THE MBTA SPENDS A LOT OF MONEY maintaining its aging buses, but the transit agency does a good job of keeping its fleet on the road, thanks in large part to a large group of contingency vehicles that can be rushed into service when a bus requires repairs, according to an analysis by a consultant. […]
Tracking Transportation
Posted inTransportation
T fare hike seems likely
ALL SIGNS ARE pointing to a fare increase at the T; the only question is how big it will be. The Fiscal Management and Control Board is scheduled to vote on a fare increase on March 7. Two options are on the table, one that would hike the system-wide average fare by 6.7 percent, bringing […]
Posted inTransportation
MBTA reining in operating expenses
TOP MBTA OFFICIALS are forecasting that operating expenses at the transit authority will grow by less than 1 percent this fiscal year, the lowest rate of increase in at least 15 years. Operating expenses at the T have been increasing 5 percent a year on average over the last 15 years, but officials say they […]
Posted inState House News Service, Transportation
Baker defends fare hike amid commuting chaos
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE AMIDST ANOTHER DAY OF CHAOTIC COMMUTES for public transit riders, Gov. Charlie Baker on Thursday delivered a forceful defense of proposed MBTA fare hikes as he tried to empathize with the frustration of the riders struggling to navigate through cancelled commuter trains and overcrowded T cars. Amtrak, which operates the rails […]
Posted inState House News Service, Transportation
Keolis loses $29.3m in first year
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE The international firm that runs commuter rail trains in and out of Boston racked up $29.3 million in losses over the first year of its long-term contract, requiring its French parent company to subsidize its Massachusetts operations. According to state Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack, Keolis Commuter Services likely failed to fully […]
Posted inOpinion, Transportation
The wars at the T have to stop
THE CARMEN’S UNION NEEDS A LITTLE HELP with public relations. When the MBTA pitches a softball and you not only swing and miss but also hit the batboy in the face, you need to think about whether you need some help connecting the bat to the ball. This is pretty much what happened recently when […]
Posted inState House News Service, Transportation
Governor proposes $200 million in roads funding
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THREE DAYS AFTER saying he would file a multiyear local road funding bill, Gov. Charlie Baker submitted a one-year, $200 million borrowing bill that includes $50 million for a five-year small bridge program. With the state on track to hit its debt limit of $21.735 billion in fiscal 2017, the administration […]
Posted inTransportation
T board cautious on privatization
THE MBTA’S OVERSIGHT BOARD on Wednesday cautiously began exploring the privatization of some of the agency’s non-core services, prompting a forceful response from union officials who emphasized the dramatic impact these efforts could have on long-time T employees and their families. Brian Shortsleeve, the T’s chief administrator, said a request for information from private companies […]
Posted inTransportation
T oversight chief favors fare hike
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MBTA’S OVERSIGHT BOARD said on Wednesday that he believes the underlying arguments for a fare increase remain valid. He made his comment after hearing a top agency official say the two fare hike proposals the T is considering are attracting a light turnout so far at public hearings. Brian Shortsleeve, the […]
Posted inState House News Service, Transportation
Baker seeks to redevelop state parcel
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE PLANNING TO MOVE STATE HIGHWAY OFFICES from their perch above Boston’s Big Dig, city and state officials want to develop a large area at the edge of Chinatown, they announced Tuesday. The move is a high-profile example of an effort by Gov. Charlie Baker to convert state-owned land into housing and […]