Commuters adjusting to Orange Line shutdown one week later
BOSTON (CBS) – It's been an adjustment for Orange Line riders, switching from trains to shuttle buses. "I just can't wait for the thirty days to be over," one commuter told WBZ-TV.
Near Boston's Copley Square, riders have mixed reviews.
"It's slower now. A bunch of people got to go work," said one passenger. "It's a lot. I go to school late every day now."
"It's very smooth. It all depends on where you're coming from," explained Tanasia Hinds-Wilson.
She commutes daily from Roxbury's Ruggles Station into the Back Bay. Hinds-Wilson prefers the shuttle buses.
"When the Orange Line was up and running, I feel like it was more chaotic than with the shuttles," she said.
But it hasn't been smooth sailing for many businesses in Somerville.
Which Wich district manager, Amada Gonzalez, said they're losing much needed foot traffic from the temporarily-closed Assembly Station.
"The business has gone down a little bit. We had people coming off the Orange Line before," said Gonzalez.
He's trying to schedule employees around the rush hour traffic, but it hasn't helped much.
"They've been coming in an hour late. They're usually on time, but after the shutdown it's a bit complicated."
But passengers said at least the ride is free of charge. That's an upside.
"It's nice seats, it's free," said one rider. "It's cleaner."