The MBTA Asked Riders What They Want, And They Want More Keytar Bear

The Wall of Ideas/Photo by Steve Annear

The MBTA asked, and riders answered: they want more Keytar Bear.

As part of Boston Idea Week, which brings innovative concepts to the city in the form of panel discussions and events, the transit agency put up a series of boards at three MBTA stations, and asked riders passing by to stop and jot down their thoughts on them.

Specifically, the T wanted to know what passengers would like to see in terms of improvements on the tracks and buses, as well as creative ways in which the agency’s services could be enhanced.

While some took the opportunity to crack jokes and make unfeasible demands, there was no shortage of answers, as most of the boards positioned inside the train stations—they went up at the Courthouse, Ashmont, and Downtown Crossing stops—became cluttered with recommendations, however far-reaching they may have been in some cases.

Here’s one novel idea an honest T-rider dreams about:

Another rider felt as though a little extra entertainment on the platforms between stops could help quell the frustrations that come with traversing the transit lines. Their suggestion? More Keytar Bear. Although that may be up to the performer, who has already said he’s taking a hiatus from the underground stage due to the intense heat and humidity, it’s probably in the T’s best interest to interpret this particular request as a sign that adding music and hosting other artists at station stops could better serve their customer base.

Other popular requests included putting hand sanitizer at the stations or on trains, adding late-night train service every night of the week, increasing the police presence on T property, and encouraging fellow riders to intervene in cases where an altercation breaks out on board vehicles—and those were just suggestions from Downtown Crossing. Other boards put in place as part of Boston Idea Week garnered comments about adding bathrooms to train cars, and improving certain rail cars on the Orange and Red Lines, which, coincidentally, the state is already working on.

The suggestions on the boards extended beyond the MBTA’s duties, as well. People started thinking about general practices that could be implemented throughout Boston to improve life in the city. They asked for things like more public park space, extended hours at restaurants and bars, and more violence prevention programs in schools.