MBTA bus stop relocation hits a few bumps

The MBTA recently relocated a dangerous Monument Square bus stop in front of the Loring-Greenough House. But the transition has hit a few bumps with buses continuing to park at the old stop and the Route 41 bus not picking up at a new stop.

The Gazette received an email from Jamaica Plain resident Karen Wepsic, a member of the MBTA Rider Oversight Committee, saying that the Route 41 inbound bus is sometimes not picking up riders at the Centre and Eliot streets stop.

That has, and continues to be, the last outbound stop on the route, but it also became the first inbound stop during the aforementioned relocation. Wepsic said when buses first begin their tours, they are not picking up the Centre and Eliot streets stop.

Pesaturo said a bus manager will make sure to inform all of Route 41 bus drivers to pick up at the stop.

“Notice of the change went out to the bus garage, but apparently we need to reinforce the message with

bus operators on that route,” he said.

The MBTA previously told the Gazette that buses would not park at the old stop, but the Gazette has seen two buses do just that. MBTA spokesperson Joe Pesaturo said, “Operators will also be reminded that buses are not to lay over at the old stop.”

The Gazette has repeatedly pointed out the dangers of the old stop over the past few years. The stop was placed in the middle of the busy Monument Square intersection and forced large buses to stop in a crosswalk, which is illegal. The buses also blocked pedestrians’ and drivers’ views of each other as they entered the intersection. Buses also parked in the stop from time to time, aggravating the dangers.

John Ruch contributed to this article. 

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