Central Mass. Sentinel & Enterprise: More local people taking the train

[marmar]

More local people taking the train
By Marisa Donelan
Article Launched: 08/03/2008 06:05:59 AM EDT


FITCHBURG -- Geoffrey Love of Fitchburg takes the commuter rail to his job in Boston, because it's more convenient than driving the length of Route 2, he said.

If he has to go somewhere after work and needs his car, Love, 41, said he'd still only drive part way.

"It is not a pleasant commute driving Route 2 every day," he said Wednesday while sitting on the 7 a.m. train. "If I were to drive, I'd just take my car to Alewife (station in Cambridge) and take the train from there."

Ridership on all forms of the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority system is up 6 percent from this time last year, according to statistics released Monday from the MBTA.

Commuter rail ridership remained steady, however, with the biggest increases on the system's bus and subway (T) lines.

Commuters on Wednesday's 7 a.m. train said it seems more people are opting for public transportation recently, though, and some guessed high gas prices are causing people to leave their cars closer to home.

"Ridership has been up on this line," Love said. "I've noticed it, I've seen more people in the parking garage. It's a great thing. I think more people should be taking the commuter rail." ...........(more)

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