Jobs, Gas, Mass transit

given the unemployment rate and the skyrocketing gas prices, there has to be serious consideration given to designing job search criteria that is based on the availability of mass transit in areas that have mass transit for those who are currently unemployed and really cannot afford the skyrocketing gas prices and for those who are in general looking for a new job that are looking for jobs based on how much they can save on gas.

In areas that do have mass transit from the simple act of people willing and able to utilize the services offered by mass transit it helps both the individual using it and the service provider. The transit agency like other companies have to deal with the rising costs of gas as well as the individual that drives who could actually utilize the services of the transit agency.

If those people who could potentially take mass transit actually utilized the services offered to commute it would allow the transit agency to bring in more revenue without adverse reactions to their customer base while allowing the commuter to save on gas and all of the up keep of their personal vehicle.

The only real downfall for those looking to utilize the mass transit system in a given area is their start time at work or a lack of available mass transit service to a given area, but those companies who's hours of operation and location permit usage of any or all of the modes of transportation that the areas mass transit offers, may want to consider getting their employees to utilize the services offered to help their employees save money.

firefighting, policing and communications ideas for mass transit

Firefighting, Policing and Communications ideas Mass Transit

With regards to how to deal with the issues related to communications, policing and firefighting in mass transit, the specific transit systems have to work with the police and fire departments that would be required to respond. This is so that there will be proper communications channels and proper training especially for the fire departments.

· Starting with the firefighters and their training for subway tunnel fires set up an abandoned subway tunnel that can still support train traffic or build a tunnel system that is a realistic mock up of a subway tunnel with stations for each subway line. Also set up trains that are no longer used by the mass transit system in various points in the mock up to help the training along. As part of the training they should be taught too properly maneuver the trains incase the train is hindering their ability to work the fire or dealing with the aftermath of the fire. Include every city and town in the training that has subway tunnels and subway stations in them.

· In the process of training firefighters, find out if current equipment is adequate or if new equipment needs to be designed to better fight the subway fires especially if the firefighters are being hindered in someway from properly fighting the fire.

· Set up firefighting teams that would have the appropriate equipment for subway tunnel and subway station fires, including vehicles that can fit in the tunnels and can be driven on both the streets and on railroad tracks.

· Regarding the transit police, hire more police officers to bring the transit police department up to the necessary staffing levels to appropriately police the property owned by the mass transit system. Give the police more in-depth and more prolonged training with particular emphasis on what is considered suspicious activity. Do it even if it means hiring outside people that are trained to train the private sector to watch for suspicious activity that may have not been considered by the mass transit system but would be useful in promoting better security.

· Any new communications system that is installed has to have the capability of allowing the people trained to operate the system to access the whole system and allow all of the relevant people to directly patch into the system. The communication system should also have the capability to allow people to talk to each other in the tunnels, with it being in real time, with out the need for repeaters phones being hard wired in the tunnels. Each relevant responding city, state and/or federal agency should be able to communicate using a standardized frequency or frequencies designated for emergency responders.

· Design the communication system so that it cuts down on the ability to eavesdrop on the system but allows the mass transit system, along with the local police and fire departments to utilize the system when needed with each department having the proper tools and training to tap into the system. Also design it so that way it will not be adversely affected by intense heat or fire for prolonged periods of time along with designing it so that it has an automatic back up system in place that would compensate for any problems if they should arise.

· For times where the system cannot use a land line, use the same or similar walkie-talkie technology that Nextel uses for its direct connect phones to provide some level of privacy and protection against eavesdroppers. Using the walkie-talkie technology of the Nextel network set up a completely independent communications network specifically for use by the transit workers and the emergency response agencies on all levels.

MBTA's Train and Trolley systems

I grew up in Boston utilizing the MBTA's subway and bus systems on a daily basis. For as long as I could remember, the Greenline has had a seven to one ratio for trolleys going between Park Street Station and points between Lechmere Staion. That is to say even though Lechmere is the end of the line it has only one trolley going there for every seven trolley's that go part way then turn around to go through Park Street Station in the other direction. This happens even during the height of Rush hour.

