Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (disingkat MBTA dan dikenal sebagai "the T") adalah badan publik yang bertanggung jawab untuk mengoperasikan sebagian besar layanan transportasi umumasi di Greater Boston, Massachusetts. Moda transportasi umum sebelumnya di Boston dimiliki dan dioperasikan secara independen; banyak yang pertama kali dilipat menjadi satu lembaga dengan pembentukan Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) pada tahun 1947. MTA diganti pada tahun 1964 dengan MBTA saat ini, yang didirikan sebagai departemen individu dalam Persemakmuran Massachusetts sebelum menjadi divisi dari Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) pada tahun 2009.

MBTA dan Otoritas Transportasi Pennsylvania Tenggara] (SEPTA) Philadelphia adalah satu-satunya agen transit AS yang mengoperasikan kelima jenis utama kendaraan angkutan massal terestrial: kendaraan light rail ([Ashmont–Mattapan High -Jalur Kecepatan|Jalur Kecepatan Tinggi Ashmont–Mattapan dan Hijau); transit cepat kereta (Biru, Oranye, dan Merah baris); rel regional kereta (Commuter Rail); troli listrik (bagian dari Silver Line); dan bus motor (MBTA bus). Selain itu, MBTA juga mengoperasikan kapal penyeberangan (MBTA boat). 

Di , MBTA memiliki penumpang , atau sekitar  per hari kerja mulai , di mana rata-rata jalur transit cepat  dan jalur light rail , menjadikannya sistem angkutan cepat tersibuk keempat dan sistem kereta ringan tersibuk ketiga di Amerika Serikat. Mulai , rata-rata hari kerja sistem kereta komuter adalah , menjadikannya sistem kereta komuter tersibuk keenam di AS

MBTA adalah konsumen listrik terbesar di Massachusetts, dan pemilik tanah terbesar kedua (setelah Departemen Konservasi dan Rekreasi). Pada tahun 2007, armada bus CNG-nya adalah konsumen bahan bakar alternatif terbesar di negara bagian tersebut. MBTA mengoperasikan lembaga penegak hukum independen, Polisi Otoritas Transportasi Teluk Massachusetts.

History 

Transportasi massal di Boston disediakan oleh perusahaan swasta, sering kali diberikan piagam oleh badan legislatif negara bagian untuk monopoli terbatas, dengan wewenang domain unggulan untuk mendirikan Ruang milik jalan, hingga pembentukan MTA pada tahun 1947. Perkembangan transportasi massal mengikuti dan membentuk pola ekonomi dan populasi.

Kereta Api 
Tak lama setelah lokomotif uap menjadi praktis untuk transportasi massal, Boston and Lowell Railroad swasta disewa pada tahun 1830. Rel, yang dibuka pada tahun 1835, menghubungkan Boston ke Lowell, Merrimack Valley di utara Merrimack Valley timur laut, melalui salah satu rel kereta api tertua di Amerika Utara. Hal ini menandai awal dari pengembangan rel kereta api antarkota Amerika, yang di Massachusetts kemudian menjadi sistem Kereta Komuter MBTA dan Jalur Hijau D cabang.

Trem 
Dimulai dengan pembukaan Cambridge Railroad pada tanggal 26 Maret 1856, banyak jalur trem muncul di Boston di bawah perusahaan sewaan. Terlepas dari perubahan perusahaan, Boston adalah kota dengan sistem trem tertua yang terus bekerja di dunia. Banyak dari perusahaan-perusahaan ini dikonsolidasikan, dan kendaraan yang ditarik hewan diubah menjadi penggerak listrik.

Subways and elevated railways 

Kemacetan trem di pusat kota Boston menyebabkan kereta bawah tanah pada tahun 1897 dan kereta layang pada tahun 1901. Kereta bawah tanah Tremont Street adalah terowongan angkutan cepat pertama di Amerika Serikat. Grade-separation menambah kapasitas dan menghindari penundaan yang disebabkan oleh persimpangan jalan. Kereta api layang pertama dan jalur transit cepat pertama di Boston dibangun tiga tahun sebelum jalur bawah tanah pertama New York City Subway, tetapi 34 tahun setelah jalur London Underground pertama, dan lama setelah kereta api layang pertama di New York City; Ninth Avenue El mulai beroperasi pada 1 Juli 1868 di Manhattan sebagai jalur kereta gantung yang ditinggikan.

Berbagai ekstensi dan cabang ditambahkan di kedua ujungnya, melewati lebih banyak trek permukaan. Karena jalur yang dipisahkan tingkat diperpanjang, jalur jalan-jalan dipotong untuk layanan pusat kota yang lebih cepat. Rel berat terakhir yang ditinggikan atau segmen "El" di Boston berada di ujung Jalur Oranye: nya ujung utara dipindahkan pada tahun 1975 dari Everett ke Malden, MA, dan ujung selatannya dipindahkan ke Southwest Corridor pada tahun 1987. Namun, Jalur Hijau Jalan Causeway Elevated tetap beroperasi sampai tahun 2004, ketika dipindahkan ke terowongan dengan kemiringan untuk menyambung kembali ke Lechmere Viaduct. Lechmere Viaduct dan bagian pendek dari rangka baja ditinggikan di ujung utaranya tetap beroperasi, meskipun bagian yang ditinggikan akan dipotong sedikit dan dihubungkan ke perpanjangan jembatan ke utara pada tahun 2017 sebagai bagian dari Perpanjangan Jalur Hijau.

Perusahaan publik 

Kereta api tua yang ditinggikan terbukti merusak pemandangan dan membutuhkan beberapa tikungan tajam di jalan-jalan berkelok-kelok di Boston. Atlantic Avenue Elevated ditutup pada tahun 1938 di tengah penurunan penumpang dan dihancurkan pada tahun 1942. Karena layanan penumpang kereta api menjadi semakin tidak menguntungkan, sebagian besar karena meningkatnya kepemilikan mobil, pengambilalihan pemerintah mencegah pengabaian dan pembongkaran. MTA membeli dan mengambil alih operasi kereta bawah tanah, layang, trem, dan bus dari Boston Elevated Railway pada tahun 1947.

Pada 1950-an, MTA menjalankan perpanjangan kereta bawah tanah baru, sedangkan dua jalur trem terakhir yang menuju Pleasant Street Portal dari Tremont Street Subway diganti dengan bus pada tahun 1953 dan 1962. Pada tahun 1958, MTA membeli Highland branch dari Boston and Albany Railroad, dibuka kembali setahun kemudian sebagai jalur rapid transit (sekarang jalur Green Line D cabang).

Sementara operasi MTA relatif stabil pada awal 1960-an, jalur kereta api komuter yang dioperasikan swasta terjun bebas. New Haven Railroad, New York Central Railroad, dan Boston and Maine Railroad semuanya sedang berjuang secara finansial; pemeliharaan yang ditangguhkan mengganggu jalur utama sementara sebagian besar jalur cabang telah dihentikan. Rencana Komisi Coolidge 1945 mengasumsikan bahwa sebagian besar jalur kereta api komuter akan digantikan oleh perpanjangan angkutan cepat yang lebih pendek, atau hanya dimasukkan ke dalamnya pada tingkat layanan yang dikurangi. Layanan penumpang di seluruh sistem Old Colony Railroad yang melayani bagian tenggara negara bagian itu ditinggalkan oleh New Haven Railroad pada tahun 1959, yang memicu seruan untuk intervensi negara. Antara Januari 1963 dan Maret 1964, Komisi Transportasi Massal menguji tarif dan tingkat layanan yang berbeda pada sistem B&M dan New Haven. Menentukan bahwa operasi kereta api komuter itu penting tetapi tidak bisa mandiri secara finansial, MTC merekomendasikan perluasan MTA ke wilayah kereta api komuter.

