Commuter Rail Quincy

Crowded platforms greeted MBTA riders at Quincy Center station on February 12, 2015. The MBTA has struggled with systemic problems in the aftermath of multiple winter storms.

(Amy Derjue, special to MassLive.com)

BOSTON -- The private operator of the Commuter Rail has been fined the maximum amount possible allowable by its contract with the MBTA for poor performance in February.

In an email MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said that the MBTA independently calculated that the Commuter Rail operated on-time roughly 35 percent of the time in February. The abysmal on-time rate resulted in the MBTA leveling a fine of $434,425 on Keolis, the maximum amount allowable under its contract.

The Commuter Rail has been plagued by delays and cancelations since Winter Storm Juno buried the region at the end of January. The Commuter Rail has run at or below 80 percent capacity since February 20 according to MassLive's daily Monday-Friday tracking of its operations. The MBTA has ignored multiple email and phone requests from MassLive for weekend service data.

"The contractor is well aware that their recovery plan will be under much scrutiny this month, and they are determined to regain the confidence of Commuter Rail customers," said Pesaturo in an email.

This is latest severe fine for Keolis since it took over operation of the Commuter Rail in August of 2014. Keolis has been fined in the past for poor on-time performance and dirty coaches and stations. In total, the MBTA has fined Keolis approximately $2.8 million for performance shortcomings.

"The governor expects Keolis to live up to its end of the contract and focus its energy on restoring full service as soon as possible," said Tim Buckley, press secretary for Gov. Charlie Baker.

Non-on-time performance related fines have not been calculated for February according to Pesaturo.

Keolis announced on Sunday that it aims to have normal service restored systemwide by March 30.

Keolis could not be reached for comment via phone or email.