Photo: WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The federal government has requested that the MBTA file a safety and finance report by Thursday, Oct. 2.
This comes after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent the T a letter in response to an elderly woman being injured from getting pushed off a bus at the beginning of September. The Chicago Transit Authority was also reached out to for similar safety concerns
Back when the incident occurred, General Manager and CEO of the MBTA Phillip Eng made a statement:
"Safety will always be at the forefront of everything we do, and I'm proud of the prompt response and investigation by the MBTA Transit Police that led to the arrest of this Individual. The public deserves a safe transportation system, and I want them to know that this conduct will not be tolerated anywhere on our system. Chief Kenneth Green and his team wasted no time as they were able to use video and information gathered to quickly identify the suspect, leading to her swift apprehension as we now press charges. Thank you to our bus operator as well, whose training allowed him to make all proper notifications and ensure the victim received the proper and timely medical and police attention. I'm also deeply appreciative to our riders and members of the community who stepped up and helped Transit Police identify this person-we want riders to know they can always anonymously report 24/7 to Transit Police via the See Say app as well."
Despite this response, Duffy has insisted that the MBTA must make changes to ensure rider safety.
“President Trump cares about our great cities and the hardworking Americans who inhabit them,” Duffy said. “While local leaders seem intent on putting the needs of criminals first, we’re not waiting for the next Iryna. Chicago and Boston are on notice to take actions that enhance safety and reduce the crime affecting their riders and transit workers – or risk federal support. This is about standing up for American families who deserve a safe and clean transportation system.”
In the letter, Duffy requested that the T submit a report within 14 days of Sept. 19 (when the letter was sent) that will “Identify what actions have been taken and are being taken by the transit agency to deter crime, stop fare evasion, and provide a clean environment for passengers riding its transit system, and in turn, return public confidence in CTA’s transit system,” and “Summarize all sources of funds for fiscal year 2025 and 2026 relating to security, safety, and any funds from Federal agencies, including any Department of Homeland Security funds.”
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When talking to Boston residents, many feel safe when riding the T and are happy with how it’s being run, despite the federal government’s declarations.
“I feel pretty safe,” said one rider.
“I’m in full support, they’re doing a great job,” another rider said.
Others, like John from Quincy, are a bit more critical.
“I’ve been taking the train for almost 30 years,” John said. “I could give you horror stories about riding the train every day, but you don’t need to hear that.”
Regarding finances, John’s thoughts are a bit more nuanced, as he’s a big fan of the new electronic ticket kiosks, but feels they can be more efficient with money.
“I feel like a lot of it is being wasted,” he said.
During an MBTA Board of Directors meeting on Sept. 24, Phillip Eng spoke about this letter and the course of action to respond to it (comments at 53:10 of video).
“We are preparing a response, we will be able to share all of the great things that we’ve done to date…we will include things that we are continuing to look at because it’s about continuous improvement,” Eng said. “If we’re not safe and we’re not secure, robust reliable ridership is not the only thing. Safety and security goes hand and hand with that, for our riders, for our employees, we’re committed to that.”
Regarding the bus incident, Eng explained how every employee involved responded to the best of their ability and as they were trained, but that the MBTA would continue to work with the federal government to continue to improve.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Jim MacKay (@JimMacKayOnAir) reports.