New Leadership Delays South Coast Rail Start Again
After previously delaying the start of South Coast Rail passenger service by about six months, MBTA officials now say they are reassessing the schedule and do not have an updated timeline to share.
House’s Big Plans For T Include Permanent Workforce Pipeline
House Democrats want to inject hundreds of millions of new dollars into the MBTA, calling for a sharp increase in operating budget support and funding for new initiatives such as a hiring and training program.
T Can’t ‘Take Progress for Granted’ in Hiring Campaign, Report Warns
The MBTA has made significant progress at hiring new employees in recent months, but analysts still see “considerable obstacles” in the path ahead, especially given the added costs of building out the workforce.
MBTA Could Add More, Battery-Powered Trains to Boston Commuter Line
Electrification of the MBTA’s commuter rail lines has been a long-held dream for developers, riders and transit advocates, alike. And Boston residents could be first in line for a preview of what it could look like.
T Will Trim Consultant Spending in Budget Gap Strategy
MBTA budget-writers will attempt to balance the agency’s books next year by trimming spending on consultants and delaying lower-priority purchases, taking aim at a $93 million budget gap, officials said Thursday.
MBTA Lays Out Vision for New Bus Rapid Transit in Everett
The MBTA wants to extend the SL3 service on its Silver Line bus rapid transit network from Chelsea to Everett and Boston’s Sullivan Square.
Healey Aims to Tackle Transpo Financing ‘Head On’
While a new panel of government officials, business leaders transportation activists and commuters prepare for another round of investigation into how the state should fund roads and transit, Gov. Maura Healey will keep an open mind – including around the possibility of new or increased taxes.
Boston’s Mayor Not Giving Up on Fare-Free Buses
A trio of MBTA bus routes in Boston will continue to operate without charging fares for another two years thanks to an investment of more than $8 million from the city, Mayor Michelle Wu announced Tuesday.
Setting the Record Straight on T Funding
For years, a pernicious notion has floated around certain corners of Beacon Hill that the MBTA is a black hole that tries to suck in any and all taxpayer dollars. Now the idea is threatening to rear its head again.
Healey Plan Not Enough to Close T’s Budget Gap
Gov. Maura Healey’s push to increase state support for the MBTA could help the agency navigate the year ahead, but it would not be enough to solve a projected budget gap, officials said Thursday.
Healey Eyes Millionaire’s Tax to Finance MBTA Fixes
In the second year of spending from a new revenue source tied to the state’s highest earners, Gov. Maura Healey plans to allocate the growing pot of money on MBTA fare relief for low-income individuals and leveraging funds to make capital repairs across the state’s higher education institutions.
Now Approaching: MBTA Budget Gap North of $560M
Potentially teeing up a new round of debate about how the state funds public transit, MBTA officials on Friday rolled out a dire financial forecast that projects a sizable operating budget shortfall this year and a nearly $1 billion chasm within five years.
Lawmakers Rule Out Tax Hikes to Pay for Guv’s Proposals
Gov. Maura Healey launched into her second year as...
Power Failure Hobbles Both Red and Orange Lines Tuesday
Reports of smoke at the Downtown Crossing station triggered massive disruptions to the MBTA’s core subway system, shutting down more than a dozen stops on a day when the morning commute was already snarled by winter weather.
T Hiring Blitz Pays Off, ‘Sets New Bar’
A hiring blitz during Gov. Maura Healey’s first year in office boosted the MBTA’s headcount by more than 10 percent as the agency works to fill gaps its ranks that drove safety, maintenance and reliability problems for years.
Next Stop: Hard Transit Funding Choices
Massachusetts faces a huge question mark about how to fund the future of transportation in the commonwealth. Gov. Maura Healey gets first crack at laying out an answer next month.
Boston Chamber: State Needs to Fund T Fixes, Despite Huge Tab
The financial and policy analysts at the Mass. Taxpayers Foundation have mapped out how “the path to a safe and reliable transit system just got a lot longer” thanks to a ballooning price tag for bringing the MBTA’s infrastructure into a state of good repair.
Lynn Commuter Rail Station Opens Early
Lynn has its train back, after over a year without following the MBTA’s closure of its downtown commuter rail station in October 2022 due to growing safety concerns.
Healey Reflects on Year of T Troubles, Wins
Healey came into office with the MBTA in disarray. And while she’s overseen a hiring blitz and new plans to fix tracks in disrepair, she’s raised eyebrows in recent weeks with comments that suggest an interest in reopening debate on how the state funds transportation.
GLX Repair Work Might Need a Second Extension
Contractors responsible for fixing narrow rails on the MBTA’s newest stretch of tracks requested a second extension for their project that could push its endpoint into the new year, the agency’s top boss said Wednesday.
