HAUSER: My B Line is better than yours

There are many things that can be said about the T in Boston. The fares are high, it’s overcrowded and infrequent, the service is unreliable and the cars are noisy. The list of negatives goes on and on. As a BU student, I became habituated to the MBTA service and just thought it was the norm for mass transportation. However, when I came to Grenoble, I became enlightened with a model of a successful mass transportation system. TAG, or Transports de l’Agglomération Grenobloise, is a system of five tram lines and numerous bus lines that traverse the city and the surrounding neighborhoods. I learned very quickly after taking the tram every day to the university that the system is way better than the T, no matter how charming the B Line may be.

First of all, TAG is much cheaper and more affordable than the MBTA subway. A single ride on TAG costs 1.50 euros ($1.60) while a single ride on the T with a CharlieCard costs $2.25. While paying for a few small trips wouldn’t matter, if you add the number of trips up over time, the difference between the two adds up! As a college student who wants to save every dollar possible, I love the low prices of TAG. What is even better is the fact that a monthly pass for TAG is only 15 euros for college-age students. As someone who takes the tram at least once a day, this is a steal.

Furthermore, the method of paying for the tram is much more effective here in Grenoble. Instead of paying at the above-ground stops on the train, like with the Green Line in Boston, which wastes time and can be a hassle with crowded trains, passengers in Grenoble pay beforehand, by tapping their pass or validating their ticket at small, blue pedestals next to the stops. This way when the tram arrives, everyone just gets on through all of the doors and the tram can get on its way to the next stop. Of course, this system does carry its own problems. Sometimes passengers simply don’t pay for the tram, which is more difficult to do in Boston, although not impossible as recounted by many fellow students. However, choosing to evade paying the fares is not an ethical nor smart decision, considering the TAG police occasionally ride the trams and give out hefty tickets to those who abuse the system. In the end, the system of payment is much smoother and easier than the T.

Secondly, TAG trams are much more reliable and come more often than the MBTA subway. During the day, TAG comes every three to seven minutes and during rush hour, it comes every three to five minutes. Compared to the very spotty service that I’ve experienced with the B Line, it is much easier to get to class in the morning knowing the trams always come at effective intervals. This also keeps the trams from becoming too overcrowded, as the stations do not fill too quickly while waiting long periods of time for a tram to arrive. Of course, events do happen, such as trams breaking down or the ever famous French strikes, however TAG always alerts passengers right away through announcements. Unfortunately, the TAG is very much like the MBTA with terrible late night service and trains only running every 15 to 20 minutes after 10 p.m. and stopping altogether at close to a.m.

Finally, the tram is sleek, elegant and not at all noisy. Every BU student knows when a B Line train is rolling past, thanks to the screeches on the tracks by the antiquated green trams. The screeches made by the Green Line at Boylston and the train rounds the corner deafens every passenger. Thankfully, the TAG trams are all updated, and slide gracefully down the tracks. I am assured that my hearing will remain intact here in Grenoble.

In summation, my love for the MBTA and the Green Line’s charm does not make up for its many deficiencies. After having discovered the TAG here in Grenoble, as well as other effective light rail systems in other European cities, I don’t think I can ever go back to riding the T without being infuriated by it. So while I am here in Grenoble, I am going to take advantage of the beautiful trams and use them as much as possible. I can just say, my Grenoble B Line is better than yours.