The Fiscal and Management Control Board announced it has endorsed the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)’s plan to improve Commuter Rail service over the course of the next five months. Under an agreement between the MBTA and Keolis Commuter Services, the areas of focus include on-time performance (OTP), staffing, operations, equipment maintenance, customer service, fare collection, and winter weather resiliency plans.
Following the significant service disruptions in February and March of this year, an analysis identified areas for improvements to make the Commuter Rail system more reliable and resilient. By incorporating the findings of that analysis into this five-month agreement, the MBTA and Keolis have agreed to measure improvements in service against an overall adjusted OTP goal of 92 percent, with no individual line below 90 percent. A working group will develop targets for peak period trains. The OTP goals and provisions supplement the contract under which Keolis operates.
Additional provisions of the agreement include: committing to ensuring that 65 locomotives are available for service each weekday; providing the necessary coach seating capacity required under the contract; the development of a plan to enhance fare collection; a complete review of the system schedule to develop revisions that meet customer demand and optimize on-time performance; periodic trainings and workforce development programs for Commuter Rail staff; and a new Life Cycle Maintenance Plan for early detection of future maintenance needs.
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