MassDOT Board Votes Today

After months of public hearings, discussions, and protests The Massachusetts Department Of Transportation board of directors is ready to take final vote on the future of the MBTA and it's riders.

The board is set to vote on the final proposal set forth by Transportation Secretary Rich Davey and MBTA General Manager Jonathan Davis by noon today. If the proposal is passed the 23 percent fare increase and service cuts will go into place on July 1

Although the final proposal that is being presented to the MassDOT board is much less severe than the two scenarios that came before it, commuters are still not happy with how state government is handling the situation.  Members of the Youth Affordabili(T) Coalition, Massachusetts Senior Action Council and T Riders Union set up a 24 hour vigil on the front steps of the State House starting at 11am yesterday. They plan to camp out on the steps until 11 am today. 

Sleeping bags, mattress pads, and cardboard
for the campout 

Kasey Shen, a 17 year old high school student from Quincy believes that our elected officials should be doing more. "As our government they should be helping us (students) move one step forward not bring us one step back." she said, "I hope the state government takes on this responsibility."



The overall goal of the vigil is to make people more aware of the situation as well as to call on Deval Patrick and Therese Murray to go back to the drawing board and find a way to cover the T's budget gap without fare increases and service cuts.


The MBTA must submit and approve a budget for next fiscal year by April 14th which means MassDOT and the T can not stall any longer. They must vote on and pass a proposal as soon as possible.