by Robert Gillis
published in the Boston City Paper 1/2007, and on www.badtransit.com

So it's January 3 and I have just paid $186 -- not $149 -- for my monthly MBTA commuter pass, and like everyone else in the state I'm pretty much mad as hell about it. I'm not happy about shelling out the extra money to an organization that cries poverty while raking in so much money.

At least the new "Charlie" system ensures less temptation of employee theft, but the system has been rolled out in confusing stages, with many stations converted and many stations still using the older systems. Then there's the ubiquitous discarded paper Charlie tickets littering every station. Nice.

So anyway, it's early morning and I'm in line to redeem my complimentary fare that I received in the mail. The MBTA's "on-time" guarantee states that if your ride is delayed 30 minutes or more, you get a free fare. Just go to their web site, fill out three pages of information (really) and then wait. And wait.

So, of the five or so refund requests I filed in the last few months, this is the only one I got back and I need to redeem it here at South Station. I'm 16 deep in a line (really) to the one of four windows that's open (really). As I finally get to the window, the employee inspects my letter and tickets and turns to her co-worker. "How do I do these?"

Arg. Not like I was on the way to work or anything.

Anyway, after a few minutes of explanation I have my lousy $7.00 back and make my way to work. I'm wondering if I should even bother filing a refund request for the previous night's 40 minute delay due to the broken down Amtrak ahead of us at Back Bay (January 2, 5:40).

I'm so sick of it. I'm sick of competing for one of the 100 or so parking spaces at the Sharon Station that are not "Resident Only" while half the parking lot on the other side of the tracks remains unused each day. I'll gladly pay the parking fee, but I don't need yet another $25 ticket. Would it be that hard for the T to paint more parking spot numbers for non-residents at Sharon Commuter T? Those spots are not being used. And the cop who's so aggressive about handing out those $25 "non resident" parking tickets (even though I pay my $2.00) is nowhere to be seen at night to clear the lines of cars blocking the rest of us while they wait for their friend or spouse to detrain.

My mind also wanders back to that late November evening. I was walking on Federal Street in Boston. An MBTA bus passed, flashing its lights with a message on the destination sign: EMERGENCY CALL POLICE and a number. This seemed very odd so I grabbed my cell phone and called the number. The operator identified himself as MBTA police and said he would check it out.

But since I was on my way to South Station anyway, I thought I would inform the T cops stationed there. After all, "If you see something say something," and South Station is only two blocks from Federal. Problem was, I couldn't find a T cop. I am not making that up.

I went to the information booth and had them paged. Twice. And no one came to the booth. So I told the information person what I'd seen on the bus, the call I'd made, and if a T cop came by, please let them know.

If you see something, say something, if you can find someone.

If would be laughable if it wasn’t all true. And the worst part? As of this month we all get to pay more for this “service.”