STARTING OCTOBER 1, commuter rail passengers will be required to tap, scan, or swipe their tickets or passes at 30 newly installed fare gates before boarding or exiting trains at […]
Transportation
Posted inPolitics
Filings flesh out opposing sides in immigrant driver’s license fight
UNIONS AND LIBERAL-LEANING groups are spearheading the campaign to keep in place the state’s new law granting driver’s licenses to immigrants without legal status, while a repeal effort is being […]
Posted inTransportation
Poftak sees T turning corner with Orange Line reopening
MBTA GENERAL Manager Steven Poftak said on Sunday that he believes the successful refresh of the Orange Line over the last 30 days could be a turning point for the […]
Posted inTransportation
MBTA board eyeing possible new revenue streams
THE MBTA board, nervous about looming budget shortfalls, is starting to look at developing some new revenue streams. Betsy Taylor, the chair of the MBTA board who earlier this week […]
Posted inTransportation
MBTA board chair indicates authority needs more funding
THE CHAIR of the MBTA board, apparently for the first time, indicated to lawmakers on Wednesday that the transit authority needs additional long-term funding to address safety and reliability issues. […]
Posted inTransportation
DPU trying to double size of its MBTA oversight staff
THE STATE DEPARTMENT of Public Utilities, which is coming under fire for its poor oversight of the MBTA’s safety practices, appears to be trying to double the size of its […]
Posted inOpinion
Heavier, faster e-bikes worry me
AS A PEDESTRIAN, I am worried city streets will get more dangerous now that faster, heavier electric bicycles or e-bikes have been officially recognized by state officials. This year’s state […]
Posted inTransportation
Poftak says T riders still riding but taking fewer trips
MBTA GENERAL MANAGER Steve Poftak said on Tuesday that nearly all of the transit authority’s riders are back riding the T, but traffic is off because they are not taking […]
Posted inTransportation
Lawmakers plan hearing on DPU oversight of MBTA
A SECOND LEGISLATIVE committee plans to hold oversight hearings related to the MBTA – this time concerning the role the Department of Public Utilities plays in overseeing safety issues at […]
Posted inTransportation
MBTA board approves $811m contract for 102 new Green Line supercars
THE MBTA board of directors on Wednesday approved an $811 million contract to purchase 102 new Green Line vehicles that are each capable of carrying as many passengers as the […]
Posted inTransportation
No calls for Poftak’s removal, even from Healey’s campaign
THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION on Wednesday raised serious concerns about the safety culture at the MBTA, but no one is calling for the dismissal of top leadership at the transit […]
Posted inTransportation
FTA safety analysis of T faults agency’s preoccupation with capital spending
THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION released a safety analysis of the MBTA on Wednesday that paints a picture of an overextended agency failing to balance the need for heavy capital investments […]
Posted inImmigration, Politics, Transportation
Diehl, through signature effort, finds an issue
REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL candidate Geoff Diehl, whose campaign has been searching for an issue to run on, apparently helped create one. Proponents of an initiative petition overturning a law allowing undocumented […]
Posted inTransportation
Reduced frequency on subways will continue through fall
THE MBTA, which had originally hoped to restore regular weekday service on the Red, Blue, and Orange lines by the end of the summer, is now planning to continue the […]
Posted inState House News Service, Transportation
Baker vows full-court press for East-West rail
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE FEDERAL AND STATE officials agreed Tuesday that Springfield can play an important role in the revitalization of passenger rail service in America, and Gov. Charlie Baker […]
Posted inTransportation
Buses in Lawrence moving to 30-minute frequency
BUSES IN LAWRENCE will operate every 30 minutes all day long on weekdays starting September 6 in a bid to provide more consistency for riders and reflect changing usage patterns. […]
Posted inOpinion
In defense of autonomous vehicle law
A RECENT Barron’s article by the Brookings Institution’s Clifford Winston brought to mind two aphorisms: “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,”and “pay no attention to the […]
Posted inThe Download
Healey plans overhaul of MBTA management
Maura Healey, the lone Democratic candidate vying for governor, released a transportation plan on Tuesday that would overhaul top management at the MBTA, set aggressive electrification goals, and establish low-income […]
Posted inTransportation
Healey plans overhaul of MBTA management
MAURA HEALEY, the lone Democratic candidate vying for governor, released a transportation plan on Tuesday that would overhaul top management at the MBTA, set aggressive electrification goals, and establish low-income […]
Posted inTransportation
Orange Line shutdown to reverberate on roads
BAKER ADMINISTRATION officials said the upcoming month-long shutdown of the entire Orange Line and a chunk of the Green Line will affect not only transit riders but people coming in […]
Posted inTransportation
FTA OKs T’s response to 2 safety directives
MBTA OFFICIALS said on Thursday that the Federal Transit Administration has approved the authority’s corrective action plans to deal with two of the federal agency’s safety directives and asked for […]
Posted inTransportation
A guide for getting through the MBTA shutdowns
WELL, THAT was the week that was. No, we aren’t referring to the 1960s irreverent TV satirical review of the news. We’re talking about the week when MBTA leaders decided […]
Posted inTransportation
T closing big chunk of Green Line for a month
TWO DAYS after announcing a month-long shutdown of service on the entire Orange Line, the MBTA said it plans to simultaneously close a section of the Green Line running between […]
Posted inTransportation
MBTA bus catches fire in Jamaica Plain
AN OUT-OF-SERVICE bus returning to the Arborway facility in Jamaica Plain caught fire on Thursday and the Boston Fire Department had to be called in to extinguish the blaze. MBTA […]