🚇🤡 The MBTA really said April Fools’

It’s Tuesday, Boston.

🎶 PSA for Costco girlies! The Waltham location is apparently selling single-day GA tickets to Boston Calling for $159.99 (online they’re $176). No shade, but let’s just say no one was buying their tickets at Costco for last year’s lineup …

🌟 Also, not to flex, but … This weekend, we took home first place for Outstanding Newsletter at the New England Newspaper & Press Association awards! And we couldn’t have done it without our fabulous readers! <3

👀 What’s on tap today:

• Karen Read’s round two

• The MBTA is seeing green

• MOVE! THAT! DUCK BOAT!

Up first…

TRANSPORTATION

Brace yourselves, Red Liners

The MBTA is celebrating April Fools’ in the most fitting way possible: With our first major T shutdown of 2025. And it is major. Between the Ashmont Branch and Mattapan trolley, the Red Line is in for a full month of service changes starting … NOW. 

Here’s what to know:

🚇 From April 1 to 9, shuttle buses will replace service on the Ashmont Branch and Mattapan Trolley. And yes, there’s a confusing graphic to illustrate. The good news: Shuttles will hit all the T’s regular stops between JFK/UMass and Ashmont, and on the Mattapan trolley. The bad news: The MBTA recommends a rider traveling to Park Street from Mattapan “budget at least an additional 45 to 60 minutes of travel time.” *Sobs*

🚌 Here’s how the shuttles will work: During the week, there will be two separate shuttles, one between JFK/UMass and Ashmont (running every three to five minutes), and one between Ashmont and Mattapan (running every five to six minutes). To get from one to the other, transfer at Ashmont. On the weekend, most shuttles will be running all the way from JFK/UMass to Mattapan via Ashmont every eight to 12 minutes, though a few will end at Ashmont. 

🚉 Want to skirt the shuttles? The Fairmount Commuter Rail Line will be fare-free during the shutdown, as will the 18 bus — though it’s detoured. Also, Blue Cross is offering a $20 Bluebike credit during 2025 T shutdowns on the app with code BLUECROSSMAMBTA.

‼️ Unfortunately, things only get more confusing after that. Immediately after the shutdown concludes, service between JFK/UMass and Ashmont will be replaced with “shuttle trains” until April 30. Translation: The T won’t be able to turn trains around during that time, so instead, it’ll run a single train back and forth on each of the two tracks. Here’s how it works:

• They won’t hit every station. On the northbound track, the shuttle train will stop at all stations from Ashmont to JFK/UMass, but when it runs back to Ashmont it’ll be “express,” skipping Fields Corner and Shawmut. On the southbound track, it’ll be the opposite. Yes, it’s very confusing. Here’s a graphic from WBUR.

• For continued service from JFK/UMass to Alewife or Braintree, riders will need to transfer to the Braintree side of the station. Fare gates will be open at Ashmont only.

• It’ll be a nightmare for wait times. Think: 13 minutes between trains at Ashmont, Savin Hill and JFK/UMass, and at least 25 minutes between trains at Shawmut and Fields Corner. No joke.

🥲 Need some good news right about now? Here’s the best we got: If the MBTA’s preliminary schedule holds true, this will be one of just two weekday Red Line shutdowns this year. Good luck out there!

QUICK QUESTION!

🎤 We’re working on a story and we want to know: How much money would you spend on good seats to see your absolute favorite artist in concert?

TOGETHER WITH THE MASSACHUSETTS STATE TREASURY

This is NOT an April Fools’ prank 

💰 💸 But missing out on free money? That’s a real joke. With billions of dollars in forgotten funds just sitting in The Massachusetts State Treasury, you could have a small fortune in your name and not even know it. Check for unclaimed funds today and see if you have forgotten savings, lost refunds, or other surprise cash waiting for you. The search is quick, free, and might just make your day. 

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

🔍 Mass.’ local true crime saga is back for round two. The second trial to determine whether Karen Read killed her cop boyfriend John O’Keefe is officially underway after last year’s marathon trial ended in a hung jury. Since then, a lot has happened — including national headlines, a docuseries, witness intimidation charges, and the firing of one state trooper, not to mention Read’s team working overtime to try and stop the trial — all of which has only raised its profile. Need a refresher on round one? Here’s what to know.

🤑 The MBTA is seeing green. In a rare piece of good MBTA news, the agency has exceeded budget projections by $18 million since July thanks to rebounding ridership. If we’re talking numbers, ridership is up 24% year-over-year as of February, with gains on each T line: A whopping 40% on the Green Line, 26% on the Red Line, 19% on the Orange Line, and 4% on the Blue Line. Of course, that amounts to just 67.5% of pre-pandemic weekday ridership, but hey, it’s certainly not a bad start.

⛸️ The Figure Skating World Champs left us teary-eyed. And we’re not just talking about the Quad God’s SIX quadruple jumps. This year’s competition at TD Garden has come and gone, but some of the athlete’s stories will stick with us. For one: Maxim Naumov’s performance, dedicated to his parents who he lost in the tragic D.C. plane crash, earned him a huge standing O. Meanwhile, 19-year-old Alysa Liu became the first American woman to win it in decades (just look at this spin) following a two-year burnout break. 

🚰 Folks, we’re STILL in a drought. Yeah, the same one we were in last September. Our recent wet weather hasn’t been enough to pull Mass. out of its long-term dry conditions, and with warmer temps on the way, time is of the essence. Most cities in New England right now are in a five to 11 inch rainfall deficit (Boston is five). The good news: Though February marked the seventh straight month of below-average precipitation in Mass., March should finally break the streak. Here’s to hoping for some April showers.

ONE LAST THING

The duck boat pull

Quick question: Could you and nine of your besties drag a 21,000-pound duck boat across the Common? 

Well, for the low price of $1,000, you can make like Ty Pennington and try to move! That! Duck boat! Thanks to the Boston Parks and Rec department’s first-ever duck boat pull, teams of 10 can sign up to race against the clock and pull a literal duck boat across the Common. Just in time for duck boat season!

Why? All the proceeds will go toward supporting Boston’s youth sports. And, of course, it’s bound to be a wild watch.

It’s all going down on April 12 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can sign up here!

— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario

🦆 Thanks for reading! If anyone wants to lend us eight sets of hands and $950 … we’d give it a go.

💜 Special shoutout to today’s sponsor, the Massachusetts State Treasury, for helping residents reclaim what’s rightfully theirs.

🧑‍⚕️ The results are in: 64% of readers aren’t teachers, nurses, vets, or active service members, but wanted to vote in yesterday’s poll about discounted B-Side memberships anyway. Awww — and stay tuned! One reader said: “No one gives discounts to engineers.” Girl …

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