Getting Around: Boston Transportation

This week, we’re taking a close look at transportation in and around Boston, and some of the organizations that keep it running. Boston, being a major American city, has many options when you need to get around, but this transportation infrastructure may not be as strong as we like to think. This morning, we’ll examine various ways of getting around locally, nationally, and internationally. From the T to get from the suburbs to the city, to Logan Airport which can take you around the world, Boston has a lot of transportation options but some of them are doing better than others.

We’ll start with one of the most well-known transit agencies in the Bay State. The MBTA gets us around, but how much longer can they keep doing it at the same price? Nancy Valev will take a look at how the T accumulated such massive debt and how they think they can get out of it.

LISTEN: The T

Then we’ll move on to the T’s main competitor, cabs. Emily Files gives us a look at the life of a cab driver, why so many immigrants choose to be cab drivers, and a new controversy about how customers are paying their fares.

LISTEN: Cabs

Next we’ll take a look at the organization that controls both Logan Airport and Conley Terminal on the Harbor, among other airports and seaports in the state. Rebecca Morris will give us insight from Massport’s interim CEO, as well as opinions from activists both from the communities around Logan and on the Harbor.

LISTEN: Massport

Finally Dillon Rand will take a close look at high-speed rail and its potential within both Massachusetts and the United States. While it has become a mostly partisan issue in Washington, we’ll see why some people think it’s something much more important than that, something that can revolutionize how we think about travel.

LISTEN: High-Speed Rail

After that we’ll let you in on Dillon’s chat with former Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation, Jeffrey Mullan. Mullan served as transportation secretary from 2009 until about three months ago. He gave us his thoughts on the MBTA’s debt problems, how Boston’s transportation stacks up to other cities, and the potential for high-speed rail in the state.

LISTEN: Jeff Mullan Interview

We’ll finish off the show by taking a look at yet another form of transportation that we have yet to mention, but whose popularity has skyrocketed in recent years. David Watson is the executive director at Mass Bike. He came by our studios to tell us the virtues of biking around Boston and how it got to be so popular not only with average people but with policymakers, including the mayor, as well.

LISTEN: David Watson Interview

Reporters (in order of appearance): Nancy Valev, Emily Files, Rebecca Morris, Dillon Rand

Producers: Steve Burns, Maria Spiridigliozzi