MBTA commuter rail worst-in-nation for mechanical failures in 2016

THE MBTA commuter rail reported more mechanical failures in 2016 than any other system in the U.S. / PBN FILE PHOTO / VICTORIA AROCHO
THE MBTA commuter rail reported more mechanical failures in 2016 than any other system in the U.S. / PBN FILE PHOTO / VICTORIA AROCHO

BOSTON –Boston commuter rail trains had more mechanical failures last year than any other system in the country, newly released federal data shows, despite traveling fewer miles and serving a much smaller population than most major metros.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority reported having 338 mechanical failures in 2016 that stopped trains on scheduled routes, including 304 classified as major.

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The next-worst record was reported by the New Jersey Transit Corp., which serves greater Newark, with 236 failures. The MTA Long Island Railroad, serving the same metropolitan New York area, had 132 failures.

Boston’s commuter rail covers an area with a primary population of 4.2 million residents. By comparison, the New Jersey and Long Island commuter rail systems serve a metro area with 18.4 million people.

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In train-miles, the number of miles racked up by the trains, Boston too traveled far less, with 4.5 million train miles in 2016, to the 9.5 million traveled by the New Jersey system, and the 8.8 million traveled by the Long Island service.

The MBTA commuter rail service is managed by a private company, Keolis North America, but the assets are owned by the MBTA. The service area includes stops in Rhode Island, such as Providence Station and T.F. Green Airport in Warwick. The data on breakdowns was not separated by individual lines.

An MBTA spokesman on Friday said the data submitted to the Federal Transit Administration is a year old, and doesn’t reflect current service.

On-time performance rates in 2017 have improved significantly, said Joe Pesaturo, to an average of 90 percent. And the MBTA has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure and new train improvements.

This includes the replacement of older trains with 40 new locomotives.

“The improved on-time performance rates this year are a direct result of the hard work and investments over the past year,” he said.

Mary MacDonald is a staff writer for the PBN. Contact her at macdonald@pbn.com. Follow on Twitter at MaryF_MacDonald.

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