MBTA

Three shortlisted teams have received initial Request for Proposals for managing, operating, and maintaining the MBTA Commuter Rail system; the current contract with Keolis Commuter Services expires June 30, 2027. (MBTA Photograph)

Transit Briefs: MBTA, Alto, NYMTA, CTA, NJT

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) shortlists three Commuter Rail operator teams. Also, Alto, Canada’s planned Toronto-Québec City HSR (high-speed rail) system, “could see dozens of daily trains”; crime is at a 16-year low on New York MTA subways; Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) unveils a “security surge” plan; and New Jersey Transit (NJT) encourages holiday giving through the digital “Chance For Change” program.

Pictured, Left to Right: Robert Park, Thomas Gilbert, Reginald Clark, Andrew Forman, Majda Abbas (Greater Boston Legal Services/GBLS), Bill Henning (Boston Center for Independent Living/BCIL), Laura Brelsford (MBTA), Taramattie Doucette (GBLS), Independent Monitor Judge Patrick King, Chris Hart (MBTA), Mark Katzoff (GBLS), Myrnairis (Mic) Cepeda, Joanne Daniels-Finegold, John Martin (MBTA), and Interim MassDOT Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng. (Courtesy of MBTA)
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MBTA Reaches ‘Daniels-Finegold Settlement’ Milestone

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) on Dec. 10 reported joining disability advocates and the original plaintiffs of an accessibility lawsuit “to celebrate a historic milestone in the ongoing effort to make public transit accessible to all.”

Amtrak’s twice-daily Mardi Gras between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., has served more than 46,000 riders since its Aug. 18 launch. (Photograph Courtesy of Amtrak)

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, SEPTA, TriMet, NJT, TTC, MBTA

Amtrak’s newest service, the Mardi Gras, is seeing strong demand. Also, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is taking delivery of 10 leased coaches from MARC (Maryland Area Regional Commuter Rail); Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) promotes Alan Lehto to Executive Director of Planning, a newly created position; New Jersey Transit (NJT) earns the 2025 Combating Human Trafficking in Transportation Impact Award; Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) considers advertising installations in subway tunnels; and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and Keolis Commuter Services (Keolis) release a year-in-review report.

Transit Briefs: NYMTA, VIA Rail, Mass. Government

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) unveils a collaboration with the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). Also, VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) unveils its 2026-2029 Accessibility Plan; and a new Massachusetts law shields transit workers from assaults.

The joint venture of MBTA, Massachusetts Port Authority, and Massachusetts Department of Transportation is seeking a developer for a mixed-use transit-oriented development project at the Anderson Regional Transportation Center in Woburn. (BMRR, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons)

Transit Briefs: MBTA, NJT, WMATA, BART, Amtrak, GCRTA

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), New Jersey Transit (NJT) and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) advance transit-oriented development projects. Also, San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) fares will increase Jan. 1 to keep pace with inflation and help pay for service; Amtrak resumes Lake Shore Limited service between Albany, N.Y., and Boston, Mass.; and Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) is discontinuing Wi-Fi service on buses, trolleys and trains.

NC By Train in October experienced its highest ridership month in 35 years of service. The state-supported Amtrak intercity passenger rail service carried 74,400 riders, nearly 10% more than in October 2024. (Courtesy of NCDOT)

Transit Briefs: NC by Train, WMATA/COG, MBTA, Rail Runner Express

NC By Train—North Carolina-supported Amtrak service—celebrates the highest ridership month in its 35-year history. Also, the boards of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) endorse a plan to modernize Metro rail and bus service and strengthen regional transit coordination; Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) will soon debut Commuter Rail fare gates at Boston’s South Station; and security cameras will be installed on New Mexico’s Rail Runner Express trains.

Keolis, IBEW Reach Tentative Agreement

Keolis Commuter Services (Keolis), the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) operations and maintenance partner for the Commuter Rail, announced Oct. 31 that it has reached a tentative agreement with the International Brotherhood

MBTA: $850MM to Enhance Safety, Reliability

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Board of Directors on Oct. 23 approved the receipt of $850 million in Commonwealth Transportation Fund (CTF)-funded bond capacity to the MBTA from a “crucial Interdepartmental Service Agreement (ISA) with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).” The MassDOT Board of Directors approved of the ISA last week.

Transit Briefs: Amtrak, MBTA, TransLink

Amtrak’s Airo fleet moves toward debut. Also, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) pays tribute to Boston in the 1970s with a refurbished retro locomotive; and a historic SkyTrain car from TransLink’s retiring Mark I fleet is repurposed for BC film studio.

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Eng Named Interim MassDOT Secretary

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) on Oct. 16 announced that Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) General Manager Phil Eng has been named as Interim Transportation Secretary following Monica Tibbits-Nutt’s decision to