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.
Gateway Cities are ideal proving ground for free fares
Andre Leroux featured in the Boston Globe
Gateway Hubs Project Director Andre Leroux explains why free fare programs work in Gateway Cities in his letter to the editor at Boston Globe.
A Make or Break Moment for Gateway City Renewal
Gateway Cities Journal
With all the eye-popping numbers flying around in relation to the stimulus bills, federal budget, and infrastructure deal, you might think our transportation woes are solved.
But down in the trenches, Massachusetts communities still lack many of the basic tools used around the country to control their own destiny.
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.
Regional Transit Authorities Win Funding Victory in House Budget
The Gateway Cities Journal
Public transportation service for over half the state’s population — the half not served by the MBTA — won a precedent-setting victory last week during the House budget debate. As Jim Kolesar from Berkshire Interfaith Organizing says, “Full funding for the RTAs, including our Berkshire Regional Transit Authority, seems the minimum that we should be
Are free buses closer than they appear?
The Gateway Cities Journal
Free buses may be the bold idea Massachusetts needs to rebuild a culture of public transportation as we emerge from the pandemic in 2021.
How MBTA cuts would cripple cities like Chelsea
Gateways Episode 71
Cuts to the MBTA service would disproportionately impact minority, lower-income, and Gateway City communities.