Pada 3 Agustus 1964, MBTA menggantikan MTA, dengan perluasan area layanan yang dimaksudkan untuk mensubsidi operasi kereta komuter yang berkelanjutan. Distrik MTA 14 kotamadya yang asli diperluas menjadi 78 kota besar dan kecil.<ref name="netransit"</ref> Beberapa jalur terputus sebentar sementara kontrak dengan kota-kota di luar distrik tercapai, tetapi, kecuali untuk bagian luar Central Mass branch (dipotong dari Hudson ke Sudbury Selatan) , West Medway branch (dipangkas dari West Medway ke Millis), [[Franklin Line|Blackstone Line] ] (kurangi dari Blackstone ke Franklin), dan B&M layanan New Hampshire ( pengurangan dari Portsmouth ke Newburyport), pemotongan ini bersifat sementara; namun, layanan pada tiga jalur cabang (semuanya hanya dengan satu perjalanan pulang pergi setiap hari: satu perjalanan jam sibuk pagi ke Boston, dan satu perjalanan jam sibuk malam kembali ke pinggiran kota) dihentikan secara permanen antara tahun 1965 dan 1976 ( Millis (nama baru cabang West Medway yang terpotong) dan Cabang Dedham dihentikan pada tahun 1967, sedangkan cabang Central Mass ditinggalkan pada tahun 1971). MBTA membeli jalur kereta api komuter Penn Central (New York Central dan New Haven) pada Januari 1973, peralatan Penn Central pada April 1976, dan semua aset komuter B&M pada Desember 1976; pembelian ini berfungsi untuk membuat sistem milik negara dengan perkeretaapian swasta dipertahankan semata-mata sebagai operator.  Hanya dua jalur cabang yang ditinggalkan setelah 1976: layanan di cabang Lexington (juga dengan hanya satu perjalanan pulang pergi setiap hari) dihentikan pada Januari 1977 setelah badai salju memblokir jalur, sedangkan Lowell Layanan lengkap Line Woburn branch dieliminasi pada Januari 1981 karena kondisi lintasan yang buruk.

MBTA memberi warna pada empat jalur transit cepatnya pada tahun 1965, dan menandai cabang-cabang Jalur Hijau dari utara ke selatan. Kekurangan trem, antara lain, menyebabkan bustitusi layanan kereta api di dua cabang Jalur Hijau. A branch berhenti beroperasi seluruhnya pada tahun 1969 dan digantikan oleh 57 bus, sedangkan cabang E dipotong dari Arborway ke Heath Street pada tahun 1985, dengan bagian antara Heath Street dan Arbourway digantikan oleh bus 39.

MBTA membeli rute bus di pinggiran luar ke utara dan selatan dari Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway pada tahun 1968.  Seperti halnya sistem kereta komuter, banyak rute terpencil dihentikan sesaat sebelum atau setelah pengambilalihan karena jumlah penumpang yang rendah dan biaya operasional yang tinggi.

Pada tahun 1970-an, MBTA menerima dorongan dari evaluasi ulang Boston Transportation Planning Review di seluruh area tentang peran angkutan massal relatif terhadap jalan raya. Memproduksi moratorium konstruksi jalan raya di dalam Route 128, banyak jalur angkutan massal direncanakan untuk diperluas oleh tim konsultan Voorhees-Skidmore, Owings dan Merrill-ESL. Penghapusan jalur layang terus berlanjut, dan penutupan Washington Street Elevated pada tahun 1987 mengakhiri layanan angkutan cepat ke lingkungan Roxbury. Antara 1971 dan 1985, Red Line diperpanjang ke utara dan selatan, menyediakan tidak hanya cakupan sistem kereta bawah tanah tambahan, tetapi juga struktur parkir utama di beberapa terminal dan menengah stasiun.

Pada tahun 1981, tujuh belas orang dan satu perusahaan didakwa atas peran mereka dalam sejumlah skema kickback di MBTA. Sekretaris Transportasi Massachusetts dan Ketua MBTA Barry Locke dihukum karena lima tuduhan suap dan dijatuhi hukuman 7 hingga 10 tahun penjara.

21st century 
Pada tahun 1999, distrik ini diperluas menjadi 175 kota besar dan kecil, menambahkan sebagian besar yang dilayani oleh atau berdekatan dengan jalur kereta api komuter, meskipun MBTA tidak bertanggung jawab atas layanan lokal di komunitas yang berdekatan atau dilayani oleh kereta api komuter. Pada tahun 2016, Kota Bourne memilih untuk bergabung dengan distrik MBTA, sehingga jumlah komunitas MBTA menjadi 176.

Persemakmuran menugaskan tanggung jawab MBTA untuk meningkatkan angkutan umum untuk mengkompensasi peningkatan polusi mobil dari Big Dig. Namun, proyek-proyek ini telah membebani sumber daya MBTA yang terbatas, karena proyek Big Dig tidak memasukkan dana untuk perbaikan ini. Sejak 1988, MBTA telah menjadi sistem transit yang paling cepat berkembang di negara ini, bahkan Greater Boston telah menjadi salah satu wilayah metropolitan dengan pertumbuhan paling lambat di Amerika Serikat.

Persemakmuran menugaskan tanggung jawab MBTA untuk meningkatkan angkutan umum untuk mengkompensasi peningkatan polusi mobil dari Big Dig. Namun, proyek-proyek ini telah membebani sumber daya MBTA yang terbatas, karena proyek Big Dig tidak memasukkan dana untuk perbaikan ini. Sejak 1988, MBTA telah menjadi sistem transit yang paling cepat berkembang di negara ini, bahkan Greater Boston telah menjadi salah satu wilayah metropolitan dengan pertumbuhan paling lambat di Amerika Serikat. MBTA kemudian berutang, dan tarif mengalami kenaikan yang cukup besar pada 1 Januari 2007.

Pada tahun 2006, pembentukan Otoritas Transit Regional MetroWest melihat beberapa kota mengurangi penilaian MWRTA mereka dari penilaian MBTA mereka, meskipun jumlah dana yang diterima MBTA tetap sama. Tahun berikutnya, MBTA memulai layanan kereta komuter ke bagian Greenbush dari Scituate, cabang ketiga dari Layanan Old Colony. Rhode Island juga membayar untuk perpanjangan Providence/Stoughton Line ke T.F. Green Airport pada tahun 2010 dan Wickford Junction pada tahun 2012. Sebuah stasiun baru di Fairmount Line, Stasiun Talbot Avenue, dibuka pada November 2012.

Pada tanggal 26 Juni 2009, Gubernur Deval Patrick menandatangani undang-undang untuk menempatkan MBTA bersama dengan agen transportasi negara lainnya dalam otoritas administratif Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), dengan MBTA sekarang menjadi bagian dari divisi Mass Transit (MassTrans). Undang-undang transportasi 2009 melanjutkan struktur perusahaan MBTA dan mengubah keanggotaan dewan MBTA menjadi lima anggota Dewan Mass DOT yang ditunjuk Gubernur.

Administrasi Charlie Baker (2015–sekarang)

Pada bulan Februari 2015, terjadi memecahkan rekor hujan salju di Boston dari musim dingin Amerika Utara 2014–15 yang menyebabkan keterlambatan parah di semua jalur MBTA subway. dan banyak masalah operasional dan keuangan jangka panjang dengan seluruh sistem MBTA menjadi perhatian publik yang lebih besar, Gubernur Massachusetts Charlie Baker mengindikasikan pada saat itu bahwa dia enggan untuk membahas masalah pembiayaan tetapi dia akan "memiliki lebih banyak hal untuk dikatakan tentang hal itu dalam beberapa minggu." Baker kemudian mengumumkan pembentukan panel penasihat khusus untuk mendiagnosis masalah MBTA dan menulis laporan yang merekomendasikan proposal untuk mengatasinya. Panel penasihat khusus yang dibentuk Februari sebelumnya merilis laporannya pada April 2015.

