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Conference 7.286::digital

Title:The Digital way of working
Moderator:QUARK::LIONELON
Created:Fri Feb 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5321
Total number of notes:139771

771.0. "Shuttle vans to commuter rail??" by SAFETY::JACOBS () Wed Apr 05 1989 11:05

    
    Please point me to another note if this has already been discussed.
    
    I live in Boston, and have an hour's commute (each way) to get to
    the Mill every day, where parking can be a challenge !
    
    Has DEC ever offered a shuttle service from the Commuter Rail Line
    station (in Acton, 2 miles from MLO) to its facilities in Maynard and
    Acton?  If so, what happened?  If not, where would be a good place to 
    suggest such an idea?
    
    Thanks for any feedback.
    
         Cheryl     
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
771.1KP7, etc.WHYVAX::DELBALSOI (spade) my (dog face)Wed Apr 05 1989 13:265
You might try in the SPIDER::MAYNARD conference, which is much more specific
to the needs of Mill personnel.

-Jack

771.2the van ran, long agoTOOK::CBRADLEYChuck BradleyWed Apr 05 1989 18:254
yes, there was such a van in 1977.
i remember hearing it was stopped, perhaps about 1980.
some of the inter-plant shuttle vans had a slightly different route at each end
of first shift.
771.3Find others who are interestedDR::BLINNLost in the ozone again..Fri Apr 07 1989 15:479
        In addition to asking in the MAYNARD conference, you might try
        talking to the Mill area personnel services people.  If it was
        done once upon a time, and there was sufficient interest, you
        might get it started up again.  Your best bet would be if you
        can identify several people who would be interested in sharing
        the service; if it's just for one person, you'll have a harder
        time getting anyone to agree to do it.
        
        Tom
771.4Do-It-Yourself optionTOPDOC::AHERNDennis the MenaceSat Apr 08 1989 22:0914
    If you can find eight other people you could form a DEC vanpool.  The
    vans will take up to 14 people, but they would all have to arrive on
    the #453 arriving S. Acton at 8:17 and go home on the 5:15. It would,
    no doubt, be the least expensive vanpool of them all because of the
    short mileage between South Acton and Maynard.  You would need to have
    at least two people with driving records free of moving violations for
    at least two years. 

    The Commuter Transportation Dept. at Powder Mill Rd. can provide
    you with the name and mailstop of employees who might be interested.
    Ask them for employees who work in Maynard and live in places along
    the line in both directions, Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Belmont,
    Waltham, etc.      
    
771.5Find a Good Samaritan?NITMOI::GRAYBruce Gray, Process SW Eng, TWOMon Apr 10 1989 17:2514
    Or, maybe you could find someone who would be driving by the S. Acton
    stop on their way to the mill at about the time the train arrives that
    would be willing to pick you up.  One small problem, though.  In their
    inimitable wisdom, the railroad decided not to provide a building or
    shelter of any kind at S. Acton.  So, unless the timing is precise, you
    may find yourself standing in the rain/snow waiting for your ride.
    
    BTW - when I worked in the mill in the late 70's, I remember a shuttle
    that did go to the S. Acton stop.  It might have been just an extra
    stop for the Acton (ACO) plant shuttle on demand.
    
    Bruce
    
    PS to .0 - Hi Cheryl!
771.6TOPDOC::AHERNDennis the MenaceTue Apr 11 1989 09:4911
    RE: .5  "when it rains..."
    
>    In their inimitable wisdom, the railroad decided not to provide a
>    building or shelter of any kind at S. Acton. 

    
    There is a plexiglas, roofed enclosure for the convenience of
    passengers in inclement weather.  At least, it was there when I
    got off the train Sunday night.
    
    
771.7Check PMRV70::COMMUTINGTHOTH::BISHOPTue Apr 11 1989 10:453
    look in the commuting conference there is a request for individuals
    who are interested in a shuttle from the train.  Note 331.
    
771.8Never noticed the shelterNITMOI::GRAYBruce Gray, Process SW Eng, TWOTue Apr 11 1989 23:584
    RE .6 - I stand corrected, then.  Just driving by, I guess I didn't
    notice - just looks like a large open parking lot from the street.
    
    Bruce
771.9logistics etc.SAFETY::JACOBSThu Apr 13 1989 18:1629
    Re: above
    
    As recommended, I cross-posted this in the MAYNARD notes, where
    some other good suggestions have been made (e.g. take a collapsible
    bike on the Commuter Rail).
    
    I also spoke with Transportation Services to see what logistics
    would be involved in extending the run of the MLO-PKO vans 2-4 times
    a day out to the Action station.  I was told that the van that
    had run that route was discontinued as it was "only" picking up
    3 or 4 people a day.  (Meanwhile, one can ride one of the "circling"
    vans almost anytime except lunchtime and have a private conversation
    with the driver !)  Upon inquiring why adding 8-16 miles a day to
    the route was so expensive, I was informed that "you don't extend
    the route, of course, you have to add another van to the fleet (and
    justify the expense)."   Since I didn't have my "bureaucracy decoder
    ring" with me at the time, I let it pass.
    
    What was surprising was that I am apparently the first person in
    3 years to bring up the question with them !  On the other hand,
    navigating the organizational waters would be even harder without
    NOTES.
    
        Cheryl
    
    ps Hi Bruce !  How's Chicago?