Delays continue on the MBTA this summer, but overall improvement projects are progressing

People who use the MBTA will have to wait for longer periods of time as trains are being delayed. The Red Line has had issues with delays this summer due to the need for inspections and often, they are being replaced by shuttle buses. This comes as the Orange and the Green Lines also are having their schedules changed, which was announced by the MBTA.

This could affect tons of people who take the train in Downtown Boston over the summer.

It is important to mention that with these train delays the purpose is to fix the issues with the trains with the goal of helping people in the long run.

On July 16, I interviewed three people at South Station on what their experiences with the MBTA had been. I also asked if they were affected by any delays. Two of the three people had positive experiences. Maitrama said she “loves the T” and was “thrilled” with the service. Another person named Alex had only taken the train once and explained his experience as “cool.”

I also had the time to speak with a resident named Kamari who described the service as “terrible” and believed the frequent delays affect “lower income communities”.

According to a 2018 report by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, lower income communities are hurt more by train delays compared to other medium and high income earners. This community is more reliant on trains as it’s likely their only way of getting from one place to another place meaning those who rely on trains get harmed more by train delays.

The issue for trains is that the government’s preferred method of transportation has always been cars. According to the Federal Railroad Administration the government spends $2.4 million on Amtrak– a national train service– annually compared to cars, which was reported by the U.S. Department of Energy as receiving $51.7 million annually. Financial issues are a national problem and a local issue, as even the MBTA is having issues. According to the Boston Globe, the MBTA is facing financial uncertainty, and could see $700 million in deficit the next fiscal year. 

Despite the financial hardships faced by the MBTA, improvements are slowly being fixed over time. According to the MBTA, a five-year capital investment plan is in place to invest $9.6 billion to improve trains, stations and service. Various projects are being worked on, such as South Station Transportation Center Improvements, and construction at the red line’s Codman Yard. More information can be found at https://www.mbta.com/projects.