T allowing riders to use cameras again

BOSTON. The MBTA has made a surprising reversal in policy and will now allow people to photograph stations and trains without a permit, in response to a flurry of complaints from students, train buffs and tourists.

For many years now, Transit Police and T employees have been told to stop anyone from taking photos or video on MBTA property citing safety concerns in the post-9/11 world. Despite the fact there was no written policy, tourists and other people who wanted to take photos were forced to wait two days for a permit. Members of the media needed permission from the T press office or else they would be tossed out of a station.

This week, Transit Police finalized a policy that will allow people to shoot photos or video on T property as long as they are willing to produce identification when asked by an officer or employee, and allow their information to be logged into the police system.

“The fact of the matter is, nowadays everybody has a camera and it would be hard to regulate,” Transit Deputy Chief Paul MacMillan told Metro. “We decided we should make a written policy that was more user-friendly to amateur photographers who would like to take pictures of the MBTA,”

According to MacMillan, photographers will also need to state the purpose for taking the photos
or be asked to leave, and journalists need to present a valid media pass.

“If you want to take pictures on the T, we have an obligation from a public safety standpoint because of the terrorist attacks to ask you why,” he said.

MacMillan said they are keeping a record of the people who take photos to see if the person pops up at another station or T property in a suspicious pattern.

Yesterday, when a Metro photographer tried to take photos inside Park Street station he was told he could not continue without a permit.

MacMillan said an order has been sent down to all employees, but official word may not have reached everyone in the organization yet.