Hats off to the MBTA.

I've now been carless for over a year, and the improvements I've seen as a casual T rider continue to impress me. With many kinks gone, the automated fare collection system seems a success. The new New Flyer buses are a joy to ride. The T police have been making excellent use of the news media to deter "quality of ride" crimes like these. There are new, easy-to-read neighborhood and bus maps in every station I use. New ads in subway cars and buses explain how to take advantage of these improvements and others, like bike racks on many buses.

I know what you're thinking: wait 'til winter. Yes, we'll see if things are the same then. There are always challenges, and with the T's declining, obsolete, and sales tax-linked funding, it's hard to meet them. But I've been around Boston for 8 years now, and these improvements are the most drastic yet. The Grabauskas administration seems to be getting [some] things done.

I'm hoping that things can continue to improve and that the Patrick administration can succeed in linking the T's funding to the gasoline tax.