Bulan berikutnya, Baker menunjuk Dewan Direksi MassDOT baru dan mengusulkan rencana ketahanan musim dingin lima tahun dengan $83 juta dihabiskan untuk memperbarui infrastruktur, membeli peralatan baru, dan meningkatkan operasi selama cuaca buruk. Undang-undang negara bagian yang baru membentuk Badan Pengendalian Fiskal dan Manajemen MBTA, efektif pada 17 Juli 2015, dengan kekuasaan yang diperluas untuk mereformasi badan tersebut selama periode lima tahun. Masa jabatannya diperpanjang satu tahun lagi pada tahun 2020. Tanah rusak untuk renovasi Ruggles Station senilai $38,5 juta, di Roxbury, pada Agustus 2017. Ini diikuti dengan dimulainya konstruksi Perpanjangan Jalur Hijau pada bulan Juni berikutnya. Pada April 2018, MBTA Silver Line mulai mengoperasikan rute dari Chelsea ke South Station.

Penggelinciran Jalur Merah Juni 2019 mengakibatkan penundaan kereta selama beberapa bulan, yang membawa lebih banyak perhatian pada masalah pemeliharaan modal di T. Setelah keluhan dari banyak pengendara dan kelompok bisnis, gubernur mengusulkan penambahan $50 juta untuk tim independen untuk mempercepat inspeksi dan proyek modal, dan upaya umum untuk mempercepat belanja modal yang ada dari $1 miliar menjadi $1,5 miliar per tahun. Penggantian sistem sinyal Jalur Merah dipercepat, termasuk peralatan yang rusak saat keluar rel. Baker mengusulkan alokasi ke MBTA $2,7 miliar dari tagihan obligasi transportasi lima tahun negara bagian ditambah lebih banyak uang dari multi-negara bagian yang diusulkan Transportasi dan Prakarsa Iklim.

Laporan Desember 2019 oleh panel Dewan Kontrol Fiskal dan Manajemen MBTA menemukan "keselamatan bukanlah prioritas di T, tetapi harus." Laporan itu mengatakan "ada perasaan umum bahwa kontrol fiskal selama bertahun-tahun mungkin sudah terlalu jauh, yang ditambah dengan pemotongan staf telah mengakibatkan ketidakmampuan untuk menyelesaikan pemeliharaan dan inspeksi yang diperlukan, atau telah menghambat pekerjaan menjaga aset sistem warisan berfungsi penuh." Pada bulan Juni 2021, Badan Pengendalian Fiskal dan Manajemen dibubarkan, dan bulan berikutnya, Baker menandatangani undang-undang anggaran tambahan yang mencakup ketentuan yang membuat Dewan Direksi MBTA permanen dan Baker menunjuk dewan baru pada Oktober berikutnya. Pada bulan Februari 2022, staf MBTA melaporkan kepada subkomite keselamatan Dewan Direksi MBTA bahwa dari 61 rekomendasi yang dibuat oleh Badan Pengendalian Fiskal dan Manajemen pada tahun 2019, dua pertiga telah selesai dan sepertiga sedang dalam proses atau ditunda (termasuk semua tinjauan keuangan rekomendasi). Pada April 2022, Administrasi Transit Federal mengumumkan dalam sebuah surat kepada Manajer Umum MBTA Steve Poftak bahwa mereka akan mengambil alih peran pengawasan keselamatan yang meningkat atas MBTA dan akan melakukan inspeksi manajemen keselamatan.

Per 2022, MBTA telah mengurangi emisi gas rumah kaca sebesar 47% dari tingkat 2009, dan sekarang membeli atau menghasilkan 100% energi terbarukan.

Pada Juni 2022, MBTA mengumumkan program percontohan yang akan dimulai pada Agustus untuk menempatkan sensor pendeteksi urin di empat lift kereta bawah tanah di pusat kota Boston. Sensor memperingatkan karyawan transit, yang dapat mengirim kru pembersih. Sensor akan ditempatkan di kipas langit-langit yang akan menyedot udara dan "pada dasarnya mencium apa yang ada".

Services =

Buses 

The MBTA bus system is the nation's sixth largest by ridership and comprises over 150 routes across the Greater Boston area. The area served by the MBTA's bus operations is somewhat larger than its subway and light rail service area, but is significantly smaller than that served by the MBTA's commuter rail operation. At least eight other regional transit authorities also provide bus services within that larger area, these being the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority, Brockton Area Transit Authority, Cape Ann Transportation Authority, Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority, Lowell Regional Transit Authority, Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority, Montachusett Regional Transit Authority, and Worcester Regional Transit Authority. All of these authorities have their own fare structures and some subcontract operation to private bus companies. In many cases, their buses serve as feeders to the MBTA commuter rail.

Within MBTA's bus service area, transfers from the subway are free if using a CharlieCard (for local buses); transfers to the subway require paying the difference between bus and the higher subway fare (for local buses; if not using a CharlieCard, full subway fare must be paid in addition to full bus fare). Bus-to-bus transfers (for local buses) are free unless paying cash. Many of the outlying routes run express along major highways to downtown. The buses are colored yellow on maps and in station decor.

The Silver Line is the MBTA's first service designated as bus rapid transit (BRT), even though it lacks many of the characteristics of bus rapid transit. The first segment began operations in 2002, replacing the 49 bus, which in turn replaced the Washington Street Elevated section of the Orange Line. A full subway fare was charged, with free transfers to the subways downtown until January 1, 2007, when the fare system was revised to categorize the service as a "bus" for fare purposes. The "Washington Street" segment runs along various downtown streets, and mostly in dedicated bus lanes on Washington Street itself. Two Washington Street routes start at Nubian station in Roxbury; the SL5 terminates at Downtown Crossing on Temple Place , while the SL4 terminates at South Station on Essex Street.

The "Waterfront" section opened at the end of 2004, and connects South Station to Logan Airport with route SL1 via Ted Williams Tunnel and South Boston (Design Center area) with route SL2. A new service to Chelsea opened April 21, 2018 via the same tunnel that SL1 uses and stops at the Airport Station of the Blue Line. The buses that run the Waterfront section are 2004-05 dual-mode buses, trackless trolley in the Silver Line tunnel and diesel outside. Service to Logan Airport began in June 2005. The Waterfront segment is classified as a "subway" for fare purposes. A transfer between segments is possible at South Station.

A "Phase III" tunneled segment was proposed to connect the two segments for through service, but it was controversial due to high cost and the fact that many did not consider Phase I to be adequate replacement service for the old Elevated.  All Phase III tunneling proposals have been suspended due to lack of funds, as has the Urban Ring, which was intended to expand upon existing crosstown buses.

The MBTA contracts with private bus companies to provide subsidized service on certain routes outside of the usual fare structure. These are known collectively as the HI-RIDE Commuter Bus service, and are not numbered or mapped in the same way as integral bus services.

Four routes connecting to Harvard Station (Red Line) ran as trackless trolleys until March 13, 2022, when they were permanently withdrawn from service. There was once a much larger trackless trolley system. (See Trolleybuses in Greater Boston.)

