PHOTO BY PAULA MULLER
Commuter Paul Hartford at the Swampscott Train Depot.
BY GAYLA CAWLEY
SWAMPSCOTT — Commuter rail schedule changes went into effect last week and some people are unhappy.
New changes for the MBTA North Side service include adding later morning departures for school drop-off. A new “reverse commute” train from North Station to Littleton/495 to serve new employment growth in the area was added for 6:45 a.m., along with an early reverse commute to Fitchburg at 6:30 p.m. On the Haverhill line, arrival times were shifted earlier to line up with job start times.
Paul Hartford, 54, of Lynn, who works in Charlestown takes the Swampscott train to North Station. He said it makes it harder for him to catch the train because he has to time it to make sure he gets out of work early to make the 4:15 p.m. train.
He said he used to be able to catch the 4:20 p.m. train after work at North Station. Now it is five minutes earlier. Before the change, he worked 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., but now he works 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
“I changed my hours,” Hartford said.
Karen Tanklow, 60, of Marblehead, said the changes have been “terrible.” She said the trains are so much more crowded than they were before. She waited 40 minutes to catch a train on Tuesday.
“This is unacceptable,” Tanklow said. “I mean, it’s never been like this.”
Tanklow added that the changes aren’t fair, especially at a time when people are encouraged to take public transportation for environmental reasons. She is stressed and angry.
“It’s really been a burden to deal with this before getting to work,” she said.
Still, some aren’t too bothered.
Nat Wysor, 40, of Marblehead, said after getting off a train in Swampscott on Wednesday that the changes are fine.
“It’s not that different for us,” Wysor said. “I think some of the other lines changed more than this one did.”
Before the changes were rolled out, customer comments were solicited during a public information period conducted in January and February. Eight public meetings were held throughout the commuter rail service area.
“After hearing feedback at public meetings and receiving thousands of comments from our customers, we have adjusted some schedules in order to better serve the people who use our commuter rail system,” said Mass DOT Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack in a statement. “This comprehensive update, the most substantive changes in decades, will lead to improved service and customer dependability.”
Gayla Cawley can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley.
