The “Thoughts from Everyone” series is a collection of discussions and analyses of the current system contributed by other transit fans that I personally find interesting. For a full index with ideas on all topics, see here.
This post includes discussions of public buses operated by MBTA in Greater Boston. Topics include bus routes and terminals, operations, infrastructure, planning, and others.
Note: If a discussion is largely about a systemwide topic, but also has a particular focus on a region that it serves, it may be listed in both this page and another relevant “Thoughts from Everyone” page, with a brief note.
Last updated: April 20, 2024 (created page)
Table of Contents
MBTA-Owned Infrastructure
Bus Garages and Maintenance Facilities
Discussion of costs of bus garage rebuilds and renovations, and later comments (archBoston, Apr 2024)
- The debate concerned rising costs of a few bus garages that MBTA was planning to rebuild, such as the Quincy and Arborway garaged, including charging facilities of battery-electric buses (BEBs).
- Users mentioned that the T plans a $4.5 billion investment in bus garages with charging equipments; the rebuild of Quincy Garage costs around $500 million, though the bids were so high that a re-bid was required; and that Arborway’s 15% design estimated a cost of $495 million.
Operations
Bus Operators and Hiring
MBTA has been facing a shortage of bus operators in recent years, partly due to a hiring freeze during the Covid-19 pandemic. The shortage had forced MBTA to reduce service on many bus routes systemwide since 2022.
Delvin4519’s analysis of bus operator shortages
ArchBoston user Delvin4519 has been keeping track of the shortage situation through MBTA’s official reports: