Simple problems require simple solutions. And when it comes to solving our transportation woes, we consumers always wonder whey “they” can’t fix things quickly by doing what seems obvious and simple.
Consider the following questions I’m often asked…
ABOUT OUR TRAINS:
Why can’t they make the bathrooms on the
trains stink less?
Why can’t we have heat in the winter and AC in
the summer, instead of vice versa?
Why can’t conductors enforce the MTA’s mask
rules instead of hiding from passengers?
Why can’t they collect all tickets on the
trains?
Why can’t the railroad treat us like valued
customers instead of like cattle?
Why can’t we have competition among private
carriers on commuter rail?
Why can’t we get the bar cars back?
Why can’t we have WiFi on our trains like
Amtrak’s Acela?
Why can’t we get a rebate on our tickets when
trains are late, service is cut or we can’t get a seat?
Why can’t they build more parking at the
stations to cut the multi-year wait for annual parking permits?
Why can’t they put a map at every station
showing the local businesses and how to get there without taking a cab?
Why can’t Metro-North enforce its “quiet cars”
like Amtrak does?
Why can’t Hartford lawmakers all be required
to ride Metro-North at rush hour for a week to know what their constituents
endure all year?
Why can’t towns leave station waiting rooms
open evenings and weekends, especially in cold weather?
Why can’t they improve security on our trains
instead of making us do their job with “If you see something, say something”?
OUR HIGHWAYS:
Why can’t they get disabled vehicles off the
road faster, avoiding back-ups?
Why can’t town police direct traffic when
back-ups on I-95 send cars pouring onto the Post Road?
Why can’t they fix the overhead lights on I-95
so our highway is illuminated at night?
Why can’t they keep trucks off the Merritt
Parkway?
Why can’t they ticket trucks for using “Jake
Brakes”, down-shifting noisily?
Why can’t they keep the truck-inspection
stations open 24 x 7?
Why can’t we get reasonably priced gas on
highway service areas instead of having to get off the road and into local
traffic?
WHEN FLYING:
Why can’t they give us a human-sized seat with
legroom at a fair price?
Why can’t the FAA improve safety by making
sure pilots and air traffic controllers are properly trained, rested and
supervised?
Why can’t airlines be honest with us about
delays instead of always saying “it’ll be another 20 minutes” over the course
of hours?
Why can’t they seat families with screaming
babies in their own section, away from me?
Why can’t I take a car service to the airport
for less than the cost of my flight?
What questions would you add to our “Why can’t
they” list? Send them to me and I’ll try to get the answers and
share them in future columns: CommuterActionGroup@gmail.com
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