Worcester Business Journal

24 Worcester Business Journal • February 1, 2016 www.wbjournal.com Join the WBJ's LinkedIn discussion group by scanning the code to the left on your smartphone. To scan the code, you need the NeoReader. Visit get.neoreader.com to download it onto your phone. Want to participate in the conversation? F L A S H P O L L T A L K B A C K KEEP LATE-NIGHT TRANSIT Riders of the late-night MBTA service are pushing for its preservation. "Our cities are growing with young people who do not rely on personal transportation. Worcester needs to review this issue also, if we want the twenty somethings to come and stay." WBJournal.com commenter Padraig SOLAR NEEDS STATE PROGRAMS With the solar industry pushing for expansion of state solar incentives, new data calls into question the need for state support of the industry's growth. "The utilities are committed to maximizing profit ... It's not their goal to work with Massachusetts to achieve a 21st century energy system ... The net-metering credit is not a subsidy. It is a payment for energy produced and should pay people well for taking risks to build and/or enter into as an offtaker projects with 20-year contacts, which come with real risk. WBJournal.com commenter Mike Carroll Is having a Boston connection important for your business? Readers split on Boston's importance A fter MetroWest Medical Center partnered with Boston hospital Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, we asked Central Mass. business leaders how important the commonwealth's capital city is to their operations. The result was a fairly even split on whether or not Boston mattered to them. COMMENTS: "Boston is critical to my industry. We need faster public transportation to Boston. More trains that can get us there in an hour or less. How about high-speed rail? Why doesn't anyone talk about that?" "I am sure that some businesses need a link to larger markets. Our business is very local, but that doesn't mean that I think that all Central Mass. companies can exist without Boston. That question gives a false answer and doesn't portray what I mean to say." 6% Yes. Boston is an important customer base in Massachusetts. 26% No. Central Massachusetts companies have always been able to exist without Boston. 43% W ith the Massachusetts legislature on the cusp on banning the use of cell phones while driving – except when using hands-free systems – we asked Central Mass. business leaders how often they use their cell phones while driving. Only 15 percent said they don't use them at all while the majority said they are essentially communication devices. Driving and phones go hand-in-hand "If the call does not seem pressing, I will ignore it and look for a message later. It's a potentially dangerous distraction to pick up and talk, though." "How did we get anywhere before we had Waze or Google maps on our phones? It's not like Worcester streets are laid out in a tidy grid. Not everyone has a Bluetooth enabled or GPS- equipped car. Lots of us don't have a stand- alone GPS unit either (because why would you if you have a phone?)." Yes. It is essential to communication and navigation. 34% No. With so much international trade Boston is no longer necessary. Yes. But only for talking and I use a hands-free system. 46% No. It is too much of a distraction. 15% Do you use your cell phone while driving? "It is a hazard and an absolute distraction! Driving requires complete attention! Drivers using their cell phone are a hazard to themselves and others." Yes. Boston is still a link to larger markets. 25% 5% Yes. Only in emergencies.

• Cover