Radio Boston had MBTA General Manager Dan Grabauskas on the air on Friday, and he took questions from callers about the T. He likely realized that he was about to put his feet to the fire, as Radio Boston began the show with a few quotations, such as "I hate the people on the T, I hate the service, I hate everything about the T."

When Grabauskas had his turn at the mike, he repainted the standard bleak financial picture. It's as if he is preparing us not to expect better when he says "we're broke."

He also said that, when it comes to kvetching about the MBTA (which Bostonist does on a routine basis), "People like to pick on their transportation system." So it's all a figment of our collective imagination? This Bostonist spent several years riding MUNI and BART in the Bay Area, and, sorry, but those systems were more efficient. They definitely weren't perfect, and you can read all about that on SFist, but they seemed to be on time more often than the MBTA.

More about the interview after the jump! Image of Dan Grabauskas from the MBTA.

Bostonist agrees wholeheartedly with Stephanie Pollack of the Northeastern University Center for Urban and Regional Police, who called the T a "critical economic engine." The T is, in general, a major benefit to Greater Boston. Life without the T would be miserable. Grabauskas is absolutely right when he says that, for people driving into the city, "even the most expensive commuter rail pass is a bargain for the price."

But the MBTA gets so many of the little things wrong. They would improve in the eyes of the public just by being on time more often, trying to make sure the credit-card system doesn't crash when a new month is ready to begin, and having more than one person at the ticketing window at Downtown Crossing when it's time to buy passes.

Train Stopping also recaps the interview with an emphasis on commuter rail and is generally underwhelmed. RadioBoston reported dark and cold trains and uncollected fares on a rail ride.

However, it wasn't all bad. Radio Boston was careful to describe the good points about the T, and one of the show's reporters rode the 1 up Mass Ave to Harvard Square and noted that she had a perfectly on-time experience.