MBTA solicits input on transit preservation plan

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 11/4/2020 Rail News: Passenger Rail
Rider input will help shape a decision about which transit services to protect and which may be cut.Photo – MBTA Facebook

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) next week will began seeking rider input on the agency’s Forging Ahead plan to preserve transit access for riders who depend on it as the agency prepares to cut low-ridership services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Nov. 9, the MBTA will announce which services will be prioritized and protected and which will have proposed changes in service. MBTA will host virtual meetings on the proposed changes in December.

Riders' input will help shape a decision — to be made in December — about which transit services to save and which may be reduced until ridership and revenue return. Service changes will be made largely in the spring and summer 2021, MBTA officials said in a press release.

“We will need to reduce services where we have very few passengers, or are operating near-empty trains, and invest those savings into protecting the core essential services,” MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said.

The MBTA initiated the Forging Ahead plan as part of its response to low ridership on some modes, increased ridership on several routes, potentially long-term changes in service demand, and a projected budget gap resulting from the pandemic, officials said.