For eastbound trips, the waiting time is quoted in minutes (e.g. "The next train to North Station will arrive in 5 minutes"). On the Riverside line, the westbound trips west of Kenmore are also quoted in minutes. However, in the subway, the westbound times are quoted in stops (e.g. "The next (pause) B (pause) train is (pause) one (pause) stops away". Why? Patrons don't know how long a "stop" is. At Park Street, when the sign says, that a B train is one stop away, it's meaningless because I can see the B train waiting on track 3. I don't know whether it will start in 1 minute or 8 minutes.
Or if I'm at GovCen and a C train is three stops away, what does that mean because C trains start their journey two stops away.
Or if I'm at GovCen and a C train is three stops away, what does that mean because C trains start their journey two stops away.