MBTA GM Beverly Scott spared no expense on trips, record review shows

http://www.bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2015/02/mbta_gm_beverly_scott_spared_no_expense_on_trips_record_review ^

[outpostinmass2]

MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott jetted off at taxpayer expense nearly every month during her two-plus-year tenure — sometimes several times a month — to conferences and meetings around the country, even as the troubled transit system was collapsing around her, a Herald review shows.

A review of Scott’s monthly expense reports provided by the MBTA as part of public records request shows she spent 106 days traveling out of state while at the helm of the T, taking 30 trips in 24 months.

During that time, Scott, who announced yesterday she’s stepping down in April, racked up $56,753 in expenses on lodging, airplane tickets and dining tabs, including at least $1,132 on hotel laundry and dry-cleaning bills.

Scott often charged taxpayers for excess baggage fees, accruing $411 on three flights between Boston and Chicago and to Washington, D.C., in 2013 and $520 on an October flight to an American Public Transportation Association (APTA) conference in Houston.

She traveled out of state nearly every month of 2014 — sometimes multiple times a month, records show. In September, for example, she spent nearly two weeks outside the state attending conferences in Washington, Detroit and Minneapolis. The next month, she headed to Houston and Washington.

The GM has traveled to, among other cities, San Diego, Montreal, New York, Denver, Portland, Oregon, and to Washington a total of eight times, including flying first class in January 2013 to a Rail-Volution conference.

While Scott was flying off to other cities, the MBTA was facing mechanical failures, chronically late trains, dirty cars and stations, driver safety issues and massive debt. The agency also cut services while hiking fares, and saw out-of-control spending and a 40 percent hike in employees scoring six-figure salaries.

[outpostinmass2]

Only worked here for 2 years and made things even worse.

[Diogenesis]

She is reported to have prevented MBTA employees
from reporting problems with the system - for years.

[outpostinmass2]

Amazing what an incompetent person can accomplish in just 2 years

[Wolfie]

Class Warfare!

[oh8eleven]

She's been abusing the system for two years, but the newspaper never did any investigating until after she's announced her departure.
Too late now.

[Paladin2]

Sounds like an AA appointment. Do I have to even look?

[Pearls Before Swine]

Gee, not to sound racist or anything, but she seems like a typical Deval Patrick appointment. She was most likely appointed for her political connections, and likely “diversity” as well, not her proven executive ability or knowledge of large-scale transportation systems and logistics.

She acted the part—doing little, putting off problems, and traveling 1/3 of the year, most likely pontificating on social issues.

My surprise is that she’s gone so early in Charlie Baker’s tenure, especially after she got the expression of confidence of the rest of the Department of Transportation honchos. Something big behind the scenes must have come to Baker’s attention. He must have caught wind of some gross mismanagement above and beyond the fact that the “T” couldn’t handle the snow removal.

[j. earl carter]

IBTDSERP (In before the “Did she ever return?” post.)

[Ace's Dad]

the newspaper never did any investigating until after she's announced her departure.

Good point; "because they were on the trips themselves?"

[Pearls Before Swine]

Nope. She has a PH.D. in political science with a specialty in public administration. She’s been in the public transportation sector all over the country for 35 years, riding the diversity gravy train. Her bio seems to emphasize her role in diversity and human resources planning. She probably can’t tell the difference between a train and a bus, though.

[Nervous Tick]

Strip away the doctoral degree and "doctor" Scott is another low-life gibsmedat, looting in a more socially acceptable way.

[Jim Noble]

Do I have to even look?

Nope.

[woodbutcher1963]

There are SO many people abusing in the system in Mass state govt. it is hard to keep track of them all. FYI, the Herald is actually the conservative paper in Boston. The other is the Globe. THe SH#T hit the fan just recently when there were 500 people standing line waiting for their train.

Keep in mind, the Republican Governor Charlie Baker JUST got elected in November. I am sure he asked for her resignation. She was appointed to her position by Obamas buddy the former Governor Coupe De Val.

This is the same state government that had Whitey Buldgers brother running the state university system until he retired.

[Nervous Tick]

>> She probably can’t tell the difference between a train and a bus, though.

Now she’ll get a good look at the underside of the bus... maybe that’ll help. ;-)

[Liz]

Seems confused WRT her gender.

BIG SPENDER--MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott

[blam]

Beverly Scott

[Paladin2]

0bama got a Law Degree. Does that prove he is competent rather than just being passed along?

[outpostinmass2]

Watch this press conference:
http://www.myfoxboston.com/Clip/11121760/raw-mbta-gm-beverly-scott-holds-passionate-press-conference

This is reason one.

The T has been awful these last 2 weeks. The excuses are absurd. Boston gets snow and it is cold every winter. Furthermore it is the newer sections of rail that are failing (built in the 80’s and 90’s). There are no 111 year old trains, rails and switches in the system. The T has spent most of their budget upgrading stations to ADA and of course pensions.

[Paladin2]

I doubt she has even been to Jamaica Plain.