Recommendations for improving the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is one of the oldest transit systems in the United States.  The MBTA is the largest consumer of energy in Massachusetts and the second largest land owner in Massachusetts.  People depend on the MBTA on a daily basis to commute to work and school, to travel, or to visit family and friends.  The MBTA operates in 175 different cities and towns in Massachusetts.

The main challenge for the MBTA is maintaining a reliable and dependable transit system.  In this essay, I will present several recommendations to improve the MBTA system.  The MBTA’s systemic challenges were exposed during 6 weeks of frigid temperatures and record breaking snowfall in January and February 2015.  The MBTA has also recently endured other challenges.  For example, in December 2015, one MBTA Red Line train went through several stops without a train driver operating the train.  As a result of this incident, one mandate that I would stipulate is that all MBTA subway trains should be operated with a minimum of two employees.

From late January 2015 to the beginning of March 2015, the greater Boston region had record breaking snow storms.  These storms caused the MBTA to shut down on several occasions.  As a result of the severe delays caused by last winter's storms and the recent incident where a subway train was operating without a driver present, I have devised several recommendations to point out the importance of having a reliable public transportation system as well as suggestions for improving the transit system in the greater Boston area.  In looking back at the aftermath of the problems that the record breaking snow fall last year had on the transit system, the MBTA should continue its plans to have adequate snow plowing and rail deicing equipment and resources.  MBTA officials are proposing another fare increase (set to go into effect during the summer of 2016) to help decrease the agency's operating deficit.  MBTA leaders are also researching methods to ensure that the MBTA pension plan can remain adequately funded.

The impact of the MBTA is significant to not just Boston, but for the entire eastern Massachusetts region.  In 2014, more people rode the MBTA than ever before.  In 2014, the entire system had 400.8 million trips.  The MBTA allows people to avoid driving into Boston for sporting events, concerts, or other functions.  The system is an alternative for millions of people who want to avoid spending time driving in traffic or having the higher cost of taking a taxi or Uber.  The MBTA gives customers access to Logan Airport, Boston area colleges, T.F. Green Airport, North and South Stations, hospitals, and civic organizations.  Ensuring that the MBTA system is dependable is a worthwhile goal in order to sustain the economic vitality of Boston, the state of Massachusetts, and southern New England.

The MBTA represents an infrastructure challenge on the micro level in the United States.  On the macro level, infrastructure funding in the United States is not sufficient, according to the American Society for Civil Engineers (ASCE).  In 2013, the ASCE released its report card on infrastructure in the United States.  The report card evaluated 16 different categories of infrastructure in the United States.  The categories included: aviation, bridges, dams, roads, and transportation networks.  The individual grade for transit systems was a D and the overall grade that the ASCE gave for U.S. infrastructure was a D+.

In addition to transit system challenges, the ASCE report card states that there is a financial cost to underfunding different types of infrastructure.  According to the ASCE, in Massachusetts alone there are 487 structurally deficient bridges, 293 high hazard dams, and 19% of major roads are in poor condition.  The ASCE estimates that these infrastructure deficiencies cost the average motorist in Massachusetts $478/year.  Also, according to Transportation for Massachusetts, the average bridge in Massachusetts is 59 years old.  On average, Massachusetts has the 3^rd oldest bridges in the country, following only Hawaii and Washington, D.C.

Below are 20 recommendations for making improvements to the MBTA system.  These include fiscal, infrastructure, personnel, and policy recommendations:

1. Increase the average tenure of the MBTA General Manager.  Typically, MBTA General Managers stay anywhere from 2 to 4 years.  The General Manager is a politically appointed position.  Often times the General Manager is a candidate selected from outside of the MBTA.  If the average tenure for an MBTA General Manager increased from 2 - 4 years to 6 - 10 years, I think this would allow for more progress and continuity for the goals and plans of the GM to become reality.  More time would allow for capital improvement plans and policy changes to be less rushed.  When a new GM is brought in every few years, this leadership change would ultimately alter the goals, directives, and plans of the agency.  Thus, a new approach would be brought in and previous plans might not become reality.

2. Develop an upward trajectory plan/leadership development track.  For employees who have an interest, educational background, and the requisite skills to assume upper level management roles, I would recommend that the MBTA develop a leadership training program for frontline employees who have an interest in entering management roles in the future.  Frontline workers have the most direct experience with how the agency operates.  Frontline workers interact with customers more than upper level administrators; therefore frontline workers have an understanding of the viewpoints of MBTA riders.

3. Develop a long-term strategic plan.  I would suggest that MBTA leadership increase strategic planning and future organizational trajectory models.  In addition for planning for 5 to 10 years, I would suggest future planning of the authority for 25, 40, 50, and 75 years.  What will the MBTA look like in 2050?  How effectively will the MBTA operate in 2075?

