BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority on Friday introduced an “online safety dashboard,” allowing the public to track the agency’s progress in responding to Federal Transit Administration safety directives, as well as providing information on speed restrictions across the MBTA’s rail transit system.
The dashboard, available here, shows that as of Feb. 12, the agency has completed 198 of 545 action items, or 36%, included in the FTA Safety Management Inspection report issued on Aug. 31, 2022 [see “DOT agency issues safety directives …,” Trains News Wire, Aug. 30, 2022]. It had done so in 22% of the time available before the 2025 deadline. The percentage of completion for each of the eight FTA special directives range from 94% (58 of 62) for the directive addressing procedures for moving equipment in rail yards, including those with maintenance issues, to 18% (31 of 169) for the directive focusing on policies, procedures, and training.
“This public-facing dashboard will allow everyone to learn about the progress the MBTA is making to improve the safety and reliability of the system,” Massachusetts Transportation Secretary Gina Fiandaca said in a press release. “MBTA management recognizes the important role the T plays in the daily lives of the communities served, that service is critical, and with this dashboard the MBTA will be transparent about efforts underway to address the FTA findings.”
MBTA Interim General Manager Jeffrey Gonneville said the dashboard will be updated monthly, with new features added as the agency continues to work to address the directives. “This work will support safety as a core value by communicating and building the infrastructure and organizational framework that will allow us to move forward,” Gonneville said.
The Speed Restriction report, showing active restrictions as of the end of January, includes information that will be the basis for another dashboard the MBTA plans to launch in March. It shows that as of Jan. 31, some 8.7 miles, or 6.5%, of the MBTA rail transit system was under speed restrictions. A total of 70 restrictions included 27 on the Red Line and 24 on the Orange Line. Schematic diagrams for each line show the location and speed limit for each restriction. An accompanying table provides details for each restriction, as shown with the examples for the Orange Line.
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The Boston Herald reports that U.S. Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren issued statements praising the release of the speed restriction information. The two senators were highly critical of the MBTA’s failure to inform riders of slow-order data during a hearing last year [see “FTA has no plans to take over MBTA …,” News Wire, Oct. 17, 2022].
“This announcement moves us forward,” Markey said, “but I won’t rest until the T is back on track, up to full speed and fully doing right by its riders.” Warren said, “This is a positive step toward providing greater transparency to MBTA riders and the public at large about the conditions of our transit system, but our work is not done.”
