Not exactly the Hub
My friends include a couple of people who once lived in New York City. One of them is even a Manhattan native (heads turn) and a diehard Yankees fan (gasp)! Both of them have been known, now and then, to suggest that Boston is a few bricks short of a load when it comes to modern civilisation. Since I'm a Northern New Englander, we have a few points of agreement on this subject, and lately I've been up against one of the most obnoxious.
In grown-up, "world-class", civilised cities, public transport runs round the clock. It does not in Boston. Here, one guesses, the morals police of days gone by decided that no decent person needed to ride public transportation between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. So the system clings to this mid-20th century schedule while the world expands around it.
In an unlucky moment, I drew ground transport (and pet-sitting) arrangements at this end in preparation for our CA trip this summer. Our outbound flight leaves at 6 a.m. That means arriving in the terminal before 5 a.m. in these tense times: well before.
We live less than 15 miles from Logan. Having driven the route for three years at a very early hour, I can guarantee it's a 20 minute trip at that godawful time. Best of the several options is an airport shuttle which, with tip, works out to $3.25 a minute or $4.65 a mile.
Meanwhile, decent people who don't have to check in at Logan until, say, 6 a.m, can drive to Wonderland Station, park for $4 or $5 a day, get on the Blue Line and change to the airport shuttle. If they are even more decent and don't need to be there until 7, on weekdays they can catch an express bus that drops them on the departure level. In a civilised metropolis, these amenities are there when one needs them. In Boston they are only available during decent, God-fearing hours. One might add that even in some uncivilised cities, such as Washington, DC, transport to and from the airports is at a reasonable fixed rate, despite which cabbies and shuttle operators seem to make a good living.
Naturally, my wife has already completed the rail arrangements connecting us from San Francisco International to Yosemite and back, at a better cost per mile.
It's irresistible to suggest that Boston has missed the bus.
In grown-up, "world-class", civilised cities, public transport runs round the clock. It does not in Boston. Here, one guesses, the morals police of days gone by decided that no decent person needed to ride public transportation between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. So the system clings to this mid-20th century schedule while the world expands around it.
In an unlucky moment, I drew ground transport (and pet-sitting) arrangements at this end in preparation for our CA trip this summer. Our outbound flight leaves at 6 a.m. That means arriving in the terminal before 5 a.m. in these tense times: well before.
We live less than 15 miles from Logan. Having driven the route for three years at a very early hour, I can guarantee it's a 20 minute trip at that godawful time. Best of the several options is an airport shuttle which, with tip, works out to $3.25 a minute or $4.65 a mile.
Meanwhile, decent people who don't have to check in at Logan until, say, 6 a.m, can drive to Wonderland Station, park for $4 or $5 a day, get on the Blue Line and change to the airport shuttle. If they are even more decent and don't need to be there until 7, on weekdays they can catch an express bus that drops them on the departure level. In a civilised metropolis, these amenities are there when one needs them. In Boston they are only available during decent, God-fearing hours. One might add that even in some uncivilised cities, such as Washington, DC, transport to and from the airports is at a reasonable fixed rate, despite which cabbies and shuttle operators seem to make a good living.
Naturally, my wife has already completed the rail arrangements connecting us from San Francisco International to Yosemite and back, at a better cost per mile.
It's irresistible to suggest that Boston has missed the bus.
Labels: Boston, Logan airport, public transportation
posted by Uncle | 00:43
1 Comments:
Atlanta is the same way way. Marta doesnt run after 1 am. Buses or trains. Have a safe trip, and enjoy Cali :-)
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