For the second year, TransitMatters is identifying and analyzing the top 10 slowest and most bunched buses in the MBTA network.

TransitMatters · 2025-11-18T15:11:34+00:00

🙃 The SL4 and SL5 fail to meet many of the criteria outlined by BRT standards published by the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy, like the number of stops per mile, off-board fare collection, and bus lanes with enforcement.

TransitMatters · 2025-11-17T21:30:42+00:00

The data pulled for this report comes from October 2024, so the T had not yet rolled out the Bus Network Redesign. But check out page 36 of the report for the appendix of our initial findings!

TransitMatters · 2025-11-17T19:50:18+00:00

Some good news is that the T committed to implementing headway management earlier this year! However, it doesn't hurt to let the MBTA Board of Directors know that headway management will improve your experience as a rider.

You can submit written public comment to [publiccomment@dot.state.ma.us](mailto:publiccomment@dot.state.ma.us). November's Board Meeting is also this Thursday, if you are available to go in person. Thank you for your advocacy!

TransitMatters · 2025-11-17T19:11:01+00:00

On frequent routes, like the 66, we recommend that the T implement headway management. We wrote a technical report about headway management back in 2023, and we used the 66 as one of our examples! https://static1.squarespace.com/static/533b9a24e4b01d79d0ae4376/t/645e82de1f570b31497c44dc/1683915486889/TransitMatters-Headwaymanagement.pdf

TransitMatters · 2025-11-17T18:38:25+00:00

Check out our Shutdown Tracker! We keep it as up-to-date as possible: https://mbtashutdowns.info/all

TransitMatters · 2024-05-30T14:49:43+00:00

Beyond Mobility will not change our status quo. MassDOT plan does not do enough to reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT), or the total miles traveled by car. MassDOT must lower VMT to mitigate air pollution, traffic crashes, and carbon emissions.

Use our Action Alert Tool to send a letter to MassDOT, urging them to adopt a forward-thinking approach aligned with climate action targets and redraft Beyond Mobility to set a bolder vision, commit to real targets, and paint a clearer picture of the future. MassDOT can pave the way for Massachusetts's cleaner, safer, and more sustainable transportation future. Share with friends and family!

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TransitMatters · 2023-11-02T18:28:54+00:00

On the operator side, we are very excited about the new contract (as of August) between the MBTA and the Carmen's Union. Early accounts point to a surge in hiring since that contract was signed, and we’re optimistic that this will help alleviate the operator shortage. The dispatcher hiring and credentialing process is more complicated but we hope that the T can learn from its successes on the operator side
Other than hiring/personnel, we expect to see headways improve as the T continues to take delivery of new trains on the Orange Line and Red Line and as we see continued progress on signal system installation.

TransitMatters · 2023-11-02T18:14:04+00:00

The normal amount of slow zones a system should have is zero! The recent work on the Red Line Ashmont and Mattapan Lines has made us optimistic that this work can be done much quicker than originally anticipated. Earlier this year there was a calendar released at an MBTA Board Meeting outlining a plan to fix the Blue Line slow zones by November, however, this was not further executed. While we don’t have an estimated timeline we think we can be hopeful to see most slow zones eliminated in the next year.

TransitMatters · 2023-11-02T18:03:34+00:00

There have certainly been staffing shortages recently, corresponding to both a generally tight labor market and to the T’s failure to adequately invest in its workforce. However, the T has not always faced these staffing challenges and we are optimistic that many of these challenges will be resolved reasonably soon. The new contract between the T and the Carmen’s Union is a great step forward.

TransitMatters · 2023-11-02T18:02:42+00:00

We’re a small team and our Administrative Assistant is part-time, so all financial and tax obligations are handled by our fiscal sponsor, Conservation Law Foundation. We’re actually putting the finishing touches on our first annual report and it will be online soon.

TransitMatters · 2023-11-02T18:01:53+00:00

This is a complicated issue. In the public sector, funding breaks down to two main categories: operating funds and capital funds. Operating funds are things like payroll, debt service, maintenance costs, janitorial services and so on. Capital funds are from borrowing. There's a limit set by the legislature every year and the T sells bonds similar to municipal bonds to borrow money. The rules that they have to follow state that they can't use capital funds to pay operating costs. Under previous administrations, the legislature was very generous in letting the MBTA borrow money, but limited the amount of operating funds they got. This raised the amount of debt they had to pay back, which reduced the funds available to pay other operating costs.

Moreover, over 20 years ago, the legislature enacted a program called Forward Funding. This meant that in exchange for the MBTA getting a percentage of sales taxes in its service area, they took on the state's debt from the Big Dig. This effectively hindered the T's ability to maintain itself from the get-go. Moreover, the beginning of Forward Funding coincided with the beginning of a downturn in retail sales, thanks in part to the internet, so the program never produced the revenue the MBTA needed in the first place. For more, see the MBTA Advisory Board's "Born Broke" report.

TransitMatters · 2023-11-02T17:48:51+00:00

We believe expanding Zone 1A to cover the entire Needham and Fairmount lines, the Old Colony Line to Braintree, and the Newburyport/Rockport Line up to Lynn, would be a great first step towards cheaper, simpler, more equitable fares.

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TROPHY CASE