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" NEWSLETTER OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ADVISORY BOARD December 1984 Volume 2 Number 4 JACK LEARY REPRESENTS THE VERY BEST OF THE MBTA. HE POSSESSES AN OUTSTAND- ING COMBINATION OF MATURE MANAGEMENT ABILITY, SOUND TECHNICAL SKILLS AND AN ESSENTIAL SENSITIVITY TO THE HUMAN ASPECTS OF PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION FOR A HALF A MILLION PEOPLE DAILY. General Manager James F. O'Leary John fC. Leary, Jr.: MBTA )ry Board Man of the Year Two days after his 23rd birthday That career has been' marked by steady in August of 1966, a young man walked growth and promotions. By the time he into the Arborway carhouse to begin was 21, Jack had been promoted twice training as a PCC operator. William and was managing all of Carroll's T. Wilson, Superintendent of the Cen- operations, supervising approximately tral/Reservoir District at the MBTA 200 full and part time workers. Need- remembers that day and says that from ham neighbor and Advisory Board member that day forward, John K. Leary, Jr. Henry Hersey says, "not only is Jack a has been a "dedicated, well liked" T super fellow, he readily assumes employee who has never lost his "shy, responsibilities and carries them out. boyish manner" or his "genuine nature." He's very capable and maintains his pace. Now Deputy Director and Chief of Staff for Operations, Jack Leary is Within two years of joining the known and respected throughout the T MBTA, Jack began to assume management for his knowledge, skill, integrity responsibilities and by 1969 was and sensitivity. He is less well Supervisor of Staff Services for the known elsewhere because, as Mr. Wilson T's Construction Directorate, managing puts it, he "doesn't like to take the its administration and at the same limelight, but stays in the back." Superintendent Wilson goes on, "He's always there though to provide the necessary support." Jack Leary provides the necessary support and more. With responsibility for the day to day operations of the system, he makes the trains and buses run and deals with the problems when they don't. He has line responsibi- lity for the departments of Transpor- tation, Automotive Equipment Maintenance, Green Line Maintenance, Rail Equipment Maintenance and Engineering and Maintenance, yet he's never too busy to return phone calls or explain an issue. Father of two and a resident of Needham, Jack started his transporta- John K. Leary, Jr tion career after high school with the MBTA AdvisoryBoard Man of the Year William S. Carroll, Inc. bus company. to page 5 What's in a Ratio? The MBTA Advisory Board Finance Commit- gates suggest that the T is not col- tee has recommended that the MBTA lecting all the fare revenue it could. Board of Directors and Advisory Board The June issue of this newsletter "look seriously at the implications of suggested that the T Board of Direc- the Authority's comparatively low fare tors review fares, looking particu- coverage ratios." A fare ratio is a larly at issues of equity, at ways to fraction using fare revenue as the simplify the fare structure and pro- numerator and cost of service as the vide better user-targeted subsidies denominator. Fare revenue of $50 and and at the efficacy of small, frequent cost of $100 gives a ratio of 50/100 fare increases. or .5 and indicates that fares pay or "cover" 50% of the cost of providing Some Advisory Board members advo- the service used. cate fare increases; many do not. The Board's Executive Committee has asked The Committee recommends that the MBTA Board of Directors to update fare coverage ratios contained in the information in the Environmental and FY 1986 budget (33.3% for MBTA pro- Socioeconomic Impact Report on the 1981 vided service, 26% for commuter rail fare increase. That report recommended and 5% for The Ride) "be considered that goals be established for fare minimum, and that the MBTA identify coverage ratios and reviewed annually measures to increase all of these as part of the budget process. ratios." The Committee says attention should focus first on the Authority's costs, "which are high in comparison The Advisory Board appears ready with other systems." to follow that suggestion. One way to improve fare ratios is The Advisory Board Finance to increase productivity through bet- Committee is made up of Advisory Board ter, more economical ways for people members Peter Boyer, Watertown Town to do their work. The Advisory Manager; Marcia Crowley, Wayland Board's approved FY 1986 budget man- Selectman; Ellen Fisher, Concord; dates such improvements. It calls for Richard T. Leary, Brookline Executive a reduction in employee absenteeism as Secretary and Michael J. Sullivan, an initial step to cut labor expenses. Medfield Executive Secretary. Those