Failure to invest in #publictransit has cost Boston area big bucks

View from the Senate: Addressing urgent public transportation needs - News - The Reading Advocate - Reading, MA: "The MBTA provides public transit services to 176 communities across Massachusetts, servicing a population of nearly five million, making it America’s fifth-largest mass transit system. A modern, reliable, affordable public transportation system is of critical importance to the greater Boston area, including our communities. It is necessary for the Commonwealth’s economic health and growth; just consider how many people-hours of work were lost due to the MBTA’s shutdowns and delays. Further, public transit vastly improves our environment by giving commuters an alternative to increasing automotive traffic. Finally, an excellent public transit system vastly improves the region’s quality of life."