Category Archives: Boston

Brief mention in the Boston Globe

From “MBTA announces latest arrival: Google mapping tool for riders“: But not everyone at yesterday’s news conference was trumpeting the partnership. Jonathan Kamens, 39, of Brighton said Google Maps’s public transit routes are faulty because they rely on schedules provided by the MBTA, which are sometimes wrong. Kamens, a software engineer, said his complaints to… Read More: Brief mention in the Boston Globe »

MBTA Transit Police threaten to arrest me for distributing flyers to reporters at Google Transit press conference

As planned, I went to South Station about a half hour before the press conference scheduled to announce that Boston (finally!) had been added to Google Transit.  Upon arrival, I started talking to reporters and handing out flyers. I was quickly confronted by Daniel Dombak, a Marketing Director for Equity Office (which manages South Station),… Read More: MBTA Transit Police threaten to arrest me for distributing flyers… »

MBTA routes are now in Google Maps, but they’re still wrong!

MBTA route information has just become available in Google Maps (both Web-based and Google Maps Mobile).  Google and the MBTA are planning on formally debuting it at a press conference at South Station in an hour or so. I checked, and the data that the MBTA gave to Google has the same errors I’ve been… Read More: MBTA routes are now in Google Maps, but they’re still… »

A well-deserved rebuke at an appropriate time of year

I’ve recently started bicycling to and from work again after a very, very long hiatus. My route home from work takes me past the Boston Public Garden: Because Boylston and Arlington are both one-way the wrong way, I have to make a loop around the Public Garden by taking Charles to Beacon to Arlington. Or,… Read More: A well-deserved rebuke at an appropriate time of year »

Seat belt law opponents are either idiots or liars

To: letterstotheeditor@bostonherald.com To the editor: It has been painful to watch the avalanche of flawed statistics and discredited urban legends wielded by opponents of a primary enforcement seat-belt law in their foolhardy efforts to stop a law which would undeniably save lives. Jonah Goldberg informs us that since there are states with higher traffic fatality… Read More: Seat belt law opponents are either idiots or liars »

Better for city employees to work than take the T

To: letterstotheeditor@bostonherald.com To the editor: Councilor Michael Flaherty’s idea to slash the city’s motor pool by having workers ride the T is a brilliant strategy for doubling the number of employees on the payroll.  How else does he expect to maintain the same level of productivity when workers are forced to spend half the day… Read More: Better for city employees to work than take the T »

It’s hard to catch the bus when the MBTA tells you to wait in the wrong place!

To: CabotSuperintendent@mbta.com Mr. Houghton, Thanks to a helpful bus driver this morning (the driver of the inbound 554 bus that passed through Newton Corner at around 8:20), my daughter and I finally found out the real explanation for why we missed the 554 bus from Newton Corner to Newtonville on Monday and Tuesday of this… Read More: It’s hard to catch the bus when the MBTA tells… »