2020 GO CARBON NEUTRAL! Fareless Transit would create a strong incentive to ridership upwards of 30% in the first year (4). According to the MBTA budget report, only 33.2% of revenue in 2019 was from fare, and this revenue can be made up by the proposed rush hour tolling initiative. Fare enforcement costs and ticketing itself are eliminated with a fareless system. Free and Ample Parking at Commuter Stations is difficult to come by on weekdays, requiring too-early arrival to stations to secure a parking spot (5). If parking in the city is difficult but parking at the commuter rail is easy, the parking incentive is furthered. More Lines would connect more suburbs. New lines between the Lowell and Fitchburg lines, between the Haverhill and Newburyport lines, and extending the Stoughton line to Taunton would provide more coverage. Decreasing Parking Availability & Increasing Cost Within Urban Center would make Boston will become more walkable and bikeable, and more commuters will be encouraged to take public transit. Smoother and Quieter Track Infrastructure would allow riders to work, read, or partake in other leisurely activities. A quieter, smoother ride will further enable this and increase ridership. Increased Rush-Hour Tolling on Mass Pike (I-90) and tolling expanded to other highways such as MA-2, I-95 and I-93 should exist, and a discount system for commuters who do not live near a commuter rail line could be implemented. The tolls could help fund fareless transit and other initiatives, and decreased use of roads and freeways will also result in decreased maintenance costs. Buses should not be subject to tolls and bus fares eliminated (or kept the same). Express Lines and More Frequent Service are vital for the commuter rail and would also be beneficial on the light rail network. This would decrease wait times and help ensure that commuting by rail would be faster than by road. Sources (1) MBTA Rail Vision Non-Rider Survey Results Summary. MassDOT. 2019. (2) MassDOT Transportation Facts. Mass.gov. 2015. (3) Public Transportation’s Role in Responding to Climate Change. USDOT. 2010. (4) Banse, Tom. "'Just Get On And Go!' Olympia Transit System Goes Fareless". 2020 (5) Vaccaro, Adam. "One big barrier for MBTA ridership? Not enough space for cars." 2020 DON'T POLLUTE, RAIL COMMUTE! The 2019 Carbon Free Boston Summary Report highlights the dense freeway traffic surrounding Boston as inefficient for users & pernicious for the environment. This demands a reassessment of the current MBTA commuter rail. 82% OF DRIVERS, SAY COMMUTER RAILS ARE INCONVENIENT (1) 76% RAILS EMIT LESS CARBON THAN CARS PER RIDER-MILE (3) 13% ONLY OF WORKERS USE MBTA TO GET TO WORK (2)