Hear that? That’s the sound of sidewalks all over town rolling up. Boston is reclaiming its place as the city that can’t stay up late. By the end of next week, the T’s late night service will be no more. Once again service workers, and partiers will have to figure out a new way to get home. Guaranteed to be less readily available and more expensive. And ironically, it’s happening just as Mayor Marty Walsh’s Late Night Task Force is recommending later hours for some city restaurants, as well as later end times for some Boston performances.
Despite the pleas from the public, it appears there was never a real chance to save the late night service. Well before its official vote to end it, the Boston Globe reported that T drivers and conductors noticed the late shift was no longer on their schedules. Gotta agree with Caroline Casey on this one. Casey, a community organizer for the T Riders Union, told the Globe “This isn’t about planning ahead. This is about the fact that this public process is a sham.”
I know that the MBTA Board has to make deep cuts to reduce the multi million-dollar deficit and more importantly, to ensure the MBTA has a future. And so far, I’ve generally been impressed with the thoughtful review of policies and practices led by Governor Baker’s Board. But, this behind closed doors vote raises concern that public input is not taken seriously. In several public meetings, the Board got a lot of pushback from frustrated T riders speaking out against expected fare hikes. More than two thousand people all told turned out for those meetings; it is important that the final decision reflects some of the wishes of the consumers.
With the end of late night service, stranded workers, and Bostonians dining out or barhopping must now cope with limited options for getting around. And I’m mourning the T’s second failed attempt to extend service hours into the night. WGBH’s Isaiah Thompson reported that Boston’s soon to be dead late night service is comparable to cities like Paris, Washington, Toronto, Madrid and Montreal-- cities that fully support public transportation. It’s fair to say that their late service adds luster to their tourist standing. Boston is never going to be up-all-night hip New York, but I don’t want it to be my Grandmother’s small town, either.
Hear that? That’s the sound of corks popping as share riding services like Uber, Lyft and Bridj toast this good fortune. They will surely realize a boost in revenue because the buses and trains will no longer run until 2 am.
In a few more days the city’s late night service will be a memory, another footnote in the T’s volatile history. And Boston will be clinging on to its status as a world-class city—once again.