who serve pro bono on the Committee as Effective service which brings in non Advisory Board fiscal experts are more revenue for a given dollar of Philip N. Shapiro, Director of cost is a second method to increase Investor Relations for the Bank of New the fare coverage ratio. It is the England; Raymond G. Torto, John W. T's responsibility to gather and McCormack Institute of Public Affairs, update information on a regular basis University of Massachusetts; and Peter which enables service planning and Van Aken, Vice President for Adminis- scheduling staff to route buses and trative Affairs, Brandeis University. schedule trains so that they meet transportation needs of current riders and provide options for potential riders. Two way communication with passengers and accurate, up to date ridership information are essential The Advisor is produced and published by the for delivery of effective service. staff of the MBTA Advisory Board which represents seventy-eight Mayors andBoards of Selectmen. Improved fare collection or Antonio J. Marino. Cfiairman changes in the fare structure also result in a higher fare ratio. The 120 Boylston Street, suite 504 Boston. MA 02116-4604 extent of fare collection equipment 617426-6054 out of service and the number of open Winter Service Oranges along Route 94 (West Medford) instead of Route 96. The MBTA Winter schedule will begin t ROUTE 108 Linden-Wellington December 29, with changes on 17 bus schedule will be improved. routes and on the Green, Red and Blue Lines. The most significant change is Due to delays in the Forest Hills the operation of Red Line service to area, schedules for the following Porter and Davis Squares which opened routes will be adjusted in an effort on December 8th (cf. related story). to improve reliability: On the Blue Line, four-car trains will operate until 7:30PM. ROUTE 34 Dedham Line ROUTE 35 Stimson/Washington Green Line schedules will be ROUTE 36 Charles River adjusted to reflect changes in ROUTE 37 Baker/Vermont rideship. 14 two-car Arborway trains ROUTE 38 Wren Street will operate during peak periods ROUTE 40 Georgetown instead of the current 11. Saturday ROUTE 50 Cleary Square Boston College service will operate ROUTE 51 Cleveland Circle every 4 minutes. Bus route changes are as follows: Record Budget Approved • ROUTE 3 Service will operate via On November 29th, the MBTA Advi- Park Plaza to accomodate passengers sory Board, representing 78 cities and transferring from commuter rail and towns in the MBTA district, authorized express buses at South Station. a budget of $472.5 million for the region's public transportation Autho- • ROUTE 20 Sunday service will run rity for the fiscal year beginning via the Keystone Apartments. next July. The spending authorization is an increase of $41.1 million (9.5%) • ROUTE 38 Wren Street service will from this year's T budget and reduced begin prior to 6:00AM. the T's $491.7 million request by $19.2 million. t ROUTE 59 Service will operate along Needham Street in Newton. The FY 1986 budget provides funds for extra maintenance and emplovee • ROUTE 67 One morning trip from training as well as for operating Lexington to Arlington Center will additional miles of the Red Line to be added to accommodate student Alewife. The authorization also funds ridership. the introduction of new Type 7 LRVs on the Green Line beginning in April, ROUTE • 71 Trips to Harvard Square 1986 and provides for expansion of The will from depart the new busway in Ride, the T's para-transit service for Watertown Square. passengers with special needs. • ROUTE 83 Morning rush hour service The Authority's request was a between Ringe Towers and Central product of a new process which identi- Square will operate every 7 minutes fies costs at the most minute level of instead of every 10. detail. Advisory Board Executive Director Lewjean L. Holmes says that • ROUTE 90 Due to increased ridership "the new budget format is designed to to the Assembly Square Mall, be an operating plan. With a few midday and afternoon service from years of refinement and when the T can Davis and Wellington Stations will evaluate actual compared to planned operate every 35 minutes. expenditures at the same level of detail, internal budgeting at the T • ROUTES 94/96 The first inbound and great deal of usefulness. last outbound trips between Harvard will have a and Medford Squares will opera"*:e to page? Red Line Opens to Davis Trains will be scheduled every 4.5 minutes during peak periods with On December 8th, after fifteen 5-7 minute frequencies off-peak. Sig- years of planning and construction, nificant increases in ridership are the MBTA opened Red Line stations at not anticipated at the new stations as Porter Square in Cambridge and Davis changes in bus routes to feed passen- Square in SomerviUe.