero-fare bills

The Honorable William Straus, House Chair The Honorable Joseph Boncore, Senate Chair Joint Committee on Transportation State House, Room 134 Boston, MA 02133 via email   Dear Chairmen Straus and Boncore, On behalf of MassINC’s Gateway Cities Innovation Institute, I strongly urge you to expedite a favorable report on H. 3526, “An Act Relative to

Andre Leroux offers testimony to Joint Committee on Transportation

On transportation revenue bills

The Honorable William Straus, House Chair The Honorable Joseph Boncore, Senate Chair Joint Committee on Transportation State House, Room 134 Boston, MA 02133 via email   RE: Support for new transportation revenue—local revenue tools are especially important to enable Gateway Cities and surrounding communities to solve their regional transit challenges – H. 3426 (Ciccolo) An

Andre Leroux offers testimony to Joint Committee on Transportation

On RTA advancement bills

The pandemic has permanently changed the way many residents think about where they want to live and work. This offers an unprecedented opportunity for our Gateway Cities to reposition themselves as regional hubs, but this will only be possible if they become multimodal communities anchored by strong regional transit systems.

Advancing low-income fares beyond Boston

The Gateway Cities Journal

Since 2017, the FMCB has been pushing hard on the agency to provide discounts to low-income riders. In one of their final votes, they choose to instruct agency staff to prepare scenarios for a pilot program. On the one hand, this last-ditch effort makes sense. However, from the Gateway City perspective, the board’s actions are disappointing and a bit perplexing.
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