The Silverline from South Station has on average a three or four to one racio for the electrified/diesel buses they consider a subway system. This is to say that for every one SL2/SL/3 (routes that go between diesel and electricity) there are three to four buses that stay electrified and do a turn around. Like with the Greenline it happens even in rush hour.

With the ratio's for each of these two lines, the last couple trolley's an buses are empty or almost completely empty due to everyone waiting for the one that goes to Lechmere (greenline) or the sl2/sl3 routes (silverline) and by that time there are a number of people who cannot get on due to there being more than the vehicle can hold.

The commuter rail, at least The Fitchburg line has at least from my understanding has had a problem being respected by the MBTA enough to respond to issues regarding that specific commuter line. The two biggest issues that I have been dealing with since I started riding it five years ago, is a lack of service going between Boston and Fitchburg on work days between the morning and evening rush hours, and the equipment being in general disrepair.

The riders have been fighting for more service between the ends of the line for longer than I have been riding the train and even though the company hired to maintain the equipment for the MBTA has started doing a better job in recent months of keeping on top of repairs, still gives the line the equipment that is in need of repairs(i.e. tagged out doors and traps or worse) while giving other lines the equipment that has been fixed. this is on what is called the North Side which is all of the commuter rail lines that go north of Boston. There are always stories of the MBTA getting new equipment for the commuter rail but virtually, all of the new train coaches are double decker coaches that cannot be used on the North Side.

The MBTA and the state

The MBTA, even with all of the negative press over how badly managed it is, it is still a better value especially now if you have to drive into Boston and more specifically Downtown Boston when dealing with fuel costs and daily parking since downtown parking is through the roof for paid parking.

The state signed off on mandated expansions for the MBTA, and forced the MBTA to absorb the costs of the expansions on top of redoing how state money is allocated for the MBTA. Those two things along with the contracts that were signed when they were on much more stable ground has put the MBTA on track with major financial problems

If we do not take measures now to remedy each of the major issues that would inevitably force the MBTA to raise fares to the point that it would cause the bulk of the daily commuters to rethink whether they can afford to use the services provided by them especially coming from cities and towns serviced by the commuter rail.

What is needed is a viable financial restructuring plan for the MBTA that would have the state take on all mandated expansions that, the state itself should have picked up from the start, that the federal government insisted on the state to do for the federal funding for the big dig.

commentary and ideas concerning the mass infrastructure shortfall

When the State of Massachusetts came out and admitted that there would be a 20 billion dollar shortfall with in the next 20 years in the transportation infrastructure, I had no problem believing that of the MBTA given their financial situation of late, I knew that the highway system was in bad shape but I didn't expect it to be as bad off when it came to the money to maintain them.

The state has to stop debating how to pay for the shortfall just to maintain the states main transportation infrastructure and start looking at what is needed to meet the needs of maintaining, upgrading and expanding where and when needed so that way each thing can be addressed properly.

here are some suggestions as to help pay for the needed upkeep and expansion:

• mandate that each company looking to build near a highway or rail bed to pay or pay a percentage of the cost of the needed cost of making the highway accessible to the company. the cost should include the stretch of highway with in a certain radius in both directions of the highway.
• try to get companies to work together to build office/industrial parks to help them offset the price of the overall cost of upgrading the needed infrastructure for local streets and the highway that would feed those streets.
• see if companies would be willing to build over the highways to reduce the cost for both the company and the state when dealing with infrastructure and environmental concerns since the base infrastructure would already be there and to some degree the environmental impact is already know, while repairing/upgrading the highway so far in both directions possibly with off ramps dedicated to the company that would also be maintained by the company or office/industrial park occupants.
• for companies already abutting the highways and rail beds see if any of them are looking to expand and locations as to where they want to expand and for what reasons. if space is a problem due to the rail bed or the highway approach them to see if they would be willing to expand at their current location if they would be willing to build over and possibly on both sides to help repair or upgrade that stretch of highway to a certain point in each direction.
• where there are rail yards see if there are companies willing to deal with the trains ant their problems, and build over the rail yard with very good safety protocols.
• where there are train stations redevelop the stations so that way they are not stand alone station but rather part of an overall part of the building project so the rail system can lease out the property not designated as part of the station itself.
• when looking to expand the mass transit system, look to see which communities want the expansion to their communities. after the desire is established bring the communities on board to have them pick up part of the tab. also, do this with companies that would benefit from a building being built of required space for the companies, on top of the new stations.

