Pay more to be stuck in a massive jam, or pay less for crappy transit

We read this post in the Universal Hub, regarding a soon-to-be-ex MBTA rider who will now choose to drive to Boston.

When we read that "they're raising my Subway pass from $44 to $59," we consulted our Fare Hike of 2007 worksheet. There's only one teensy-weensy problem with her statement.

First, the Subway Pass, Combo, and Combo Plus passes no longer exist, as the T is eliminating them in favor of the singular LinkPass. The three older passes, at $44, $71, and $79, will all be replaced by a Link Pass for $59 per month. The elimination of her Subway Pass, and herding her to the new LinkPass, does make her monthly purchase go up $15. Perhaps she didn't know about this, or perhaps wanted to make her statement more appealing to the anti-MBTA crowd, but we want to make sure this got cleared up. (This is why we do the research, kids!)

Moreover, riders who usually bought the Combo or Combo Plus pass will see their monthly rate go down by $12-20 - a huge savings. The $15 extra for the LinkPass also includes bus service, which would cost her $40 if she purchased a Bus pass seperately - so she would have saved money regardless.