The MBTA is inspecting 24 Green Line cars after mechanical failures caused service upsets in downtown Boston on Patriot’s Day.
An agency spokesperson confirmed a car was disabled Monday afternoon at Boylston Station, leading to service delays and shuttle bus service replacements in the downtown area. Service resumed later in the afternoon, but not before the issues set off a chorus of complaints on social media, including riders reporting they were stuck on trains while they waited for updates.
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The inspections are limited to “Type 9” cars, which are the newest generation of Green Line cars in service. The MBTA Vehicle Maintenance team will look at them to ensure they are working in "a safe and reliable manner." Despite the ongoing inspections, service was back to normal as of Tuesday.
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Patriot’s Day is one of the busiest days of the year in the city, with the Boston Marathon drawing hundreds of thousands of runners and spectators from around the world. With even more limited parking than usual with the Marathon road closures, visitors are advised to take the T. There was also a Red Sox game earlier in the day and a Bruins playoff game to cap off the night. Pair that busy day with a public transit agency already under scrutiny for a litany of issues, including safety concerns, service slowdowns, and a critical staffing shortage, and it’s no surprise the system’s performance would be under a microscope.
On a typical weekday, the Green Line sees about 88,000 riders, according to the MBTA Dashboard.
The Federal Transit Administration ordered the T to correct ongoing understaffing and safety concerns last year. But getting up to healthy labor levels will be a challenge - a recent analysis found that the agency could start the next fiscal year at 20 to 25% below what's needed - and that there were thousands of jobs to be filled.
Hiring for all those roles has been cited as one of the most important issues for newly arrived General Manager Philip Eng, who has committed to increased hiring. Recent understaffing has led to longer wait times and reduced T Service for riders.
