Mr.+Davey

=Problem:= The problem is clear: the rising bus fares. With the increased fare prices, students of ages 15-17 may have to start working in order to pay for those fares. Students who can’t find work or don’t have time to work may be late for school, may have to wake up earlier than they already do now to walk to school, or not go to school at all because they can’t take the bus. We risk students’ safety by having to walk home to and from school as well as their health if they are waking up earlier than they already do and working to have enough money to take the bus, walking in ill weather and crossing the street can be a harzard to student health. More students will not be showing up to school on time (or at all) and then more students will be overly stressed because they have to juggle homework, after-school activities (If they have any), and their job. There’s also the problem with improving the service on the MBTA. People are always complaining about the poor treatment they get when on the T or the conditions of the bus/train. We can try to fix these two problems once and for all if we work hard to achieve our goal!

=Possible Solution:= We, the class of Period 6 U.S. HIstory 1 Honors at Malden High, are willing to form volunteer groups to clean the buses. For our Generation Citizen Project, we have decided to try and improve the T so that it will still run even after we graduate! If it can help the T save money and reduce the cost of the T for students, then our class is willing to do it. Now forming these groups to go and clean up trash once a week for an hour may not seem like much, but if our class can get other people to notice and help out too, then we might be able to get the whole state of Massachusetts to start these volunteer groups and then that’s when the __T starts saving money__ from not having to pay people to clean up the buses. The motto here is that if one person starts, many will soon follow. If our groups also help out the train workers by teaching people how to use the Charlie Card system, we can reduce the workload on the employees and improve their jobs just a tiny bit, thus improving the way they view teens as well.

=About the Volunteer Groups: = If we can form volunteer groups ( Or "T Ambassadors") that go to the T station every other week or so for an hour or two, then we can help out at the station. Some of us can stay and wait for the buses to come, once they come those of us who are assigned to clean the bus will hop on and do a quick sweep for big trash and pick it up to throw it out/recycle. This can reduce trash on the bus and help the T not have to pay for someone to clean up the bus. The students who are assigned clean up duty may also help clean up around the station while they wait for the buses to come. Those who aren't assigned to clean may wait around the T station, ready to help out anyone who needs help with their Charlie Cards. By helping people out with their Charlie Cards, we can reduce the work load on the station workers and have them really do their jobs without distraction from people who need help with the cards.

=** For Those Who Do Not Know Mr. Davey- **= =**Introducing Richard Davey: **=

Massachusetts Department of Transportation
Governor Deval Patrick appointed Richard A. Davey, MassDOT Secretary and Chief Executive Officer effective September 2, 2011. Secretary Davey leads an organization that operates with a single mission: to provide a safe, reliable and efficient transportation network for residents of the Commonwealth. (Resources: MassDOT: http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/RichardADavey.aspx copyright)

Here is a link to a video about Mr. Davey explaining his goals for the MBTA problems and what his top priorities are:
Mr. Davey

Here is another video about Mr. Davey reaching out to customers of the MBTA and explaining what his occupation is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UWRpnHQhcgA#!

We are trying to contact Mr. Davey to tell him that we are here to help and come up with possible solutions for the MBTA's situation. Here is our revised letter to Mr. Davey: []

We kept it short and sweet so it would catch the attention of Mr. Davey so he could possibly respond to us.
 * Contacting Richard Davey: **
 * [|Contact Information for Massachusetts Department of Transportation] **
 * Letter to Richard Davey: **