Letter to MassDOT Secretary and MBTA GM re: Commuter Rail Fares for Boston Residents

A coalition of state legislators from Boston submitted a letter to MassDOT Secretary Stephanie Pollack and MBTA General Manager Frank DePaola requesting an evaluation of the affordability and equity of commuter rail fares for Boston residents.

Senators Michael Rush and Sonia Chang-Diaz along with representatives Ed Coppinger, Russell Holmes, Liz Malia, Jeffrey Sánchez and Angelo Scaccia stated:

“We, the undersigned state senators and state representatives, are writing today during the MBTA’s comment period on proposed schedule and fare changes in order to bring awareness to an issue regarding fares for Boston commuter rail lines. As the MBTA begins to consider modifying commuter rail schedules and fares, we ask that the zoning and pricing of commuter rail stops within Boston’s neighborhoods be reevaluated in order to better assist Boston residents who lack direct subway transit access, and thus rely heavily on commuter rail access.

By way of illustration, monthly passes for certain commuter rail stops that traverse Boston’s West Roxbury, Roslindale, Readville and Hyde Park neighborhoods currently cost $182/month, as they fall within Zone 1 and Zone 2. This fare price differs notably from that of other neighborhoods in the Greater Boston area, in which many such residents pay substantially less for monthly passes. For example, monthly passes for Zone 1A stops outside of Boston such as Porter, West Medford, Malden, and Chelsea stations cost only $75/month.

As such, we believe that Boston residents deserve more equitable access to fairly priced public transportation options, and respectfully request that the MBTA carefully reevaluate fares for Boston’s commuter rail stops.

We thank you for your consideration of this important matter.”