In FY2005, there were on average 363,500 weekday boardings of MBTA-operated buses and trackless trolleys (not including the Silver Line), or 31.8% of the MBTA system. Another 4,400 boardings (0.38%) occurred on subsidized bus routes operated by private carriers.

In June 2020 in the aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic, the MBTA had begun providing real-time information on crowding. The information would be available on the MBTA website, E Ink screens, and in the Transit app. At conception the service is was only available on bus routes  1, 15, 16, 22, 23, 31, 32, 109, and 110, and it remains unclear if further lines or transit modes will be introduced in the future or if this feature will remain permanent. This feature however is not new, as since 2019 Google Maps has provided this data.

Subway 

The subway system has three heavy rail rapid transit lines (the Red, Orange and Blue Lines), and two light rail lines (the Green Line and the Ashmont–Mattapan High-Speed Line, the latter designated an extension of the Red Line). The system operates according to a spoke-hub distribution paradigm, with the lines running radially between central Boston and its environs. It is common usage in Boston to refer to all four of the color-coded rail lines which run underground as "the subway" or "the T", regardless of the actual railcar equipment used.

All four subway lines cross downtown, forming a quadrilateral configuration, and the Orange and Green Lines (which run approximately parallel in that district) also connect directly at two stations just north of downtown. The Red Line and Blue Line are the only pair of subway lines which do not have a direct transfer connection to each other. Because the various subway lines do not consistently run in any given compass direction, it is customary to refer to line directions as "inbound" or "outbound".  Inbound trains travel towards the four downtown transfer stations, and outbound trains travel away from these hub stations.

The Green Line has four branches in the west: B (Boston College), C (Cleveland Circle), D (Riverside), and E (Heath Street). The A branch formerly went to Watertown, filling in the north-to-south letter assignment pattern, and the E branch formerly continued beyond Heath Street to Arborway.

The Red Line has two branches in the south, Ashmont and Braintree, named after their terminal stations.

The colors were assigned on August 26, 1965 in conjunction with design standards developed by Cambridge Seven Associates, and have served as the primary identifier for the lines since the 1964 reorganization of the MTA into the MBTA. The Orange Line is so named because it used to run along Orange Street (now lower Washington Street), as the former "Orange Street" also was the street that joined the city to the mainland through Boston Neck in colonial times; the Green Line because it runs adjacent to parts of the Emerald Necklace park system; the Blue Line because it runs under Boston Harbor; and the Red Line because its northernmost station was, at that time, at Harvard University, whose school color is crimson.

The four transit lines all use standard rail gauge, but are otherwise incompatible; trains of one line would have to be modified to run on another. Orange and Blue Line trains are similar enough that modification of some Blue Line trains for operation on the Orange Line was considered, although ultimately rejected for cost reasons. Also, some of the new Blue Line cars from Siemens Transportation were tested on the Orange Line after hours, before acceptance for revenue service on the Blue Line. There are no direct track connections between lines, except between the Red Line and Ashmont-Mattapan High Speed Line, but all except the Blue Line have little-used connections to the national rail network, which have been used for deliveries of railcars and supplies.

Opened in September 1897, the four-track-wide segment of the Green Line tunnel between Park Street and Boylston stations was the first subway in the United States, and has been designated a National Historic Landmark. The downtown portions of what are now the Green, Orange, Blue, and Red line tunnels were all in service by 1912. Additions to the rapid transit network occurred in most decades of the 1900s, and continue in the 2000s with the addition of Silver Line bus rapid transit and planned Green Line expansion. (See History and Future plans sections.)

In FY2005, there were on average 628,400 weekday boardings on the rapid transit and light rail lines (including the Silver Line Bus Rapid Transit), or 55.0% of the MBTA system.

On January 29, 2014, the MBTA completed a countdown clock display system, alerting passengers to arriving trains, at all 53 heavy rail subway stations (the Red, Blue and Orange Lines). The MBTA introduced countdown clocks in underground Green Line stations during 2015. Unlike the other countdown clocks which count down in minutes, the Green Line clocks count down the number of stops away the train is.

Commuter rail 

The MBTA Commuter Rail system is a regional rail network that reaches from Boston into the suburbs of eastern Massachusetts. The system consists of twelve main lines, three of which have two branches. The rail network operates according to a spoke-hub distribution paradigm, with the lines running radially outward from the city of Boston. Eight of the lines converge at South Station, with four of these passing through Back Bay station. The other four converge at North Station. There is no passenger connection between the two sides; the Grand Junction Railroad is used for non-revenue equipment moves accessing the maintenance facility. The North–South Rail Link has been proposed to connect the two halves of the system; it would be constructed under the Central Artery tunnel of the Big Dig.

Special MBTA trains are run over the Franklin Line and the Providence/Stoughton Line to Foxborough station for New England Patriots home games and other events at Gillette Stadium. The CapeFLYER intercity service, operated on summer weekends, uses MBTA equipment and operates over the Middleborough/Lakeville Line. Amtrak runs regularly scheduled intercity rail service over four lines: the Lake Shore Limited over the Framingham/Worcester Line, Acela Express and Northeast Regional services over the Providence/Stoughton Line, and the Downeaster over sections of the Lowell Line and Haverhill Line. Freight trains run by Pan Am Southern, Pan Am Railways, CSX Transportation, the Providence and Worcester Railroad, and the Fore River Railroad also use parts of the network.

The first commuter rail service in the United States was operated over what is now the Framingham/Worcester Line beginning in 1834. Within the next several decades, Boston was the center of a massive rail network, with eight trunk lines and dozens of branches. By 1900, ownership was consolidated under the Boston and Maine Railroad to the north, the New York Central Railroad to the west, and the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad to the south. Most branches and one trunk line – the former Old Colony Railroad main – had their passenger services discontinued during the middle of the 20th century. In 1964, the MBTA was formed to subsidize the failing suburban railroad operations, with an eye towards converting many to extensions of the existing rapid transit system. The first unified branding of the system was applied on October 8, 1974, with "MBTA Commuter Rail" naming and purple coloration analogous to the four subway lines. The system continued to shrink – mostly with the loss of marginal lines with one daily round trip – until 1981. The system has been expanded since, with four lines restored (Fairmount Line in 1979, Old Colony Lines in 1997, and Greenbush Line in 2007), six extended., and a number of stations added and rebuilt, especially on the Fairmount Line.

Several further expansions are planned or proposed. The South Coast Rail project, for which preliminary construction began in 2014, would extend the Stoughton section of the Providence/Stoughton Line to Taunton, with two branches to New Bedford and Fall River. Extensions of the Providence/Stoughton Line to Kingston, the Middleborough/Lakeville Line to Buzzards Bay, and the Lowell Line into New Hampshire are also proposed. Infill stations at West Station and South Salem are under construction or planned.

Each commuter rail line has up to eleven fare zones, numbered 1A and 1 through 10. Riders are charged based on the number of zones they travel through. Tickets can be purchased on the train, from ticket counters or machines in some rail stations, or with a mobile app called mTicket. If a local vendor or ticket machine is available, riders will pay a surcharge for paying with cash on board. Fares range from $2.40 to $13.25, with multi-ride and monthly passes available, and $10 unlimited weekend passes. In 2016, the system averaged 122,600 daily riders, making it the fourth-busiest commuter rail system in the nation.

The MBTA commuter rail network was the first in the nation to offer free on-board Wi-Fi. It offers Wi-Fi-enabled coaches on all train sets.

Ferries 

The MBTA boat system comprises several ferry routes via Boston Harbor. One of these is an inner harbor service, linking the downtown waterfront with the Boston Navy Yard in Charlestown. The other routes are commuter routes, linking downtown to Hingham, Hull, and Salem. Some commuter services operate via Logan International Airport.

