Out of Service: Will We Ever Fix the MBTA?

Two ex-governors, a mayor, the MBTA's chief, and the secretary of transportation tell us why we're getting exactly nowhere.

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How old are the T’s cars?

T railcars are supposed to be replaced every 25 to 30 years. That hasn’t happened. The entire Orange Line fleet and a third of Red Line cars “suffer from rapidly deteriorating conditions,” the MBTA reported last spring. The state didn’t approve funding for their replacements until 2013, and they won’t start arriving until 2018. Here’s a line-by-line look at when the T’s cars were built. Source: MBTA Bluebook 2014

How often is the T on time?

The T is often tardy, according to its own report cards. Disabled trains are a big reason. The Orange Line, which runs cars that are all at least 35 years old, is the worst performer. (Figures for the Green Line were not available because its train-tracking system was not fully installed.) Source: MassDOT 2014 Annual Performance Report

How far do our railcars go?

Disabled trains aren’t the only reason T trains run late, but they’re a major reason. The MBTA measures its train fleets by the average mileage a railcar logs before it breaks down. The Green Line is the worst: More than 500 Green Line trains became disabled in the first nine months of 2015, according to the MBTA Alerts Twitter feed, leading to delays. Among the many reasons: Green Line trolleys make more stops and travel over street crossings. Why does the Orange Line lag behind the Red and Blue? Again, the age of the cars. Source: MassDOT 2014 annual performance report