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Conference 7.286::maynard

Title:Maynard -- Center of the Universe
Notice:Welcome to our new digs...
Moderator:PRAGMA::GRIFFIN
Created:Wed Aug 06 1986
Last Modified:Thu Feb 20 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:509
Total number of notes:4062

144.0. "Shuttle vans to commuter rail??" by SAFETY::JACOBS () Thu Apr 06 1989 18:02

    
    	Having recently been chastised for getting one too many "white
    slips" in the Mill parking lots, it occured to me that a way to
    reduce the parking congestion would be for more employees
    to take the Commuter Rail to work.
    
    	Does anyone know whether DEC has ever offered a shuttle van
    service from the Acton Commuter Rail station to the Mill, PKO, ACO, 
    etc.?  Why was it stopped?  The added expense of extending the regular
    van service out to Acton would seem neglible.  
    
    	Thanks for any information.
    
      Cheryl
        
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144.1Yes, it existedHANNAH::DCLDavid LarrickFri Apr 07 1989 15:156
    >  Does anyone know whether DEC has ever offered a shuttle van
    >  service from the Acton Commuter Rail station to the Mill, PKO, ACO, 
    >  etc.?  
    
    I know for a fact that such a service existed a few years ago.  My
    understanding is that it was stopped due to lack of ridership.
144.2low interest levelSAFETY::JACOBSMon Apr 10 1989 18:177
    
    Thanks, David.
    
    As a follow-up to my own question, I called Transportation Services
    and got a similar answer.  They also said I was the first person
    in three years who'd called to inquire; doesn't sound likely they'll
    reinstate the service right now.
144.3Bike ItTALLIS::JBELLCeci n'est pas une pipe. |Mon Apr 10 1989 18:4116
    You might consider using a bicycle to get from the South Acton
    train stop to Maynard.  It's less than 2 miles, so you'ld take
    10 to 15 minutes minus what it takes you to park your car and
    walk from your car to your office.

    There are two approaches:
    1. Keep a bike locked at the station.  Make it a bike that is of
       reasonable quality, but not theft bait.

    2. Get a folding bike.  They let you carry those onto the train.

    -Jeff Bell


    
144.4MTWAIN::BENNETTMon Apr 10 1989 19:4910
    There used to be a bus that went from Harvard Square that took its
    time, but eventually got to its last stop -- the Mill.  Most of
    the towns on the route declined to continue being a part of the
    route.  Vestiges remained (and may still) at the beginning and the
    end of the route.  The latter may still be going from the train
    station in Concord to West Concord to DEC at odd hours.  Also,
    if the West Concord DEC facility still has vans going to Maynard,
    it's very near the W. Concord station.
    
    Don    
144.5SAFETY::JACOBSThu Apr 13 1989 17:515
    >There used to be a bus that went from Harvard Square that took
    >its time, but eventually got to its last stop -- the Mill.
    
       Do you mean an MBTA bus?  
    
144.6...But I got thereMTWAIN::BENNETTThu Apr 13 1989 21:024
    I don't believe it was an MBTA bus.  It went through Arlington,
    Lexington, Bedford (all over Hanscom Field), Concord, W. Concord, and
    Maynard.  If I remember correctly, it took almost 90 minutes.
    This was close to 19 or 20 years ago.
144.7Bus company, from fuzzy memory...CIMNET::PIERSONMilwaukee Road Track InspectorTue Apr 18 1989 16:4913
    Having ridden it (once...) it was an MBTA bus, in its closing years.
    When I first came into the area, it was still operated privatley,
    although, i think, with subsidy.  The bus service was the reason
    Maynard "joined" the MBTA, and later asked to formally leave, when
    it was cancelled.
    
    I am guessing at the name, but Middlesex Street Railway sounds right.
    Many "Street Railway" (trolley) companies converted to buses, whicle
    keeping the "street railway" name.

    thanks
    dave pierson
    
144.8BEES::BASSETTDesignFri Mar 23 1990 19:0515
    re .3  
    
    That's a great idea for Only Men.  That should leave enough parking
    spaces for the women of the Mill if all the men ride their bikes!
    
    The Digital Shuttles between PK and ML will be disappearing shortly. 
    Digital is hiring a contractor out of NH, I believe, to shuttle us
    around.  Personally, I don't understand why they would make such a
    change but....This contract company will supply their own buses.  What
    worries me is this company pays by the day...which to me means that
    bus drivers might be here today gone tomorrow.  Such business that are
    run like this seem to attract a certain character of people.  
              
    Linda

144.9The drivers may know more.FDCV10::CARRILLOInformation Systems Worker BeeMon Mar 26 1990 21:3218
	I understand that the van service will change on April 2. The vans
	used today are leased and because of their design, people found 
	them difficult to enter and exit, sometimes hurting themselves or 
	damaging their clothes. A contractor from NH will continue the PK 
	to ML shuttle service, with bigger vans, for a cost less than the 
	cost of the current service. I believe the NH contractor owns the 
	vans to be used. The bigger vans will make it easier for people to 
	enter, exit, and avoid damage to their clothes and to themselves. 
	The pay received for driving the vans will decrease so yeah, ".8" 
	may have a good point about the service; guess we'll have to wait 
	and see.

	I used the shuttle service twice last week and talked with the 
	drivers; I suspect they can provide more information or correct 
	any errors I may have made.

	Mark