All boat services are operated by private sector companies under contract to the MBTA. In FY2005, the MBTA boat system carried 4,650 passengers (0.41% of total MBTA passengers) per weekday. The service is provided through contract of the MBTA by Boston Harbor Cruises (BHC).

Paratransit 

The MBTA contracts out operation of "The Ride", a door to door service for people with disabilities. Paratransit services carry 5,400 passengers on a typical weekday, or 0.47% of the MBTA system ridership. The two private service providers under contractual agreement with the MBTA for The Ride: Veterans Transportation LLC, and National Express Transit (NEXT).

In September 2016, the MBTA announced that paratransit users would be able to get rides from Uber and Lyft. Riders would pay $2 for a pickup within a few minutes (more for longer trips worth more than $15) instead of $3.15 for a scheduled pickup the next day. The MBTA would pay $13 instead of $31 per ride ($46 per trip when fixed costs of The Ride are considered).

Bicycles 

Conventional bicycles are generally allowed on MBTA commuter rail, commuter boat, and rapid transit lines during off-peak hours and all day on weekends and holidays.  However, bicycles are not allowed at any time on the Green Line, or the Ashmont–Mattapan High-Speed Line segment of the Red Line.  Buses equipped with bike racks at the front (including the Silver Line) may always accommodate bicycles, up to the capacity limit of the racks.  The MBTA claims that 95% of its buses are now equipped with bike racks, except for trackless trolleys which still lack this capability.

Due to congestion and tight clearances, bicycles are banned from Park Street, Downtown Crossing, and Government Center stations at all times.

However, compact folding bicycles are permitted on all MBTA vehicles at all times, provided that they are kept completely folded for the duration of the trip, including passage through faregates. Gasoline-powered vehicles, bike trailers, and Segways are prohibited.

No special permit is required to take a bicycle onto an MBTA vehicle, but bicyclists are expected to follow the rules and hours of operation.  Cyclists under 16 years old are supposed to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Detailed rules, and an explanation of how to use front-of-bus bike racks and bike parking are on the MBTA website.

The MBTA says that over 95% of its stations are equipped with bike racks, many of them under cover from the weather.  In addition, over a dozen stations are equipped with "Pedal & Park" fully enclosed areas protected with video surveillance and controlled door access, for improved security.  To obtain access, a personally registered CharlieCard must be used.  Registration is done online, and requires a valid email address and the serial number of the CharlieCard. All bike parking is free of charge.

Parking 
, the MBTA operates park and ride facilities at 103 locations with a total capacity of 55,000 automobiles, and is the owner of the largest number of off-street paid parking spaces in New England. The number of spaces at stations with parking varies from a few dozen to over 2,500. The larger lots and garages are usually near a major highway exit, and most lots fill up during the morning rush hour. There are some 22,000 spaces on the southern portion of the commuter rail system, 9,400 on the northern portion and 14,600 at subway stations. The parking fee ranges from $4 to $7 per day, and overnight parking (maximum 7 days) is permitted at some stations.

Management for a number of parking lots owned by the MBTA is handled by a private contractor.  The 2012 contract with LAZ Parking (which was not its first) was terminated in 2017 after employees were discovered "skimming" revenue; the company paid $5.5 million to settle the case.  A new contract with stronger performance incentives and anti-fraud penalties was then awarded to Republic Parking System of Tennessee.

Customers parking in MBTA-owned and operated lots with existing cash "honor boxes" can pay for parking online or via phone while in their cars or once they board a train, bus, or commuter boat. , the MBTA switched from ParkMobile to PayByPhone as its provider for mobile parking payments by smartphone. Monthly parking permits are available, offering a modest discount. Detailed parking information by station is available online, including prices, estimated vacancy rate, and number of accessible and bicycle parking slots.

, the MBTA has a policy for electric vehicle charging stations in its parking spaces, but does not yet have such facilities available.

From time to time the MBTA has made various agreements with companies that contribute to commuting options. One company the MBTA selected was Zipcar; the MBTA provides Zipcar with a limited number of parking spaces at various subway stations throughout the system.

Hours of operation 
Traditionally, the MBTA has stopped running around 1 am each night, despite the fact that bars and clubs in most areas of Boston are open until 2 am. Like nearly all subways worldwide, the MBTA's subway does not have parallel express and local tracks, so much rail maintenance is only done when the trains are not running. An MBTA spokesperson has said, "with a 109-year-old system you have to be out there every night" to do necessary maintenance. The MBTA did experiment with "Night Owl" substitute bus service from 2001 to 2005, but abandoned it because of insufficient ridership, citing a $7.53 per rider cost to keep the service open, five times the cost per passenger of an average bus route.

A modified form of the MBTA's previous "Night Owl" service was experimentally reinstated starting in the spring of 2014 – this time, all subway lines were proposed to run until 3 am on weekends, along with the 15 most heavily used bus lines and the para-transit service "The Ride".

Starting March 28, 2014, the late-night service began operation on a one-year trial basis, with service continuation depending on late-night ridership and on possible corporate sponsorship. , late-night ridership was stable, and much higher than the earlier failed experimental service. However, it is still unclear whether and on what basis the program might be extended past its first year.  The extended hours program has not been implemented on the MBTA commuter rail operations.

In early 2016, the MBTA decided that Late-Night service would be canceled because of lack of funding. The last night for late-night service was on March 19, 2016. The last train left at 2 a.m. on March 19, 2016.

In 2018, the MBTA further tried "Early Morning and Late Night Bus Service Pilots".
In June 2019, a year after the trials the board voted to make some changes to the schedule which would allow for further late night service to be incorporated long term

Ridership 

During Fiscal Year 2013, the entire MBTA system had a typical weekday passenger ridership of 1,297,650. The MBTA's rapid transit lines (Red, Green, Orange, and Blue) accounted for 59% of all rides, buses accounted for 30%, and commuter rail accounted for 10% of all rides. The MBTA's ferries and paratransit accounted for the remaining 1% of rides.

Passenger ridership has been steadily growing over the years, and between 2010 and 2013, the system saw passenger ridership grow 4.6% or an additional 57,000 daily passengers to the system.

Funding

Fares and fare collection 

The MBTA has various fare structures for its various types of service. The plastic CharlieCard electronic farecard is accepted only on the subway and bus systems. Commuter rail and ferry accept paper CharlieTickets and the mTicket mobile app. Only buses, surface trolleys, and Commuter Rail accept cash on board, which is discouraged (with a $3 fee for Commuter Rail for stations with fare vending machines). Passengers pay for subway and bus rides at faregates in station entrances or fareboxes in the front of vehicles; MBTA employees manually check tickets on the commuter rail and ferries. For paratransit service, instead of physical fare media passengers maintain an account to which funds can be added by web site, phone, mail, or in-person visit. Trips on The RIDE are booked in advance online or by phone, or subsidized on-demand trips can be requested via Uber or Lyft on those companies' mobile apps.

Starting June 22, 2020, the short, urban Fairmount Line was incorporated into the subway fare structure in a pilot program that also started running weekday trips every 45 minutes. In addition to the usual Commuter Rail fare media, CharlieCards are now accepted by tapping at fare vending machines and obtaining proof of payment.

Since the 1980s, the MBTA has offered discounted monthly passes on all modes for the convenience of daily commuters and other frequent riders. As of March 2022, it also offers one-day and seven-day passes (often used by tourists) for subway, bus, inner-harbor ferry, and Commuter Rail Zone 1A. Only the CharlieTicket versions of these passes are accepted on all modes. Single-ride CharlieTickets, weekend passes, 5-ride passes, and the mobile app used for the ferries and commuter rail are not accepted for transfers to buses or subways.