commuter rail ideas sent into the rider oversight committe last june

The commuter rail has many advantages over driving but it isn’t as cost effective as it could be if it were not for the years of neglect in favor of expansion and if the MBTA really took the time to look at what is wrong with the Commuter rail system.

• The MBTA with regards to capital improvements for the commuter rail should look at the companies that run along the rail beds of the different lines to see if they need to expand and if the expansion could be done at the existing location with being able not to just abut the rail bed but lease the air rights over and abut on both sides of the rail bed to help them expand. Do this in an attempt to divert money from capital improvements to commuter rail expansion while looking to see if the companies that will abut the new rail bed would consider expanding over and onto both sides of the rail bed to make it more cost effective for both the MBTA and the companies looking to expand . Along with attracting businesses to locate close enough to the station being built for it to beneficial to both the companies and the MBTA in an attempt to split the cost of the expansion.
  
• The commuter rail has an aging fleet of engines and rail cars that are slowly becoming unusable due to the age and the equipment being rebuilt repeatedly to the point that some equipment cannot be rebuilt any more along with toughening environmental laws. The MBTA should think about adapting an advertising idea that they have been using on the local bus lines. Where the commuter rail can be seen from the skyscrapers and runs along the various highways and through cities and towns, with the trains being visible for a good stretch, make them mobile billboards like what the MBTA did with the buses by wrapping them in the advertisements. In this case wrap each rail car in an advertisement whether each car has its own ad or the whole train being used for a single ad. If this is actually able to make money then put that money directly into the commuter rail system to buy new equipment to replace the aging equipment.

published letter of mine from BostonNow, with an added paragraph

If Menino really wanted a new city hall for boston, he should have made an attempt to see if a new city hall would have been feasible at the present location rather than insisting on a waterfront view.

The current location has enough space to bould a new one and then some. Menino, if he talked to developers, could develop the current city hall into multiple towers with a new Boston City Hall being part of the overall builing project.

There is enough space there to build multiple towers that could be leased out to businesses while still having City Hall there.

This would also go in line with an idea I had submitted to the MBTA about redeveloping existing subway stations so that they are not stand alone stations but rather part of an overall development project where there is a building or buildings over the station. the redevelopment of Boston's City Hall Plaza would encompass the existing subway station on site.

ideas on setting up an evacuation plan

Ideas for the set up of an evacuation plan

Local municipalities and the states in which they are located should be working together to make sure that they have the best possible evacuation plans possible. They should also find the best ways to maintain the evacuation plans. When possible each state in a given region should try to develop a regional evacuation plan so that each state in that region can adequately deal with an influx of evacuees from the other states in that region.

