Baker’s 3-foot social distancing discrepancy

3 feet on the MBTA, 6 feet everywhere else

By Bruce Mohl Charlie Baker, MBTA, Transportation 0 Comments May 29, 2020

GOV. CHARLIE BAKER indicated on Friday that he is willing to accept the fact his administration generally advocates for six feet of social distancing in most public spaces while the MBTA is using the World Health Organization’s three-foot standard when assessing crowding on subways and buses. “I think it depends on the circumstances and the(...)

How far apart should riders be on the MBTA?

CDC, state say 6 feet, but T’s crowding standard uses 3 feet

By Bruce Mohl COVID-19, MBTA, Transportation 0 Comments May 27, 2020

THE STATE’S GUIDANCE on social distancing recommends people stay 6 feet apart, but the MBTA’s new standard for crowding on its buses and subways is 3 feet. That distance hasn’t come into play much yet because ridership on the T is so low, often leaving more than 6 feet of space between riders. But as(...)

T notes: 7% increase in spending approved

MBTA may buy offshore wind power in future

By Bruce Mohl MBTA, Transportation 0 Comments May 21, 2020

THE MBTA OVERSIGHT board kept its foot on the gas Thursday, unanimously approving a 7 percent increase in spending for fiscal 2021 using $710 million in federal aid to offset a sharp downturn in fare revenue. The $2.29 billion budget plan include no fare hikes, one key fare decrease, and the addition of 151 new(...)

T lays out passive COVID-19 strategy

Issues crowding standards, not capacity limits

By Bruce Mohl MBTA, Transportation 0 Comments May 21, 2020

AS THE STATE’S ECONOMY begins to reopen, the MBTA intends to manage COVID-19 ridership risks with policies that strongly encourage but don’t mandate social distancing and the wearing of face coverings. At a meeting of the T’s Fiscal and Management Control Board on Thursday, the state’s top transportation officials said they plan to continue offering(...)

T union official urges enforcement of face covering mandate

Says riders with medical conditions should ride paratransit

By Bruce Mohl MBTA, Transportation 0 Comments May 20, 2020

THE PRESIDENT of the Boston Carmen’s Union urged MBTA officials on Wednesday to require all passengers to wear face coverings. Jim Evers issued a letter he sent to state transportation officials that said it was disappointing that MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak is strongly urging passengers to wear face coverings but not requiring them to(...)

Audit: T warehouse contract doesn’t cut it

Savings, performance don’t meet expectations

By Bruce Mohl Massachusetts Legislature, MBTA 0 Comments May 20, 2020

THE MBTA IS NOT GETTING the savings or the service it expected when it privatized warehouse operations in 2017, according to an audit conducted by a unit of Inspector General Glenn Cunha’s office. During a three-year exemption from a state law placing restrictions on privatization efforts, the T signed a five-year contract with Management Consulting,(...)

Groups seek more independence for T board

Want 7-member panel to issue its own debt

By Chris Lisinski MBTA, Transportation 0 Comments May 18, 2020

STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE A GROUP OF TRANSPORTATION advocacy groups and an MBTA watchdog suggested Monday that the successor to the Fiscal and Management Control Board should be built as a larger, permanent panel that operates more independently of the Department of Transportation. In a new report, the groups outlined recommendations for the Legislature to embrace(...)

T notes: 19 MassDOT workers get pay equity hikes

Big chunk of Blue Line shutting down for 2 weeks

By Bruce Mohl MBTA, Transportation 0 Comments May 11, 2020

A PAY EQUITY REVIEW at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation discovered 19 managers, including one of the top officials at the agency, were not being paid salaries equal to other employees doing similar work. State transportation officials said 15 of the 19 employees were service center managers at the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Another was(...)

Notes ridership has evaporated and may be slow to rebound

By Bruce Mohl MBTA, Transportation 0 Comments May 11, 2020

TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY STEPHANIE POLLACK on Monday floated the idea of slowing down the planned upgrade of the state’s commuter rail system, given the steep downturn in ridership and the prospect it could go on for a long time to come. Commuter rail was one of the bright spots of the state transit system before the(...)

Driving, transit ridership show a slight uptick

T officials struggle with how to provide social distancing

By Bruce Mohl MBTA, Transportation 0 Comments May 11, 2020

EVEN THOUGH GOV. CHARLIE BAKER still has the economy under wraps, traffic on the state’s roadways and at the MBTA picked up slightly last week, adding to confusion about what a reopening is going to mean for the state’s transportation system. At a virtual joint meeting of the boards overseeing the Department of Transportation and(...)