MBTA's fiscal panel to speed up state-of-good-repair projects

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA) fiscal and management control board (FMCB) plans to accelerate the delivery of capital projects, especially state-of-good-repair investments to increase system performance reliability.

In its second annual report to the Massachusetts Legislature, the board cited the need to implement "immediate improvements for riders" as one of its top priorities in the coming year, according to the report.

The board also highlighted the need to develop a service delivery strategy for the MBTA.

The report noted that on-time performance for the MBTA's main subway lines in 2016 was about the same compared to the previous year, while commuter-rail and bus service performance declined.

The agency is taking short- and long-term actions to improve the core system and is working with contractor Keolis Commuter Services to address and improve on-time performance on the commuter-rail system, MBTA officials said.

"We believe our efforts to date have helped to lay the foundation for a much more reliable and efficient MBTA," said the board's Chairman Joseph Aiello. "The FMCB has operated as transparently as possible and has sought to be candid with taxpayers, riders, and others about the depth of the challenges we face. That has sometimes meant some very difficult decisions, but the public that depends upon the [MBTA] deserves nothing less from us."