The MBTA has periodically raised fares to match inflation and keep the system financially solvent. A substantial increase effective July 2012 raised public ire including an "Occupy the MBTA" protest. A transportation funding law passed in 2013 limits MBTA fare increases to 7% every two years. Subsequent fare increases took place in 2014, 2016, and 2019.

Several local politicians, including Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Representative Ayanna Pressley, and Senator Edward J. Markey, have proposed to eliminate MBTA fares.

The remaining phases of the ongoing "Fare Transformation" project aims to add contactless credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay as payment methods for all subway and bus lines so passengers will not need to purchase a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket. It is also expected to add all-door boarding on all buses and surface trolleys, using a proof of payment system. A new website is planned to allow passengers and employers to perform self-service CharlieCard transactions.

Subway and bus 

All subway trips (Green Line, Blue Line, Orange Line, Red Line, Ashmont-Mattapan Line, and the Waterfront section of the Silver Line) cost $2.40 for all users. Local bus and trackless trolley fares (including the Washington Street section of the Silver Line) are $1.70 for all users.
Paying directly with cash is only available on buses, Green Line surface stops, and the Ashmont-Mattapan Line; from 2007 to 2020, the higher CharlieTicket price was charged.

All transfers between subway lines are free with all fare media, without the need to pass through fare control (except when continuing in either direction at Ashmont Station). Passengers using CharlieCards can transfer free from a subway to a bus, and from a bus to a subway for the difference in price ("step-up fare"). CharlieTicket holders can transfer free between buses, but not between subway and bus, except free subway transfers are given for the Silver Line at Airport station and SL4/SL5 branches.

The MBTA operates "Inner Express" and "Outer Express" buses to suburbs outside the subway system. Inner Express bus trips cost $4.25; Outer Express trips cost $5.25. Free transfers are available to the subway and local buses with a CharlieCard, and to local buses with a CharlieTicket.

CharlieTickets are available from ticket vending machines in MBTA rapid transit stations.  CharlieCards are not dispensed by the machines, but are available free of charge on request at most MBTA Customer Service booths in stations, or at the CharlieCard Store at Downtown Crossing station.  As given out, the CharlieCards are "empty", and must have value added at an MBTA ticket machine before they can be used.

The fare system, including on-board and in-station fare vending machines, was purchased from German-based Scheidt and Bachmann, which developed the technology. The CharlieCards were developed by Gemalto and later by Giesecke & Devrient. In 2006, electronic fares replaced metal tokens, which had been used on and off by transit systems in Boston for over a century.

Upon introduction in 2007, fares for reloadable CharlieCard contactless smart cards were substantially lower, to encourage riders to use them. The alternative magnetic stripe CharlieTickets were not as durable (and so could only be loaded once), were slower to read, and required maintenance of machines with moving parts.

In 2020, the MBTA started implementation of its "Fare Transformation" program, reducing cash-on-board and CharlieTicket prices to the CharlieTicket level. In the fall of that year, the agency started upgrading a portion of faregates at all stations to accept only contactless cards, in anticipation of the phase-out of paper CharlieTickets, which occurred on March 31, 2022. The gates also feature a optical reader, which is currently unused but is capable of scanning QR codes or bar codes, such as those generated by the mTicket app.

Installation of upgraded fare vending machines is expected to be complete by spring 2022, allowing riders to purchase CharlieCards and the new tappable CharlieTickets at any rapid transit station. These also serve as fare validation points for proof of payment on the Green Line Extension.

Starting July 1, 2022, two free transfers will be given to CharlieCard stored-value users for all combinations of subway, bus, and express bus rides.

Subway and bus fare history 

Until 2007, not all subway fares were identical – passengers were not charged for boarding outbound Green Line trains at surface stops, while double fares were charged for the outer ends of the Green Line D branch and the Red Line Braintree branch. As part of a general fare hike effective January 1, 2007, the MBTA eliminated these inconsistent fares.

Because there was no farebox on the left-facing door, passengers on the 71 and 73 trolleybuses in Cambridge who boarded through that door underground in Harvard station instead paid the only remaining exit fare in the system. This was eliminated starting March 13, 2022, when the trackless trolleys were replaced by conventional buses to allow the Cambridge garage to convert to service battery-electric buses.

Commuter Rail 

Commuter rail fares are on a zone-based system, with fares dependent on the distance from downtown. Rides between Zone 1A stations – South Station, Back Bay, most of the Fairmount Line, and eight other stations within several miles of downtown – cost $2.40, the same as a subway fare with a CharlieCard. Fares for other stations range from $5.75 from Zone 1 (~5–10 miles from downtown) to $14.50 from Zone 10 (~60 miles). All Massachusetts stations are Zone 8 or closer; only T.F. Green Airport and Wickford Junction in Rhode Island are Zone 9 and 10.

Interzone fares – for trips that do not go to Zone 1A – are offered at a substantial discount to encourage riders to take the commuter rail for less common commuting patterns for which transit is not usually taken. Discounted monthly passes are available for all trips; 10-ride passes at full price are also available for trips to Zone 1A. All monthly passes include unlimited trips on the subway and local bus; some outer-zone monthlies also offer free use of express buses and ferries. A cash-on-board surcharge of $3.00 is added for trips originating from stations with fare vending machines.

Starting in spring 2022, the MBTA began installing fare gates at North Station, South Station, and Back Bay station as part of its "Fare Transformation" project. These three stations are the start and end points of the vast majority of Commuter Rail trips, and the gates eliminate the possibility of passengers boarding without tickets or without having a single-use ticket invalidated (though conductors will still manually verify passengers leave the train in the zone they paid for). A common complaint from monthly pass holders was that on-board conductors would sometimes fail to check any tickets for their car, giving a free ride to single-ride and cash-on-board passengers. The new gates have scanners for bar codes on paper tickets, the mTicket app, Amtrak tickets, and military IDs. They also have a reader for tappable CharlieTickets (and CharlieCards, to prepare for potential future use on the Commuter Rail).

MBTA boat 
The Inner Harbor Ferry costs $3.25 per ride, and is grouped as a Zone 1A monthly commuter rail pass. Single rides cost $8.50 from Hull or Hingham to Boston, $17.00 from Hull or Hingham to Logan Airport, and $13.75 from Boston to Logan Airport.

The Ride 
Fares on The Ride, the MBTA's paratransit program, are structured differently from other modes. Passengers using The Ride must maintain an account with the MBTA in order to pay for service. Fares are $3.35 for "ADA trips" originating within  of fixed-route bus or subway service and booked in advance, and $5.60 for "premium trips" outside the mandated area.

Discounted fares 
Discounted fares as well as discounted monthly local bus and subway passes are available to seniors over 65, and passengers who are permanently disabled who utilize a special photo CharlieCard (called "Senior ID" and "Transportation Access Pass", respectively). Holders of these passes are also entitled to 50% off the Commuter Rail fares. Passengers who are legally blind ride for free on all MBTA services (including express buses and the Commuter Rail) with a "Blind Access Card".

Children under 12 ride for free with an adult (up to 2 per adult). Military personnel, state police officers, police officers and firefighters from the MBTA service area, and certain government officials (Commonwealth Department of Public Utilities employees and state elevator inspectors) ride at no charge upon presentation of proper ID, or if dressed in official work uniforms.

Middle school and high school students receive the aforementioned discounts on fares. Student discounts require a "Student CharlieCard" or "S-Card" issued through the holder's school which is valid year-round. College students are not generally eligible for reduced fares, but some colleges offer a "Semester Pass" program. A special "Youth Pass" program was introduced in 2017, allowing young adults less than 25 years old who reside in participating cities or towns and are enrolled in specific low income programs to pay reduced fares.

