Protesters Urge MBTA To Avoid Cuts, Fare Hikes

BOSTON (AP) — Seniors citizens, riders with disabilities and Occupy Boston-style protesters have descended on a meeting of the MBTA to urge board members to reject service cuts and sharp fare hikes.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Lana Jones reports

The MBTA has already held a string of 31 hearings to solicit ideas from riders on how best to close the agency's looming $159 million budget gap.

Secretary of Transportation Richard Davey and Jonathan Davis and acting general manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority on Tuesday conceded that there was no way to avoid some fare hikes and service cuts.

Their letter appears to have sparked another round of protests on Wednesday.

As riders with disabilities and seniors addressed the board inside the hearing room, a raucous crowd of 100 or so protesters gathered outside chanting "we are the 99 percent."

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.