Alewife TMA's Commuter Spotlight - June 2024
June 3, 2024

Commuter Spotlight:
Red Line Rider

In continuing our practice of getting to know the commuters behind our programs, the Alewife TMA connected with a transit rider who lives at one of our member residential properties. This commuter prefers to keep his name private, but he was happy to share his story with us. 


Tell us a bit about yourself—where do you work and what do you do? 

I'm a software engineer near downtown Cambridge, and I work on a combination of web and native (Windows and macOS) application development in the audio technology space. 

What does a typical commute day look like for you? 

At a minimum, I walk to Alewife Station and take the Red Line to and from work each day.  At least a few times a week, I'll make an extra stop on the way home to pick up groceries or do a bit of shopping after work. On the weekends, I'll sometimes take a more leisurely trip to do some shopping further out of town (sometimes going via [Downtown Crossing] to another line).   


Why do you choose to commute the way you do?   

I've never been a fan of driving, and I've always been a huge believer in public transit. My college years (not in the Boston area) were my first exposure to how convenient it is to have a network of public transportation that can be used for errands and other tasks, and I quickly came to appreciate it. Before I moved to Boston permanently, I did a brief summer internship in the area and got to know the area a bit through a commuter's lens, which solidified my intent to pick a full-time location with robust public transit.  When I graduated, I considered several Northeast metros (in no small part because the Northeast broadly has much more robust transit options than any other region), but my familiarity with the Boston area and a great job opportunity brought me back. 

 

What do you like best about your commute? 

I enjoy commuting to work, partly because my commute is made so easy by living and working near a subway line. Starting and ending my day with a subway trip is a very grounding routine for me and gives me space to shift mental gears between work and leisure. I gained a newfound appreciation for this after working from home during the pandemic years, when I realized that without my daily commute, I no longer felt the same clear boundaries between work and home that I had been taking for granted. 

 

What do you like least about your commute? 

Having lived in Cambridge for many years at this point (and having been a commuter all this time), I've seen the deterioration of the T first-hand and, like everyone else, I don't particularly enjoy the inevitable delays, shutdowns, etc. I'm optimistic about the future under the new general manager, and I still appreciate the convenience (nothing has forced me to abandon it altogether, and I'm still a consistent rider) but having to grudgingly accept the T's failures is not the best part of my day. 

 

How did you learn about the Alewife TMA and what do you like about it? 

I first heard about it through my building, which advertised one of the pop-up events.  Of course, I will admit I enjoy the TMA’s  incentives and prizes for a sustainable commute that I've been making since long before I knew this existed, but beyond that I like that it gets more people in the area engaged with public transit instead of driving.  As someone who has always preferred the ease and value of using public transit over owning and operating a car (fun fact, I've never actually pumped gas!) I strongly believe that the best way to encourage improvements to public transit is to increase ridership and that having more people choosing to use the T will eventually translate, through necessity, to more robust service.  And, if nothing else, fewer cars on the road means a better experience for pedestrians! 

 

Do you have a fun or interesting story about your commute you can share with us? 

I once watched a pigeon board the train, ride two stops, and calmly exit!  It seemed so surreal that I wrote a joke song about it.  https://on.soundcloud.com/H9ybx 