· Working with the regional states and the local communities, figure out what are the most likely scenarios that would force evacuations in those regions. Then figure out which of those scenarios would fall under which level of government and under what conditions would that power, be superseded by the state or federal government for that scenario.
· Working with the cities and towns, figure out what their capacity is for taking in people that are being evacuated and if necessary add to that capacity in order to set up a network of emergency shelters. At the same time add appropriate first responder equipment and materials to the emergency shelters where possible along with appropriate training incase that specific shelter is within range of being a first responder.
· In places where there is already existing first responder equipment, materials and trained first responders, expand on or upgrade the first responder equipment and materials to the point that they are already appropriately packed, so it’s a “grab and go” response to save on time and money. In places where there is no first responder equipment and materials, figure out where to put the first responder equipment and materials on local levels.
· Organize all first responders in a way so that there, is no jurisdictional conflicts or bureaucracy to hamper the response time needed to get into the affected area or areas while having every level of responder on the same page when it comes to communications, time tables, what to do and when to do it.
· Upgrade the needed infrastructure that would allow for easiest access in and out of the areas that have a minimum population to the point that the potential evacuees have more if not better options to evacuate the area even if it means evacuating by train or by boat to reduce the congestion on the roads.
· Have periodical drills for specific types of disasters, so that the first responders keep their skills up to date.
· Have trained first responders for each scenario that, each region has the potential of needing to deal with along with having automatic activation of first responders for all scenarios and when possible, advance activation of the first responders if the scenario is foreseeable and imminent. If advance activation can be done have predetermined Alfa and/or Beta sights that they would report to when needed.
· Train the local police and fire departments to direct the flow of evacuees to the appropriate areas. Evacuees that are driving should be directed towards the roads and highways that would take them out of the area. For the evacuees that are not driving, set up temporary bus depot’s at designated points with in the local municipalities and if there are any rail systems in place, use passenger trains to aid in the evacuation even if it means bringing passenger trains in from somewhere else.
· Set up evacuation plans specifically for the elderly, people in hospitals and people in nursing homes that are incapable of leaving on their own taking into account any special needs of the people so that they can be transported as quickly and safely as possible. In doing so, send them to places that can handle them and that have the space for the elderly and any one incapacitated coming from hospitals and nursing homes.
· Utilize the available rail systems to help evacuate the population along with needed supplies for the evacuation, to bring in the any first responders if needed and for anything that is needed that would be required to go into or come out of the area where the rail system is the easiest way of moving those things.

firefighting, police and communications ideas for mass transit

Firefighting, Policing and Communications ideas for Mass Transit

With regards to how to deal with the issues related to communications, policing and firefighting in mass transit, the specific transit systems have to work with the police and fire departments that would be required to respond. This is so that there will be proper communications channels and proper training especially for the fire departments.
· Starting with the firefighters and their training for subway tunnel fires set up an abandoned subway tunnel that can still support train traffic or build a tunnel system that is a realistic mock up of a subway tunnel with stations for each subway line. Also set up trains that are no longer used by the mass transit system in various points in the mock up to help the training along. As part of the training they should be taught too properly maneuver the trains incase the train is hindering their ability to work the fire or dealing with the aftermath of the fire. Include every city and town in the training that has subway tunnels and subway stations in them.
· In the process of training firefighters, find out if current equipment is adequate or if new equipment needs to be designed to better fight the subway fires especially if the firefighters are being hindered in someway from properly fighting the fire.
· Set up firefighting teams that would have the appropriate equipment for subway tunnel and subway station fires, including vehicles that can fit in the tunnels and can be driven on both the streets and on railroad tracks.
· Regarding the transit police, hire more police officers to bring the transit police department up to the necessary staffing levels to appropriately police the property owned by the mass transit system. Give the police more in-depth and more prolonged training with particular emphasis on what is considered suspicious activity. Do it even if it means hiring outside people that are trained to train the private sector to watch for suspicious activity that may have not been considered by the mass transit system but would be useful in promoting better security.
· Any new communications system that is installed has to have the capability of allowing the people trained to operate the system to access the whole system and allow all of the relevant people to directly patch into the system. The communication system should also have the capability to allow people to talk to each other in the tunnels, with it being in real time, with out the need for repeaters phones being hard wired in the tunnels. Each relevant responding city, state and/or federal agency should be able to communicate using a standardized frequency or frequencies designated for emergency responders.
· Design the communication system so that it cuts down on the ability to eavesdrop on the system but allows the mass transit system, along with the local police and fire departments to utilize the system when needed with each department having the proper tools and training to tap into the system. Also design it so that way it will not be adversely affected by intense heat or fire for prolonged periods of time along with designing it so that it has an automatic back up system in place that would compensate for any problems if they should arise.
· For times where the system cannot use a land line, use the same or similar walkie-talkie technology that Nextel uses for its direct connect phones to provide some level of privacy and protection against eavesdroppers. Using the walkie-talkie technology of the Nextel network set up a completely independent communications network specifically for use by the transit workers and the emergency response agencies on all levels.