The T is spending $4 million to help provide information to passengers, but they don't seem able to require T workers to announce a train's destination.
It's that old, "We've never done it that way" syndrome.
Passenger says MBTA offers inadequate information on train's destination - The Boston Globe:
"The T currently is spending $4 million to install new track assignment boards at Back Bay, South Station, and North Station that will display departure times, track assignments, and train status, and a new train-arrival-tracking system, she said. "When both systems are in place, train arrivals and departures will be automatically displayed on terminal displays, something that cannot be done today." New public-address systems will be installed as part of the overhaul. Work at North Station was completed this month; South Station should be done by early next year (2008) and Back Bay by June, she said.Wouldn't the solution be to REQUIRE all conductors to announce their train's destination, and then check to make sure they are doing it?
Conductors are expected to announce their train's destination as they arrive at each station platform and it's 'especially critical' they do so at Back Bay and Ruggles Station, Rivera said. The authority is aware that 'some do, some don't' and welcomes feedback from customers. With the new systems in place, passengers will have other ways to get train information and not have to rely on conductors, she said."