Bus line sees rail service as wasteful

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor

SPRINGFIELD The president of Peter Pan Bus Lines has come out in opposition to a proposed commuter rail line between Springfield and New Haven, Conn.

"It's not the most prudent expense," Peter A. Picknelly said. "The route is served by two forms of mass transportation already."

Commuter rail in western Massachusetts has become a subject before the Legislature and a campaign issue for several candidates. Timothy Murray, the mayor of Worcester who is running for lieutenant governor, released a position paper in April calling for the extension of the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority's (MBTA) commuter line to western Massachusetts.

State Representative Sean Curran (D-Springfield) is one local legislator who went on record in May supporting a proposed link from Springfield to a new commuter rail line in Connecticut. Curran's independent opponent in his race, Megan Anzalotti, opposes the project.

Although admitting that some people might see his stand as self-serving, Picknelly said in an interview with Reminder Publications that the proposed commuter rail line linking Springfield with Hartford and New Haven, Conn., would result in "one of the most inefficient commuter rail operations in the country."

Picknelly admitted that New York City is the number one destination for his riders and that he does not want to have happen to his "bread and butter" route what occurred to the company's former Worcester to Boston commuter service.

When the MBTA extended service to Worcester, the Peter Pan bus schedules designed for commuters were eliminated. Picknelly said there was an average of 500 people daily using the service at a price of $6.95 for a one-way ticket.

The MBTA service charged riders $4.95 for a one-way ticket. Each ticket was subsidized with $7 in taxpayer dollars.

Ridership declined to the point that the commuter service was cancelled and the MBTA negotiated a settlement with the bus company.

The taxpayer subsidies of ticket prices gives the commuter rail line an unfair advantage over private businesses such as bus lines, Picknelly said.

The ending of the Worcester commuter service meant the elimination of 49 jobs and the closing of a maintenance facility.

Using information from Connecticut state sources, Picknelly said, that taxpayers would subsidize 90 percent of each ticket on the line. Connecticut officials estimate a ridership of only 1,200 people would be built up by 2025.

Picknelly said that already 400 people daily ride Amtrak service originating from Springfield that serve the Connecticut destinations.

Picknelly said the proposed rail line would cost the state of Connecticut approximately $300 million to build Curran estimated the Bay State's share of the project would be $30 million and would incur an annual $9 million operating deficit until the use hits to 1,200 rider mark.

He said the new rail line would create "enormous traffic congestion" as the line goes through 53 grade crossing requiring automotive traffic to be interrupted. Because the line would go through so many intersections, it would actually take 35 percent longer to travel the route than it would take to drive. A successful commuter train beats driving time, he added.

Picknelly disagreed with the argument that if there were MBTA service to Springfield there would be an exodus of people from the Boston area to live in western Massachusetts simply because of the availability of a commuter rail line.

Currently, Peter Pan Bus Lines offers a 6 a.m. bus to Boston that is used by commuters, mainly of them various state workers as well as business people and medical personnel.

The trip takes 1 hour and 45 minutes to make the run between Springfield and Boston, with a stop at the Pride station in Chicopee near the entrance of the Massachusetts Turnpike. The bus can hold 54 passengers and about 35 to 40 travel each day. The ridership increases on Mondays and Fridays.

Picknelly said that aside from some grants for security procedures since 9/11 and for wheelchair lifts, bus companies do not receive any state or federal subsidies. For the past two years, Peter Pan Bus Lines is the largest business toll payer on the Massachusetts Turnpike paying $900,000 a year and pays various others user fees as well as fuel, vehicle and tire taxes.