Accounting maneuvers, one-time gains helped balance T budget

T denies using gimmicks, but one advocate says numbers don’t pencil out

By Bruce Mohl Charlie Baker, MBTA 0 Comments Aug 21, 2018

WITH GOV. CHARLIE BAKER running for reelection, the MBTA balanced its budget for the first time in a decade by using a series of accounting maneuvers and one-time revenue gains. The T had expected to tap a legislative appropriation for $30 million to cover its fiscal 2018 costs, but the transit agency announced earlier this(...)

Keolis hit with $8.2m in fines in FY18

Close to 1 of every 10 train runs incurred some penalty

By Bruce Mohl MBTA, Transportation 0 Comments Aug 21, 2018

THE MBTA ASSESSED record-level fines on its commuter rail operator in fiscal 2018, but Keolis Commuter Services said the penalties are not as severe as they appear because the company is running a lot more trains than it has in the past and fines have increased with inflation. Keolis paid $8.2 million in fines, mostly(...)

Who will replace Glynn at Massport?

Initial speculation focuses on Baker cabinet secretaries

By Bruce Mohl Charlie Baker, Transportation 0 Comments Aug 15, 2018

TOM GLYNN formally announced his resignation on Wednesday as the CEO of the Massachusetts Port Authority, putting one of the best jobs in state government up for grabs. Baker administration officials were tight-lipped about who might replace Glynn, but initial speculation focused on two of the governor’s cabinet secretaries – Stephanie Pollack, the secretary of(...)

Baker makes case for long-term investments in T

Says agency is finally spending money allocated for repairs

By Bruce Mohl Charlie Baker, MBTA 0 Comments Aug 14, 2018

COMING UNDER FIRE for aging, crumbling infrastructure at the MBTA, Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday trumpeted his administration’s long-term investments in public transit and the promise of better service once new trains and tracks come online over the next several years. Speaking at the unveiling of a mockup of a new Red Line car on(...)

MBTA balances costs, revenues for first time in a decade

Wages, benefits drop by $10m; Keolis hit with $10m in penalties

By Bruce Mohl MBTA 0 Comments Aug 13, 2018

THE MBTA REVEALED on Monday that its revenues during the year ending June 30 were enough to cover the transit agency’s operating expenses and debt service, the first time that has happened in a decade. Michael Abramo, the T’s chief administrator, said the balanced budget represented a major accomplishment for the transit agency. He said(...)

T ridership keeps falling but at slower rate

One bright spot: Commuter rail fare revenue up $7.5m in FY18

By Bruce Mohl MBTA 0 Comments Aug 13, 2018

THE MBTA SAID ON MONDAY that its ridership is continuing to decline, but the falloff is occurring at a much slower pace than it had been. T officials offered no explanation for the moderating decline but said the MBTA’s experience is similar to what is occurring at most transit agencies across the country. The officials(...)

T kept public, oversight board in dark about Alewife problems

Lawmakers slam transit agency for poor job of communication

By Bruce Mohl MBTA 0 Comments Aug 13, 2018

THE GENERAL MANAGER of the MBTA said on Monday that the problems with the parking garage at Alewife have been on the agency’s radar screen for close to a year, but members of the agency’s oversight board and legislative officials said they only learned about the issues when some concrete on the second level fell(...)

T closing Alewife garage over weekend

T tries to patch up Alewife parking garage

Even with millions of dollars in repairs, ‘long-term plan’ still needed

By Bruce Mohl MBTA 0 Comments Aug 9, 2018

THE MBTA ON THURSDAY announced what amounted to a three-phase plan to deal with ongoing structural and cosmetic problems at the Alewife parking garage after a patch of concrete fell from the roof of the second level on to a car. No one was injured when the concrete fell on Wednesday, but T officials said(...)

Union lawsuit claims T payroll system error-riddled

Agency sees no widespread issues; Carmen say problems never get fixed

By Bruce Mohl MBTA 0 Comments Aug 8, 2018

THE BOSTON CARMEN’S UNION is suing the MBTA, alleging that its payroll system is so poorly managed and so prone to errors that many employees have given up trying to recover money they are owed “because there is no reasonable prospect that the errors will be corrected.” In a class action lawsuit filed in Suffolk(...)