Budget 

Since the "forward funding" reform in 2000, the MBTA is funded primarily through 16% of the state sales tax excluding the meals tax (with minimum dollar amount guarantee), which is set at 6.25% statewide, and therefore equal to 1% of taxable non-meal purchases statewide. The authority is also funded by passenger fares and formula assessments of the cities and towns in its service area (excepting those which are assessed for the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority). Supplemental income is obtained from its paid parking lots, renting space to retail vendors in and around stations, rents from utility companies using MBTA rights of way, selling surplus land and movable property, advertising on vehicles and properties, and federal operating subsidies for special programs.

A May 2019 report found the MBTA had a maintenance backlog of approximately $10 billion, which it hopes to clear by 2032 by increasing spending on capital projects.

The Capital Investment Program is a rolling 5-year plan which programs capital expenses. The draft FY2009-2014 CIP allocates $3,795M, including $879M in projects funded from non-MBTA state sources (required for Clean Air Act compliance), and $299M in projects with one-time federal funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Capital projects are paid for by federal grants, allocations from the general budget of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (for legal commitments and expansion projects) and MBTA bonds (which are paid off through the operating budget). The FY2014 budget includes $1.422 billion for operating expenses and $443.8M in debt and lease payments.

The FY2010 budget was supplemented by $160 million in sales tax revenue when the statewide rate was raised from 5% to 6.25%, to avoid service cuts or a fare increase in a year when deferred debt payments were coming due.

Capital improvements and planning process 
The Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization is responsible for overall regional surface transportation planning. As required by federal law for projects to be eligible for federal funding (except earmarks), the MPO maintains a fiscally constrained 20+ year Regional Transportation Plan for surface transportation expansion, the current edition of which is called Journey to 2030. The required 4-year MPO plan is called the Transportation Improvement Plan.

The MBTA maintains its own 25-year capital planning document, called the Program for Mass Transportation, which is fiscally unconstrained. The agency's 4-year plan is called the Capital Improvement Plan; it is the primary mechanism by which money is actually allocated to capital projects. Major capital spending projects must be approved by the MBTA Board, and except for unexpected needs, are usually included in the initial CIP.

In addition to federal funds programmed through the Boston MPO, and MBTA capital funds derived from fares, sales tax, municipal assessments, and other minor internal sources, the T receives funding from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for certain projects. The state may fund items in the State Implementation Plan (SIP) – such as the Big Dig mitigation projects – which is the plan required under the Clean Air Act to reduce air pollution. (, all of Massachusetts is designated as a clean air "non-attainment" zone.)

Projects underway and future plans

Blue Line 

There is a proposal to extend the Blue Line northward to Lynn, with two potential extension routes having been identified. One proposed path would run through marshland alongside the existing Newburyport/Rockport commuter rail line, while the other would extend the line along the remainder of the BRB&L right of way.

In addition, the MBTA has committed to designing an extension of the line's southern terminus westward to Charles/MGH, where it would connect with the Red Line. This was one of the mitigation measures the Commonwealth of Massachusetts agreed to offset increased automobile emissions from the Big Dig, but it was later replaced in this agreement by other projects.

Green Line 

The Green Line Extension (GLX) is a project to extend the Green Line northwest into Somerville and Medford. The project is opening in two phases in 2022 at a total cost of $2.28 billion. Total ridership on the  extension is estimated to reach 45,000 one-way trips per day in 2030. The project begins at the north end of the Lechmere Viaduct, where the former ground-level Lechmere station was replaced by an elevated station on an extended viaduct. The two branches split north of Lechmere, with the Union Square Branch following the MBTA Commuter Rail Fitchburg Line right of way to Union Square station in Somerville. The Medford Branch follows the Lowell Line right-of-way to Medford/Tufts station with four intermediate stations. A new vehicle maintenance facility and storage yard is located in the Inner Belt District.

An extension of service beyond Lechmere was considered as early as 1922, with the first formal proposal in 1926. Despite appearing in other regional plans throughout the 20th century, the state did not commit to the project until 1990. Planning began in 2006 with a projected completion date of 2014; this was delayed to 2015, then to 2018. A groundbreaking was held in 2012, with several early construction elements over the next two years. The federal government committed $996 million of the $2.2 billion cost in 2014.

In 2015, with projected costs increased to $3.3 billion, the project was placed on hold. A revised plan, with more modest stations and other value engineering, was submitted in 2016 and approved in 2017. The main $1.08 billion design-build contract was issued in November 2017, with several optional items like platform canopies and a larger vehicle maintenance facility included. Construction began in 2018, with the old Lechmere station closed in May 2020. The new Lechmere station and Union Square Branch opened on March 21, 2022, with the Medford Branch expected to open in November 2022.

Another mitigation project in the initial settlement was restoration of service on the E branch between Heath Street and Arborway/Forest Hills. A revised settlement agreement resulted in the substitution of other projects with similar air quality benefits. The state Executive Office of Transportation promised to consider other transit enhancements in the Arborway corridor.

Orange and Red Lines 

In October 2013, MassDOT announced plans for a $1.3 billion subway car order for the Orange and Red Lines, which would  replace and expand the existing car fleets and add more frequent service. The MassDOT Board awarded a $566.6 million contract to a China based manufacturer CNR (which became part of CRRC the following year) to build 404 replacement railcars for the Orange Line and Red Line. The other bidders were Bombardier Transportation, Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Hyundai Rotem.  CNR began building the cars at a new manufacturing plant in Springfield, Massachusetts, with initial deliveries expected in 2018 and all cars in service by 2023. The Board forwent federal funding to allow the contract to specify the cars be built in Massachusetts, in order to create a local railcar manufacturing industry. In addition to the new rolling stock, the $1.3 billion allocated for the project will pay for testing, signal improvements and expanded maintenance facilities, as well as other related expenses. Sixty percent of the car's components are sourced from the United States. Replacement of the signal systems, which will increase reliability and allow more frequent trains, is expected to be complete by 2022, with a total cost of $218 million for both lines.

Commuter rail 

There are several proposed extensions to current commuter rail lines. An extension of the Stoughton Line known as South Coast Rail is proposed to serve Fall River, and New Bedford. Critics argue that building the extension does not make economic sense.

A  extension of the Providence Line past Providence to T. F. Green Airport and Wickford Junction in Rhode Island opened in 2012. The Rhode Island Department of Transportation is also studying the feasibility of serving existing Amtrak stations in Kingston and Westerly as well as constructing new stations in Cranston, East Greenwich, and West Davisville. Federal funding has also been provided for preliminary planning of a new station in Pawtucket.

In September 2009, CSX Transportation and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts finalized a $100 million agreement to purchase CSX's Framingham to Worcester tracks, as well as some other track, to improve service on the Framingham/Worcester Line. A liability issue that had held up the agreement was resolved. There is also a project underway to upgrade the Fitchburg Line to have cab signaling and to construct a second track along a  run near Acton which is shared with freight traffic, so that the Fitchburg to Boston trip will be able to take only about an hour. Completion is expected in December 2015.

The state of New Hampshire created the New Hampshire Rail Transit Authority and allocated money to build platforms at Nashua and Manchester. An article in The Eagle-Tribune claimed that Massachusetts was negotiating to buy property which has the potential to extend the Haverhill Line to Plaistow, New Hampshire.

