The MART of Something Good
By Jason Greenough | Art & Entertainment Editor
Courtesy of mrta.com
A summit discussing the state of MART bus services, from the student viewpoint, was held on Wednesday, April 20th here at Mount Wachusett Community College, led by those in the FYE program. Robert Evans and Marissa Weld, who both attend MWCC, are among the handful of students who led the meeting.
Over the course of this Hour and a half-long town hall-style discussion, various topics of concern and suggestion were covered, such as safety concerns on and off the bus, scheduling adherence and route extensions. A number of students were able to voice their complaints and frustrations, as well as constructive criticism for the bus company.
Nicole Mattson was one of the students who voiced their concerns over safety measures on the route she takes, citing an occasion where she had to sit on the floor of the bus due to lack of space. Gregory Germagian was curious of the possibility of a bus route that stretched to his hometown of Hubbardston. Most of the students who spoke, however, were voicing concerns over the “wait time”, or lack thereof, that most drivers offer at certain stops. One such student was Jeffrey Jasukonis.
“As it is now, nothing seems to be concrete when it comes to scheduling,” says Jasukonis. “There aren’t enough bus shelters [on the route], and I live on a highway, so there’s this problem where, especially in the winter, I have to trudge through snow and hope that I don’t miss my bus, because they do drive by without stopping a lot of the time,” he continued. “If I get there before the bus makes the stop, I have to wait inside of [King Phillip’s Restaurant] because there’s no bus shelter there.”
Another student, Marissa Weld, who is part of the college’s Gateway program, also voiced concerns of the proposed wait period that drivers are supposed to follow, but are not required to follow when it comes to “roll-through” stops, like Gardner’s Timpany plaza.
“I’ve noticed, in a lot of places, that if the bus driver doesn’t see anyone, they won’t stop,” says Weld. “I get on at Timpany plaza, which is a big space, and I feel it would be hard to see who is there to go shopping, or who is there to get on the bus, but it’s happened to me where I’ve only been a few yards away, trying to get to the bus stop, and the driver pulls off.”
It’s safe to say that while the services that MART offers, it is not a perfect service, and students, who are a large part of the bus-riding population are fed up with the actions of the company. Bonnie Mahoney, Grants manager for MART, heard all the students out, and stated that she will certainly bring their concerns and suggestions to the board. She also clarified that MART can only put bus stops in towns that are willing to pay for the service. So, it’s not completely MART’s fault.
But students are ready for change. And not the kind that falls from the fare box.
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