Transportation Book Project

Dear MBTA,

A lot of ideas have come to me lately about how the MBTA works. Before I start complaining, I have to admit that I have seen a few changes with the new buses you have on the streets. They are much cleaner, have better seats, and the ride is definitely smoother. But at the same time, some places in Boston, like Roxbury and Dorchester, still have the old dirty buses. We should get rid of all the dirty buses and replace them with the modern buses so that passengers can ride with more dignity.

For me, getting on a bus that’s not dirty is a big matter, because I don’t want to get dirty. One time I took the bus to go on a date with a girl that I really liked. I was really looking nice. I was wearing a new black suit because we were going to dinner at a fancy restaurant. When I got onto the bus and sat down, I didn’t know that the seat that I sat on was dirty. When I got off the bus, my pants were also really dirty. That’s the worst thing that could ever happen when you’re going on a date and trying to impress a girl.

It is really frustrating to see a dirty bus, especially when you know everyone could clean up after themselves but they are just too lazy to do so. I read that about 66 percent of people who eat on the bus don’t take their trash with them. The MBTA has a special “Cleaning Between the Lines” program, where we can go online and leave feedback for them. I think the MBTA should advertise this program with posters to make riders more aware of what they should be doing to keep the buses clean.

One additional thought I have for the MBTA is to put trash cans on the buses so that when people are getting out, they can just dump their trash in them. Though we have nice buses on the street, it will not prevent people from being lazy, because we live in a world where people are careless about the environment. The MBTA needs all the help it can get to keep the buses clean.