T notes: Board acts as if Ramirez never existed

Early morning bus pilot made permanent; weekend commuter rail fare in limbo

By Bruce Mohl MBTA 0 Comments Dec 17, 2018

THE MBTA’S FISCAL AND MANAGEMENT Control Board acted as if former general manager Luis Ramírez never existed at its meeting on Monday, failing to even acknowledge his exit last week let alone discuss why he was no longer suitable for the post after just 15 months on the job. There was the occasional reference at(...)

Decision time near on Cape bridges

Pollack says state backs new, six-lane structures

By Bruce Mohl Charlie Baker, Transportation 0 Comments Dec 17, 2018

THE TOP TRANSPORTATION OFFICIAL in the Baker administration said on Monday that she would like to see the two bridges crossing the Cape Cod Canal and the surrounding road networks replaced as part of a joint federal-state effort. At a meeting of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation board, Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack confirmed what state(...)

Mass. exploring carbon fee on auto fuels

Advocates say announcement likely next week

By Andy Metzger Transportation 0 Comments Dec 14, 2018

MASSACHUSETTS IS EXPECTED to join other East Coast states in attempting to design a system that would assess a fee on the carbon content of automobile fuels and use the proceeds from that fee to finance a transportation system generating fewer greenhouse gases, according to people familiar with the planned announcement. The system would require(...)

Commission report focuses on congestion, climate change

Electric vehicles, carbon fees, tolling among recommendations

By Bruce Mohl Charlie Baker, Electricity, MBTA, Transportation 0 Comments Dec 14, 2018

A COMMISSION APPOINTED by Gov. Charlie Baker made 18 recommendations on Friday to address the state’s transportation future, including a goal that nearly all vehicles available for sale be electric by 2040, an initiative to reduce vehicle emissions by assessing a fee on the carbon content of fuels, and “the consideration of congestion pricing.” Headed by(...)

Ramirez out, Poftak in as T general manager

Separation agreement calls for ex-GM to receive about $152,400

By Bruce Mohl Charlie Baker, MBTA 0 Comments Dec 11, 2018

This story was updated at 2 p.m. to include compensation information. LUIS RAMIREZ IS OUT as general manager of the MBTA after just 15 months on the job and the Baker administration is replacing him with Steve Poftak, a member of the T’s oversight board who filled the GM’s seat for two months before Ramirez(...)

T notes: Gearing up for new commuter rail contract

Control board wants transpo secretary on oversight board

By Bruce Mohl MBTA 0 Comments Dec 10, 2018

THE MBTA IS PREPARING to hire a consulting team to help the agency sort through a number of complicated scenarios for contracting for commuter rail service after the existing deal with Keolis Commuter Services expires in June 2022. Under the existing contract, the T owns the rails, locomotives, and coaches and Keolis maintains the fleet(...)

T to consider privatizing some bus service

New stats indicate agency failing on service delivery

By Bruce Mohl MBTA 0 Comments Dec 10, 2018

THE CHAIRMAN of the MBTA’s Fiscal and Management Control Board raised the possibility on Monday of expanding the authority’s fleet of buses and using private contractors to both operate and maintain the vehicles. The T has contracts in place with the unions representing bus operators and machinists that allow the transit agency to privatize operations(...)

T board mad weekend commuter rail pass is ending

$10 fare helped boost revenues in 2018 by 4.6 percent

By Bruce Mohl MBTA, Transportation 0 Comments Dec 10, 2018

MEMBERS OF THE MBTA’S Fiscal and Management Control Board weren’t pleased on Monday when they learned a largely successful six-month pilot program offering commuter rail customers a $10 ride-as-much-as-you-want weekend pass is coming to a halt so a federally required equity analysis can be done. The three board members at the meeting ordered staff to(...)

T notes: Capital delivery arm has 80 openings

Early morning bus pilot doing well, late-night pilot off to slow start

By Bruce Mohl MBTA 0 Comments Dec 3, 2018

THE MBTA’S CAPITAL DELIVERY arm, which is tasked with spending $8 billion over the next five years, is struggling to ramp up its hiring to oversee projects. Beth Larkin, the T’s assistant general manager for capital delivery, told the Fiscal and Management Control Board on Monday that her team has 180 employees but is currently(...)

MBTA ponders its role in ‘mobility marketplace’

Could the T become the payment platform for everything?

By Bruce Mohl MBTA, Transportation 0 Comments Dec 3, 2018

THE MBTA’S OVERSIGHT BOARD took some tentative steps on Monday to begin exploring the transit authority’s role in a fast-changing “mobility marketplace” where ride-hailing apps, taxis, bikeshares, car-sharing companies, and eventually automated vehicles will all be vying for riders. In a presentation to the Fiscal and Management Control Board, three MBTA staffers suggested the agency’s(...)