MBTA finds silver lining in coronavirus pandemic while still facing steep financial challenges
MBTA officials took a moment to focus on the silver lining of the coronavirus pandemic — capitalizing on steep declines in ridership that have allowed accelerated repairs and upgrades to the 123-year-old public transit system — even as revenue losses threaten to cripple the system.
“While ridership has been reduced during the pandemic, the MBTA has had a busy spring and summer making accessibility, infrastructure, customer experience, and safety improvements,” MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said.
Poftak joined Gov. Charlie Baker, Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack and others at Museum of Fine Arts Station on Tuesday to announce the completion of accelerated work on the Green Line’s C and E Branches this summer with a tour of completed work.
The MBTA “took advantage” of dramatic dips in ridership amid the COVID-19 pandemic, stopping service along the lines and replacing trains with shuttle buses for 28 days, Poftak said.
“By allowing crews longer periods of 24/7 access, the T is able to complete important upgrades more quickly and save money along the way,” Baker said.
It cut repairs schedules down by about a year and it helped save the T about 30% on construction costs, Baker said. But the savings are a mere fraction of what the system needs to recoup the $308 million budget gap the system is facing as a result of steep dropoffs in ridership amid the pandemic. Those numbers, unveiled at last week’s Fiscal Management Control Board meeting, assume an 80% return of fare revenue by this month — a figure still far out of reach.
Poftak said Tuesday ridership is on an “upward slope” after being decimated by more than 90% amid pandemic closures. Bus ridership has rebounded the most — by 42% — at about 160,000 trips per day on average.
Subway ridership is hovering at about 26% of pre-pandemic numbers or about 100,000 trips per day. He said ridership is rebounding “incrementally” and varies on each line, with the Blue Line seeing the highest demand so far.
If ridership stays at its current levels — around 40% — into fiscal year 2022, the MBTA said its deficit would balloon to $577 million. To stave off the dire financial implications facing the transit system, the FCMB is seeking $400 million in cost savings through a variety of yet-to-be-determined measures that could include fare hikes and slashing capital improvement projects.
from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/32NFUPV
Post a Comment