Yes, next week
Thanks to a perfect storm of staff shortage, residents working from home, and winter coming, the MBTA announced that service on the #7, #9, and #11 will decrease beginning on December 19th. See below:
Due to a reduced workforce and other challenges, the MBTA is currently dropping about one of every 20 scheduled bus trips. While the MBTA continues an aggressive hiring campaign, short-term bus service changes are being made to better match its scheduled service and reliability with service actually being delivered. With special focus on maintaining service levels on routes with durable ridership, increasing scheduled service on the most crowded routes, restoring service to additional routes to accommodate new in-person school and work trips, and maintaining the flexibility to make changes to schedules as needed, a number of bus schedule changes will go into effect on December 19, 2021.
Service on the #7, #9, and #11 will decrease in the morning and the afternoon. You know, when people use it to commute from the neighborhood to downtown. The MBTA does state that these will be temporary changes to service but you know…it’s the MBTA…they’ve been promising new bus shelters and changes to bus routes for years…years! There was also talk of an express #7 to help with the over crowded bus situation.
The #7 bus route change is particularly concerning. You’ve seen the lines to this bus route pre-pandemic. And even with a pandemic and more people working from home, the #7 is THE busiest bus route and most controversial bus route in South Boston. With more developments being built in the neighborhood, more companies building in the Seaport, more of the workforce will be moving into the neighborhood – a workforce that will rely on buses to get them to work. So the fact they are reducing service on this route is something we need to keep an eye on…closely.
TONIGHT
The MBTA’s Service Planning Team will hold a virtual public meeting on Wednesday, December 8, 2021, to outline these changes in detail, and to allow the public to ask questions and provide input. For full and complete listing of all upcoming service changes, please visit mbta.com/servicechanges.
Maureen Dahill is the editor of Caught in Southie and a lifelong resident of South Boston sometimes mistaken for a yuppie. Co-host of Caught Up, storyteller, lover of red wine and binge watching TV series. Mrs. Peter G. Follow her @MaureenCaught.
The number #7 bus doesn’t have half the problems we do on the #10 while this bus route isn’t mentioned ( it can’t possibly have any worse service) I think it’s time people pay attention to that one as well it’s always the one they cut when a driver is changed to another route or calls in and they don’t fill the shift because they are trying to eliminate overtime leaving us standing there for sometimes another hour while 3-4 # 7’s & 9’s come rolling on down the hill so let’s pay attention to all the buses affecting the South Boston area not just the ones that suit certain individuals
Peter g is my hero thx for your pease on elf very funny love ya johnny pro
Peace