This post contains an update to legislators from the MBTA regarding winter storm service, plus additional information we received from the T about recent red line disruptions.
As we continue to dig out of the latest storm and anticipate more winter events on the horizon, the MBTA wants to remind folks of what to expect during winter commutes.
If you can avoid traveling during winter storms, the MBTA highly recommends doing so. This helps the MBTA, and the many other road crews around the state, clear the rails and roadways for safe travel.
To see the latest service information, check MBTA Go during winter weather events. For service alerts ahead of a winter storm, sign up for T-Alerts via text or email.
Snow, ice, wind, and debris are the main causes for delays and disruptions to MBTA service during winter. On rare occasions, the governor may issue a state of emergency or travel ban, which can impact the level of MBTA service available. If this happens, we will update our website, MBTA Go, and X (formerly Twitter) with related service changes.
Subway & Trolley
Extreme cold, heavy snow, and ice can impact train service during storms. Routes that run at street level, like the Green Line and Mattapan Trolley, are more likely to be delayed.
Bus
Bus service may operate on reduced schedules or adjusted routes due to snow or ice. For the safety of customers and staff, buses may operate at reduced speeds.
During a storm, buses will run on either of the following schedules:
- Regular Schedule: Buses operating with normal service
- Storm Schedule: Buses operating with reduced service, similar to Saturday service
- Schedules are adjusted on a route-by-route basis.
- Snow Routes
- Some buses run on alternate routes to avoid narrow streets and steep hills. If your bus operates with a snow route, it is indicated on the PDF schedule, which is available on our website or from your bus driver.
- See all snow routes
Bus Stop Shoveling
The MBTA is responsible for clearing snow and ice from stops on key bus routes and the Silver Line within 24 hours after snowfall ends. Municipalities are responsible for clearing all other stops.
You can report an uncleared bus stop to the MBTA or the municipality responsible for the stop.
The MBTA provided the following response to Senator Brownsberger’s office following our inquiry about recent red line delays.
The recent Red Line service disruptions are closely tied to challenges with the line’s aging fleet. Many Red Line cars remain decades old and are more susceptible to mechanical failures during extreme cold and winter weather, which led to multiple disabled trains and required cars to be removed from service following the recent storm.
These fleet challenges are further compounded by delays in the delivery of new Red Line cars intended to replace aging equipment. Shipments of railcar shells and key components have been held by U.S. Customs and Border Protection due to federal enforcement actions tied to trade and labor policies originating under the Trump administration, including compliance reviews under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. These delays have disrupted production at the CRRC Massachusetts facility, leading to workforce furloughs and slowing the rollout of new, more reliable trains. As a result, the MBTA must continue operating older equipment longer than planned, limiting its ability to fully mitigate performance impacts during severe weather and high-demand periods.
As of today, the MBTA only has 6 new CRRC Red Line trains (with 36 cars) in service.
If our office can be helpful with constituent information or inquiries about MBTA service, please contact:
Annie Mazzola
District Director | Office of State Senator William Brownsberger
o 617-722-1280 x3 | c 857-207-8738
Anne.mazzola@masenate.gov
As much as I don’t want to see service delays…I hate the new cars. Cold, hard, slippery slabs of metal they call seats, 8 sets of doors so big you could practically drive a truck through them leading to less space for seating, about half the seating capacity cars used to have …let’s face it: the T doesn’t want us to sit down anymore. This is in addition to the rumours of elderly people falling to the floor because those pull-down seats are not in place long enough to sit on. I’m just recently noticing the handlebars on the ceiling near the doors, too; those are so high up they are only for those at least 6 feet or taller to comfortably reach.
Seriously? This is the best design people could come up with? I’ve heard all the stories that the T originated as cattle transport (which makes us all cattle) but really?
That being said, we don’t need more service problems. And guess who is causing those now in our Blue state…
I’ve seen and reported elder falls with the jump seats. They push the spring-loaded seat down with one hand and shuffle 180 degrees to sit down only to have the seat pop up and, or the train lurch foreword and either way they land with a thud on the deck.
These trains will be kaput by the time the old train is off the rails.
Thank you Governor Patrick for demonstrating Democrat graft.
As a lifetime bus and train rider, I just want to say Thank You to every driver and MBTA worker who does the job every day without delay.
Whitney Sands
I blame you folks in the legislature for underfunding the MBTA for decades. Stop with the long break for campaigning and get some darn work done. I have taken the MBTA for years and it deserves to be better managed (Eng is a help) and funded (no help from state house). Ill be cheering on Ms Dizoglio in her attempt to get the state house cleaned up.
Cheering won’t help. Voting for Republicans will.
The anti-democratic MA Senate has already declared it has complied as much as it needs to (or dares to considering the affinity of MA Speakers of the house for corruption and ethics charges)
In spite if the fact that all if media rewards you for being a liberal and punishes you for being a conservative about half of the country and a third of MA votes Republican. Imagine how many tens of millions of latent Republicans are out there if only equal time were granted by the FCC.
These CCCP Rolling Stock cars are chintzy.
https://publicintegrity.org/politics/state-politics/public-betrayal-in-the-bay-state/