The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is responsible for transporting millions of passengers throughout the Boston metropolitan region annually. Many rely on public transportation for work, school and other forms of daily travel.

Recently, the MBTA has proposed, and continuously defended, raising fare rates by 5.8% across its network. Their claim is that raising the prices is necessary for improvements, all while the network itself is crumbling.

In the wake of multiple train derailments, breakdowns, fires and delays in the last few months, many passengers and residents feel those improvements are not happening fast enough.

Years of stagnate effort and funding to improve the network has created a dangerous precedent and an underlying fear for riders who rely on public transportation everyday in and throughout Boston.

Daily commuters like myself have seen the neglect the MBTA has inflicted on its system, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is not moving fast enough to fix these issues. Governor Charlie Baker rode on his election bid to fix the state of the MBTA, and his promises have yet to became a reality since assuming office in 2015.

These delays not only affect commuters, but the state's economy through lost productivity at work when employees cannot arrive on time.

Companies are hurting when their employees cannot arrive to work on time because of delays. This will deter future businesses from developing in a city that cannot provide basic principles like reliable public transportation. The delays will also continue to cost taxpayers millions of more dollars until the state agrees to fix the MBTA.

This petition is calling for a freeze on the fare hike prices until the MBTA can fix their network and provide reliable and safe transportation options for commuters.

We are also asking to sign to call for a federal investigation into the MBTA due to their gross mishandling of money and repeated efforts to stall repairs and improvements to their system.

The people of Massachusetts deserve a better transportation network that doesn't put their lives at risk.

The derailment of the red line at JFK/Umass station on 6/11/19 has become the breaking point for many commuters who saw Boston's morning rush hour commute come to a near halt. MBTA officials have repeatedly stressed, in the wake of the most recent derailment, that fare hikes are still necessary. Despite all of this, the MBTA has publicized that repairing the entire network would cost taxpayers over $10 billion dollars, with increased fare hike revenue only expecting to bring in $29 million annually.

These hikes will only hurt lower income individuals who rely on public transportation, and will bring no improvements to the network until the Commonwealth votes to give the MBTA the funding it needs to be restored to a safe and reliable state.

Commuters will continue to bear the brunt of the neglect until we advocate for immediate reform to our transportation system.



