Following a scathing report from the Federal Transit Administration, Gov. Maura Healey said the MBTA will soon share an update on progress it's made to address safety concerns.
The FTA report released last August highlighted a number of failings by the MBTA and ordered that immediate action be taken in dozens of areas, including staffing, maintenance, operations and capital projects. Healey said the MBTA's response to that report will be posted online in one month and be regularly updated to reflect the agency's progress.
"Riders will be able to stay completely up to date on how we are responding to safety concerns," Healey said.
The governor rode the T with Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and members of the press on Thursday, hopping on the Red Line — and chatting with riders — before taking a tour of the MBTA Operations Control Center. Driscoll said she takes the commuter rail once a week, while Healey said it's been "a little while" since she rode the T.
Healey's announcement about the MBTA's public update on safety measures plays into a larger push she made for transparency and communication with the public about the MBTA. She said riders can expect more communication about slow zones, delays, closures and incidents. This in an effort to "rebuild public confidence" in the beleaguered transit system.
"I'll tell you, I'm not going to sugarcoat anything. And I told you from the outset we will be transparent with whatever the facts are," Healey said.
She acknowledged frustration and difficult challenges within the MBTA, one such challenge being a lack of trained workers. Healey said her upcoming budget will include funding for 1,000 new MBTA employees.
Another significant issue remains faulty subway cars built by Chinese rail company CRRC at its Springfield plant, which has caused delays in the delivery of new Orange and Red Line cars. Healey noted the "alarming details" about the quality of production of those cars and said the MBTA is putting together a team of experts who take a "deep dive" and monitor quality control and contractual obligations with car delivery.
Healey said she's confident those new cars will be delivered.
When asked if Healey will take responsibility for future MBTA failures, she said, "Well as governor, I'm ultimately responsible."
The governor has previously said the next MBTA general manager will be key to ensuring closures and service disruptions stop happening. But the interim head of the MBTA has said he expects it will take a while longer before someone is appointed to the permanent position. At a MassDOT board meeting Thursday, Massachusetts' new Secretary of Transportation Gina Fiandaca did not have any major news about that hiring process.
“We have no news to provide you today on the search for a new MBTA general manager, but we have identified several qualified candidates," Fiandaca said at her first MassDOT board meeting since taking on the role. "... But rest assured, we realize the urgency of improving service and we are committed to making these improvements.”
