Archive for the ‘Transportation’ Category

By Neal J. Riley, The Lowell Sun

BOSTON — Service on the Lowell commuter-rail line has been spared under a budget proposal state transportation officials unveiled yesterday morning, but many commuters will be slapped with fare increases as high as 30 percent for a one-way ticket to Boston.

The cost for a single-ride ticket is jumping from $6.75 to $8.75 at the Lowell stop. A ticket at the North Billerica stop will climb to $8 from $6.25, and a ticket at the Wilmington stop will climb to $6.75 from $5.25.

The cost of a single-ride ticket on the Fitchburg line is also increasing. Those who board the train in Littleton will pay $9.25, up from $7.25, while those who board the train in Shirley and Ayer will pay $10, up from $7.75.
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By Neal J. Riley, The Lowell Sun

BOSTON – In the face of proposed MBTA service cuts and fare hikes, the contentious issue of charging tolls on Interstate 93 at the New Hampshire border is revving up once again on Beacon Hill.

State Rep. James Miceli, D-Wilmington, a member of the Joint Committee on Transportation, said talk of new tolls on I-93 has been “floated” in the Statehouse in recent weeks. But he has not heard a specific proposal from the Patrick administration or committee members.

“It isn’t being seriously considered, but things have a way of changing overnight,” he said.
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By Corey Kane, Patriot Ledger

BOSTON — Despite 11th-hour pleas from mayors in Braintree and Weymouth, the MBTA board of directors on Wednesday approved a budget that calls for increasing fares by an average of 23 percent and ending weekend service on two South Shore commuter rail lines and the Quincy ferry line.

Four of the board’s five members voted for the budget as more than 100 protesters chanted, “Shame on you!” Board member Ferdinand Alvaro of Marblehead cast the dissenting vote, saying the Legislature could do more to help.

“If we vote in favor of this fare increase and service cut, the Legislature will use this as an excuse to do nothing,” Alvaro said.
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By Corey Kane, Patriot Ledger

BOSTON — After expediting a landmark auto-repair bill earlier this session, the Senate voted Thursday to hold off on a vote that would require auto manufacturers to provide independent shops with diagnostic repair information.

Sen. Susan Fargo, D-Lincoln, made the motion to table the bill until the next session. This allowed the Senate to spend more than two hours in debate on a competitive energy-pricing bill.

Arthur Kinsman of Plympton, a member of the Massachusetts Right to Repair coalition, attended the floor debate. He was surprised at the action but said the delay would not affect the bill’s chances.
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By Corey Kane, Patriot Ledger

BOSTON - The long-simmering battle over requiring auto manufacturers to share diagnostic and repair information with independent garages returned to the State House on Wednesday.

More than 100 people crammed into a hearing room, some in suits and ties and others dressed in the uniform of aftermarket parts companies.

The latest version of the “right to repair” bill would mandate that manufacturers create an online database of diagnostic and repair information by 2015, as a condition to sell vehicles in the state. Owners of a vehicle would have access to information on their vehicle and independent repair shops could have access to this information through a paid subscription.
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By Mounira Al Hmoud

BOSTON – Members of advocacy groups and unions dressed in superhero costumes rallied at the State House Thursday to oppose the MBTA’s plan to raise fares and cut services.

A crowd of around 50, dotted with blue capes worn by the Massachusetts Senior Action Council and red by other organizations including the T Riders Union and On the Move Coalition, gathered on the steps of the State House to bang drums and chant “Save the T,” and “No More Cuts.”

The demonstrators met with Mo Cowan, Gov. Deval Patrick’s Chief of Staff, delivering petitions that offered their self-named Fast Five solutions to save money, including the use of surplus snow and ice removal money to pay down the MBTA’s debt and implementing the UPass program at universities.
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By Mounira Al Hmoud

BOSTON – Public transportation advocates have a busload of ideas, ranging from shifts in state transportation funding and increase in Registry fees and tolls, to avoid fare hikes and services cuts to the MBTA and regional transit authorities.

“The MBTA serves a million trips a day,” Elizabeth Weyant, an attorney with consumer group MassPIRG, told a Statehouse gathering held Tuesday to find another way to deal with MBTA deficits. “Failure to actually maintain our transportation system means train breakdowns, crowded roads, decline in servicing system.”

The MBTA has proposed fare increases as much as 43 percent along with cuts in weeknight commuter rail service after 10 p.m. Bus service throughout the region would also be reduced.
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By Mounira Al Hmoud

BOSTON – A federal ban on the importation and interstate transportation of certain types of snakes is not likely to have a major impact in Massachusetts at first sight, but some in the pet industry and pet owners could be affected.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service added four types of non-native snake species as injurious under the Lacey Act, which forbids their importation and interstate transportation after March 23. The four species are the North and South African python, also called Rock python, the yellow anaconda, and the Burmese python.

The Lacey Act is a conservation law aimed at protecting plants and wildlife by creating civil and criminal penalties for trade violations
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By Mounira Al Hmoud, The MetroWest Daily News

BOSTON – A Framingham lawmaker, who is backing a bill restricting Massachusetts’s drivers to hands-free cell phones, says he hopes the proposed law will create more awareness of the deadly problem of distracted driving.

“The overall concept is bigger than just texting,” said Rep. Chris Walsh, D-Framingham. “Data from the National Highway Safety shows every year car crashes kill 40,000 people. We do not expect to get a lot of people pulling over to make calls, but we want them to pay more attention to the issue.”

The proposed law, struck from legislation passed two years ago that banned texting while driving, was endorsed 8-0 by the Transportation Joint Committee on Thursday.
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Lawmakers say there are alternatives to raising gas tax, commuter rail fares

By Rick Sobey, The Salem News

Tue Feb 21, 2012, 04:30 AM EST