By Hanna Morris February 4, 2025
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By Hanna Morris August 27, 2024
No Red Line Service Between JFK/UMass & Braintree, Sep 6–29 Free Shuttle Buses: During the shutdown, free shuttle buses will make stops at Braintree, Quincy Adams, Quincy Center, Wollaston, North Quincy, and Ashmont. Commuter Rail will be FREE between Braintree and South Station: Use the Middleborough/Lakeville and Kingston lines for service from Braintree. Use the Middleborough/Lakeville, Kingston, and Greenbush lines for service from Quincy Center (except for during the weekend closures). MBTA personnel will be available to assist riders. Commuter Rail Weekend Closures: The weekends of September 7th–8th and 14th–15th Kingston, Middleborough, and Greenbush Commuter Rail service will be suspended between South Station and Braintree. Shuttles will run directly between South Staton and Braintree. At Quincy Center use Red Line Shuttle to Braintree to Connect to South Station. MBTA officials say once the track work is completed, it will improve round-trip Braintree Branch travel times by as much as 24 minutes, running service up to the maximum allowable speed of 40 miles per hour. For the latest information, we suggest the following resources: Visit camb.ma/redline for additional transit options during Red Line closures. Visit mbta.com/redline for the most up-to-date information during the closures. Visit mbtaclosures.com for information on all MBTA closures.
By Melissa Zampitella July 12, 2024
Beginning at 8:15 PM on Friday, July 12 through Sunday, July 28 there will be no Red Line trains running between Alewife Station and Kendall/MIT Station. The following options will be available: Free shuttle buses will make stops at all closed stations Express shuttle buses will stop at only Alewife, Porter, and Kendall/MIT A Shuttle Loop will operate from Harvard to Central to Kendall/MIT and back to Harvard. Free Commuter Rail between Porter Square and North Station plus an extra shuttle train (doubling Commuter Rail service) Five Free Bluebikes rides with code: MBTAREDJULY MBTA Bus #77 (Arlington Heights – Harvard) will be fare-free within Cambridge On weekdays evenings after 8:30 PM the closure will extend to Park Street (Boston) – no red line service between Alewife and Park Street Shuttle buses will stop at all stations between Alewife and Part Street. On Weekends: July 13-14 : the closure will extend to JFK/UMASS – no service between Alewife and JFK/UMASS July 20-21 : the closure will extend to Park Street (Boston) – no service between Alewife and Park Street July 27-28: the closure will extend to JFK/UMASS – no service between Alewife and JFK/UMASS  Shuttle buses will stop at all closed stations. Note : Riders needing to go beyond Park Street will need to transfer to another shuttle at Park Street to go on to JFK/UMASS. The Commuter Rail will be fare-free between Braintree, Quincy Center, JFK/UMass, and South Station. Regular fares should be purchased beyond Braintree. The important thing to keep in mind is that there will be shuttle buses at all locations where Red Line service is closed. There will be signage and MBTA staff to assist riders in getting where they need to go. Below are a few good resources to find the most up-to-date information. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns. For the latest information, we suggest the following resources: Visit camb.ma/redline for additional transit options during Red Line closures. Visit mbta.com/redline for the most up-to-date information during the closures. Visit mbtaclosures.com for information on all MBTA closures
May 2, 2024
Get Ready to Ride: Bike Month is Here! Spring is in full bloom! The days are longer, tulips are popping up, and if you have allergies, you might be sneezing a bit more. But there's good news for cyclists: the warmer weather means it's time to get back on the road. May is National Bike Month , and there's plenty to be excited about for bike enthusiasts in Massachusetts. What is Bike Month? National Bike Month , established in 1956, is all about celebrating the joy of cycling, promoting its health benefits, and encouraging more people to give it a try. A key part of this celebration is Bike to Work Week, which falls in the third week of May, with Bike to Work Day on the Friday of that week. This year, Bike to Work Week is from May 13 to 19, with Bike to Work Day on May 17. What's Happening in Massachusetts for Bike Month? Massachusetts is a great place to be if you love biking, and Bay State Bike Month , hosted by MassBike , has a full schedule of events to keep you moving. If you're looking for group rides or ways to get involved, this is your go-to resource.
February 21, 2024
We all know the question, “what’s in it for me?” It’s the eternal quandary that all marketers are on a mission to answer. If they can explain what’s in for me to do or buy something, their job is done. But what if we rolled that question on its head and asked, “what’s in it for you, and me, and even them? When it comes to a green or sustainable commute, there happens to be a LOT it in for you, me, your neighbor and the person who sits across from you on the T. For you, it’s more convenient and economical way to commute. For your neighbor or the person across from you on the T, you are helping the environment and reducing traffic congestion by using a sustainable travel mode and NOT driving alone in a car. For that action, we at the Alewife TMA believe you should be rewarded.
January 29, 2024
Thank you to our members, partners, and green commuters who collectively made 2023 an excellent year for the Alewife TMA! Together, we celebrate the progress made towards sustainability in the Alewife & Fresh Pond area. Please take a moment to view our 2023 Recap which highlights the impact of the past year, We look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts in transforming our region into a space where multimodal transportations options are available for everyone.
mechanic next to car, text: Winter Car Maintenance and Safety Tips with Luis
By TransAction Associates January 4, 2024
It's officially winter! Are you ready for the snow and ice? Is your car ready? Join Luis Mejia, Fleet Mechanic at TransAction Associates & Corporate Shuttles, as he shares some winter car maintenance and safety tips.
December 7, 2023
The Alewife TMA was thrilled to meet with Erin Shields of Longfellow to discuss Longfellow's dedication to environmental sustainability and the value of TMA membership for the tenants and employees at 100/125/150 Cambridgepark Drive.
By TransAction Associates October 26, 2023
World Car-Free Day 2023 was a huge success! Organized in a variety of ways around the globe, every event shared the unifying goal of reducing the number of cars on the road. The Alewife TMA participated in MassCommute's 2023 Car-Free Day, the Commonwealth’s Coalition of 15 TMAs to promote and celebrate Car-Free Day in Massachusetts. Commuters who participated helped to make a positive impact on the environment and contributed to a greener Bay State!
October 17, 2023
The Alewife TMA recently began an effort to get to know the commuters behind the programs and services that we provide. We recently sat down with Chris Dimitri , a bicycle commuter who regularly participates in the TMA’s monthly commuter challenges, to learn more about him and his commute.
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