MBTA asking public for tips on improving local bus system

BOSTON — You’ve heard some of the complaints about the MBTA and now the organization wants your help to fix its issues. The T makes small tweaks to its bus routes every quarter, but, for the first time in 11 years, it is doing a full revamp and it wants your help redesigning the system.

Up until two days ago, the MBTA stopped right in front of an East Boston shopping center. But now shoppers there have to walk a couple of blocks to Maverick Street to catch the bus. Some like the change, some don't, but everyone now has the chance to voice their opinion.

As part of its Better Bus Project, the MBTA removed the stop to speed up service and reliability in East Boston.

"I like that it's a little faster, but I don't like that sometimes I come shopping here and I got to walk a little further to get my groceries," said Edwin Cruz.

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So what other preferences do you have?

Think quick, because for the next month, the MBTA is taking your proposals. And, thus far, people have ideas about everything.

"It's really difficult to get across town, like going from JP to Herald Square to JFK," said Alex Trofimov of Jamaica Plain.

"On the sign it says priority seating and it says elderly disabled, and you don’t see women with strollers and children, and I don’t understand why not," said Stephanie Faust.

"They get towed, broken down, they catch on fire and you want to know how to improve it? Better technology," another man added.

The MBTA says it will read all proposals and that its main objective is to address increasing congestion and changing demographics.

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"It's a good thing that they are asking the public, so that way everyone can be like, 'okay, we got what we asked for, or we didn't,'" Cruz said.

The MBTA says it has already received 625 proposals.

Cox Media Group