4. Adjust salaries according to experience.  A common plan that MBTA leaders have proposed in order to reduce the agency's deficit is to raise passenger fares.  I think raising fares is a reasonable request.  However, in addition to raising fares, I would recommend reducing salary increases for employees who have worked for the department for over 20 years.  I would institute a "salary cap."  Employees with less than 20 years of service would not have any salary reductions.  I would also introduce a plan for reducing overtime pay from time and a half to time and a quarter for employees with over 20 years of experience.  These wage adjustments would share the burden and responsibility of creating a more fiscally solvent transit system.

5. Upgrade stations in need of repair.  I would identify bus, subway, and rail stations that are in most need of repair and upgrade the infrastructure of these locations.  For example, Back Bay and Oak Grove stations are in need of being modernized.

6. Collect a modest fee from residents of MBTA cities & towns.  A modest fee for residents of the 175 communities in which the MBTA operates could be a significant revenue boost.  Even if this fee was collected every 2 years it could make an impact in reducing the chronic MBTA deficit.  The cost could be as low as $5 per household in the 175 towns.  It could perhaps be called the "MBTA residential usage fee." 

7. Upgrade the bus and ferry fleet.  To reduce the MBTA's carbon footprint, the agency could use the latest technology for fuel efficient buses and ferry boats.

8. Examine the transit systems of other American and international cities.  I would advocate for MBTA leaders to examine the transit systems of other American cities and foreign cities to investigate what could be learned from other transit systems.  What are other cities doing right or wrong regarding urban transportation?  How do other cities operate their transit police departments?  Are there any techniques from other transit systems that might be applicable to the MBTA?  (For example, the Washington, D.C. METRO system has a system map that shows different points of interest and the transit station location for each point of interest.  The D.C. METRO system also has lights on the subway platforms that light up when a train is approaching.)

9. Develop an internship program.  This program would identify high school and college students who have an interest in working for MBTA.  These students could learn from current MBTA employees about how the system works; this program could help identify future employees and leaders for the MBTA. 

10. Establish a penny tax.  This fee would be placed for all transactions at MBTA kiosks.  Each time a customer purchases a ticket, pass, or adds money to their Charlie Card, a $0.01 charge would be levied to their fare.  A small cost, but overall this charge could add another revenue channel for the agency. 

11. Request additional funding from the federal government.  Since the MBTA is one of the oldest transit systems in the country, ongoing maintenance is essential in order for the system to run as efficiently as possible.  Additional federal funding would help the MBTA with covering the cost of continued maintenance. 

12. Initiate a graffiti/trash removal and tunnel cleaning plan.  Numerous walls and structures that abut commuter rail and subway lines are tagged with graffiti and littered with trash and other debris.  I would initiate a plan to remove graffiti and trash from the transit system property.  Additionally, I would propose cleaning the interior walls of the subway lines.  These walls have become corroded with smog from the trains and years of decay.  This clean-up initiative would beautify the system and improve the quality of ridership for system users.  Perhaps volunteers, interns, or part-time workers could participate in this clean-up initiative. 

 

13. Increase the frequency of the commuter rail trains.  Commuter rail trains do not run as frequently as subway trains.  I would recommend increasing the frequency in which the commuter rail trains operate.

14. Improve community partnerships.  I would propose that the MBTA develop stronger partnerships with other regional transportation agencies such as the independent bus transportation agencies in Brockton, Lowell, and Springfield, as well as agencies such as AMTRAK.

15. Make the Charlie Card a universal usage card.  MBTA riders can use the Charlie Card only on buses and subway trains.  I would propose that the Charlie Card be converted into a universal usage card.  Riders could use the Charlie Card on the commuter rail, ferry, The Ride van, and to pay for parking at MBTA parking lots.

16. Ensure that equipment is maintained and upgraded properly.  The constant use of MBTA equipment can lead to breakdowns.  MBTA leadership should develop a scheduling plan for regularly maintaining and replacing system equipment.

17. Add an extra subway car during rush hour.  During the morning and evening commutes, the subway cars are overcrowded.  I would propose having an extra (7^th) subway car attached to trains during peak ridership times.

18. Accessible Commuter Rail stations.  Presently, not all of the commuter rail stations are handicap accessible.  All of the stations should be handicap accessible, which would be in accordance to the Americans with Disabilities Act.

19. Consult with the ASCE and BSCE.  The American Society of Civil Engineers and the Boston Society of Civil Engineers could offer helpful suggestions to make improvements to the transit system.

20. Offer continuing education programs for MBTA employees.  Ongoing training and educational programs would increase the professionalism of the MBTA workforce.  All MBTA employees, including inspectors and operators, to police officers and supervisors should be able to have career development training.

Sources:

Enwemeka, Zeninjor. (3/10/2015). 400 Million Rides: MBTA Ridership Hit A Record High in 2014. http://www.wbur.org/2015/03/10/record-mbta-ridership

http://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/a/#p/state-facts/massachusetts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_Bay_Transportation_Authority

Transportation for America. Press Release: One in Ten Massachusetts Bridges “Structurally Deficient.” www.t4ma.org