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Council on Aging committee members urge city to ask MBTA to revisit ride-assistance rules
Summary
Committee members raised a separate concern about a recent MBTA policy change that stops drivers from assisting riders with groceries; members discussed municipal letters urging the MBTA to renegotiate the policy and suggested coordination with the mayor's office.
Near the close of the bylaws discussion, a committee member raised a separate service issue: the MBTA has changed ride-assistance rules and drivers are no longer allowed to assist riders carrying groceries to the door. Committee members said seniors and drivers dislike the change and that some municipalities are preparing template letters asking the MBTA to revisit the policy.
"Drivers don't like it. Residents don't like it," a committee member said, describing constituent complaints and noting municipalities are preparing letters to request the MBTA go "back to the table and renegotiate this." Jim suggested that a draft letter could be forwarded to the MBTA and that the mayor's office staff (John Thibault was mentioned) might sign or join such a letter to increase municipal heft.
No formal action was taken during this meeting; members said they would gather sample letters from other municipalities and consider asking an elected official to send a template letter to the MBTA.
