MBTA weekday subway, commuter train service trips slashed for summer as of this week

Thousands of Everett, Malden, Revere, Saugus residents will see longer commute times  

Staffing shortages, federal safety compliance cited; new fare programs with decreased costs also announced

  Thousands of area residents this week began to feel the effect of dramatic service time changes for subway trains implemented by the MBTA in response to federal safety compliance regulations.

  Beginning Monday, citing staffing shortages and continued lower ridership levels that never returned to pre-pandemic numbers, the MBTA cut service trips on the Orange, Blue and Red lines — affecting estimated 200,000-plus riders each weekday.

      Thousands — or even tens of thousands— of residents in this region including Everett, Malden, Revere and Saugus — are expected to be affected by the cutback of the number of service trips and the subsequent increase of service time between trips.

   MBTA officials announced last week that downscaling the trip frequency across most of its main subway system for the summer was in response to a staffing shortage that federal regulators ruled as a safety risk for riders and workers

    The slashing of trip frequency is estimated to add 4-6 minutes of additional wait time to subway riders between trips, according to reports. For instance, it is estimated there are 6-7 minutes between trips on the most frequently used Orange Line at peak, weekday commuter times.

     That has now increased to 10-12 minutes per service trip — longer on the Blue and Red Lines — according to reports.

       There are two Orange Line stations in Malden, which ends the line in the northern sector, at Malden Center in the heart of Malden Square and Oak Grove, on the Malden-Melrose line.

   Revere is the home of four Blue Line stops, including Suffolk Downs, Beachmont, Revere Beach and Wonderland from west to east.

    MBTA officials stated in a press release that the new summer subway schedule now in effect would essentially resemble a regular Saturday schedule.

    “On each of the three lines, the changes will effectively implement a Saturday schedule every weekday. The dramatic reshaping of the system, which is likely to slow down travel for the tens or even hundreds of thousands of commuters who use the trio of subway lines every weekday and create more crowded conditions on vehicles and platforms, will continue through the summer,” according to MBTA officials.

  According to reports the steps were taken because Federal Transit Administration inspectors stated in a public evaluation, “(The) MBTA has created a management process whereby OCC staff members are required to work without certifications, in a fatigued state, and often fulfilling multiple roles at once,”

  “MBTA’s failure to ensure that personnel within the Operations Control Center (OCC), including train and power dispatchers, are trained and certified, properly rested, and concentrating on one role at a time is a significant safety risk — one that is compounded by inadequate procedures.”

  In addition to the service changes, the MBTA also announced some lower fares — particularly with Pass/Link programs— which go into effect July 1.
MBT, officials say one of them includes the one-day LinkPass being lowered from $12.75 to $11.
The MBTA at presents allows one transfer between bus and/or subway with one recent addition – CharlieCard riders may transfer from Bus to Subway to Bus. To simplify complexities in the T’s transfer policy, the transfer process will be standardized to allow all combinations of second transfers involving Buses, Express Bus Routes, and/or Subway, including Bus-Bus-Subway, Subway-Bus-Bus, and Express Bus-Express Bus.
A major addition is a new seven day LinkPass for reduced fare riders. Aiming to increase equity by increasing the benefits of purchasing fares in bulk for Reduced Fare Riders, a seven-day LinkPass for reduced-fare riders will be available for $10, which breaks even after nine subway rides.

   This product is designed to meet the needs of individuals who might not have enough cash on-hand to afford a monthly pass, but who qualify for reduced fare programs.
Also aimed at increasing equity by closing gaps in the T’s offering of pass products for Reduced Fare Riders, monthly passes on commuter rail, ferry, and express bus will be made available. This update offers passes for Reduced Fare Riders at approximately 50% of the full fare pass prices.
For more information on the new fare programs or service changes, readers are encouraged to visit mbta.com or connect with the T on Twitter @MBTA, Facebook /TheMBTA, or Instagram @theMBTA.