[Summit] #49 bus elimination; also RIPTA to Logan Airport

[John Bazik]

> One other big change that RIPTA has made affects Summit in a positive way:
> it is now possible to take the Route 1 (formerly 42) bus to South Attleboro,
> from there to the train, then to the Silver Line, and finally to Logan
> Airport. I tried this on the way home last week, and it was great --

I agree in principle, but the practice leaves something to be desired.  In RIPTA's proposal for the new Route 1, they promised increasing the frequency of busses from every 20mins to every 15mins.  They did not - the bus runs every 20mins.  However, because of the new route, it is now even less likely to be on time than before.  And even if it was on time, the new map includes many fewer stops, so it becomes a puzzle of extrapolation to determine when the bus is supposed to be at any particular corner.  One could reasonably count on the 42 to arrive within a 10-minute window at any particular stop.  Now it runs according to no discernable schedule.  Which would not be so bad if it ran more frequently...

What should have been a terrific improvement in bus service on Hope Street is, instead, much worse.

John