Massachusetts agreed in 2005 to make improvements on the Fairmount Line part of its legally binding commitment to mitigate increased air pollution from the Big Dig. These improvements, including four new infill stations, were supposed to be complete by December 31, 2011. The total cost of the project was estimated at $79.4 million, and it was expected to divert 220 daily trips from automobiles to transit. , three of the new stations were open; the fourth station has been delayed by community opposition. In 2014, the MBTA announce it would purchase Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) self-propelled rail cars for the Fairmount Line with eventual expansion to five other lines to be known as the Indigo Line. The planned DMU procurement was canceled in 2015.

No direct rail connection exists between North Station and South Station, effectively splitting the commuter rail network into separate pieces. A North–South Rail Link has been proposed to unite the two halves of the commuter rail system, to allow more convenient and efficient through-routed service. However, because of high cost, Massachusetts withdrew its sponsorship of the proposal in 2006, in communications with the United States Department of Transportation.  Advocacy groups continue to press for the project as a better alternative than expanding South Station, which would also be costly but provide fewer overall improvements in service.

MBTA Massachusetts Realty Group 

As one of the most expansive land owners throughout the Commonwealth, the MBTA established a joint public-private management agency  for managing the MBTA's vast inventory of property holdings and land.

This allows the transit authority to work with entities to obtain right-of-way (ROW) grant on property which the MBTA administers. The agency assists with the processing of all ROW applications as efficiently and economically as possible, and authorizes these grants at the authorized officer’s discretion. Generally, the ROW is granted for an additional stream of revenue to the MBTA outside of normal fare revenue. The agency additionally facilitates persons or organizations wanting to provide concessions, or public advertising potential; or the awardance of property easements.

Occasionally sale of some surplus under-utilized public space under the MBTA real estate agency's responsibility are disposed of though bidding.  This may include lands formerly in use as the state's streetcar network, equipment depots, electric substations, former railroad lines & yards or other properties.  Given the vast long-haul rail routes, the MBTA further determined its desire to work with distance providers of telecom or utilities to provide authorization to use pieces of public land for ROW projects, including: renewable energy installs, electric power lines & energy corridors, optical fibre lines, communications sites, road, trail, canal, flume, pipeline or reservoir uses.

Management and administration 
In 2015, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed new legislation creating a financial control board to oversee the MBTA, replacing the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's Board of Directors in the role of overseeing the transit authority. The Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) started meeting in July 2015 and was charged with bringing financial stability to the agency. It reported to Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation Stephanie Pollack. Three of the five members of the MBTA FMCB were also members of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. The FMCB's term expired at the end of June 2021 and was not extended. It was dissolved and replaced by a new governing body known simply as the MBTA Board of Directors and consisting of seven members.

The Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation leads the executive management team of MassDOT in addition to serving in the Governor's Cabinet. The MBTA's executive management team is led by its General Manager, who is currently also serving as the MassDOT Rail and Transit Administrator, overseeing all public transit in the state.

The MBTA Advisory Board represents the cities and towns in the MBTA service district. The municipalities are assessed a total of $143M annually (). In return, the Advisory Board has veto power over the MBTA operating and capital budgets, including the power to reduce the overall amount.

The MBTA is headquartered in the State Transportation Building (10 Park Plaza) in Boston, with the operations control center at 45 High Street. The agency operates service from a number of bus garages, rail yards, and maintenance facilities. The MBTA maintains its own police force, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Police, which has jurisdiction in MBTA facilities and vehicles.

Key people

Board of Directors 

The seven members of the 2021-created board are as follows:
 Betsy Taylor (Chair)
 Robert Butler
 Thomas "Scott" Darling
 Thomas P. Koch
 Travis McCready
 Mary Beth Mello
 Jamey Tesler, Secretary (head) of the state's Department of Transportation

MassDOT Board of Directors 

Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation Jamey Tesler (Chair)
 Timothy King
 Chrystal Kornegay
 Brian Lang
 Dean Mazzarella
 Robert Moylan, Jr.
 Vanessa Otero
 Betsy Taylor (Vice Chair)
 Monica Tibbits-Nutt

General managers 

Thomas McLernon: 1960–1965
Rush B. Lincoln Jr.: 1965–1967
Leo J. Cusick: 1967–1970
Joseph C. Kelly (acting): 1970
Joseph C. Kelly: 1970–1975
Bob Kiley: 1975–1979 (as chairman/CEO)
Robert Foster: 1979–1980 (as chairman/CEO)
Barry Locke: 1980–1981 (as chairman/CEO)
James O'Leary: 1981–1989
Thomas P. Glynn: 1989–1991
John J. Haley Jr.: 1991–1995
Patrick Moynihan: 1995–1997
Robert H. Prince: 1997–2001
Michael H. Mulhern: 2002–2005
Daniel Grabauskas: 2005–2009
Richard A. Davey: 2010–2011
Jonathan Davis (interim): 2011–2012
Beverly A. Scott: 2012–2015
Frank DePaola (interim): 2015–2016
Brian Shortsleeve (acting): 2016–2017
Steve Poftak (interim): 2017–2017
Luis Manuel Ramírez: 2017–2018
Jeff Gonneville (interim): 2018–2018
Steve Poftak: 2019–present

Employees and unions 
, the MBTA employs 6,346 workers, of which roughly 600 are in part-time jobs.

Structurally, the employees of the MBTA function as part of a handful of trade unions. The largest union of the MBTA is the Carmen's Union (Local 589), representing bus and subway operators. This includes full and part-time bus drivers, motorpersons and streetcar motorpersons, full and part-time train attendants, and Customer Service Agents (CSAs). Further unions include the Machinists Union, Local 264; Electrical Workers Union, Local 717; the Welder's Union, Local 651; the Executive Union; the Office and Professional Employees International Union, Local 453; the Professional and Technical Engineers Union, Local 105; and the Office and Professional Employees Union, Local 6.

Within the authority, employees are ranked according to seniority (or "rating"). This is categorized by an employee's five or six-digit badge number, though some of the longest serving employees still have only three or four-digits. An employee's badge number indicates the relative length of employment with the MBTA; badges are issued in sequential order. The rating structure determines many different things, including the rank in which perks are to be offered to employee, such as: When offering the choice for quarter-annual route assignments ("picks"), overtime offerings, and even the rank to transfer new hires from part-time roles to a full-time role.

In popular culture 
In 1951, the growing subway network was the setting of "A Subway Named Mobius", a science fiction short story written by the American astronomer Armin Joseph Deutsch. The tale described a Boston subway train which accidentally became a "phantom" by becoming lost in the fourth dimension, analogous to a topological Mobius strip. In 2001, a half-century later, the narrative was awarded a Retro Hugo Award for Best Short Story at the World Science Fiction Convention.

In 1959, the satirical song "M.T.A." (informally known as "Charlie on the MTA") was a hit single, as performed by the folksingers the Kingston Trio. It tells the absurd story of a passenger named Charlie, who cannot pay a newly imposed 5-cent exit fare, and thus remains trapped in the subway system. The song was still well known in 2006, when the MBTA named its new electronic farecards the "CharlieCard" and "CharlieTicket".

See also 

 List of MBTA subway stations
 List of United States rapid transit systems by ridership
 MBTA v. Anderson
 Transportation in Boston
 Boston Street Railway Association

References

Further reading

Pranala luar 

MBTA Advisory Board
MBTA Vehicle Inventory – an unofficial listing of MBTA equipment

 
Light rail in Massachusetts
Massachusetts railroads
Passenger rail transportation in Massachusetts
Passenger rail transportation in Rhode Island
Providence metropolitan area
Underground rapid transit in the United States
Transport companies established in 1897
1897 establishments in Massachusetts
Government agencies established in 1964
1964 establishments in Massachusetts