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The MBTA shut down all trains at 7pm yesterday. There were no trains today and only a limited bus schedule. For tomorrow, here's a rundown of what the MBTA is currently saying:
The weather over the last three weeks has been unprecedented, but that's only exposed the long-standing problems. So before taking sides in this troika, here are a few links and a few selected observations:
You can find an abbreviated report on the T's historical Income and Expenses here:
http://www.mbta.com/uploadedfiles/About_the_T/Financials/SORE%20History%20FY15%20budget.xls
You can find a selection of T ridership statistics (aka The Blue Book) here:
http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/document_library/?search=Blue+Book
Looking at the spreadsheets and first and last year of Blue Books, between FY2007 and FY2014:
- 70% of the regularly scheduled trips on the commuter Rail
- Fewer cars and less frequent service on the Blue and Green lines
- "Limited" Service on the Red and Orange lines
The weather over the last three weeks has been unprecedented, but that's only exposed the long-standing problems. So before taking sides in this troika, here are a few links and a few selected observations:
You can find an abbreviated report on the T's historical Income and Expenses here:
http://www.mbta.com/uploadedfiles/About_the_T/Financials/SORE%20History%20FY15%20budget.xls
You can find a selection of T ridership statistics (aka The Blue Book) here:
http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/document_library/?search=Blue+Book
Looking at the spreadsheets and first and last year of Blue Books, between FY2007 and FY2014:
- Ridership as measured by unlinked trips is up 5%
- Total Operating Costs are up 46%
- Wages are up 27%
- Fringe Benefits are up 26%
- Outsourced Expenses are up 78%
- Percentage Revenue from fares has dropped from 35% to 33%
- Unless it's hidden in the "Materials, Supplies, and Services" catch-all, depreciation is not included in determining deficits or surpluses.
no subject
As that report says: I would be unsurprised to find that some of the cost growth in 2010-2014 was necessary "get it working again" repairs; remember the Harvard-Alewife track repair work? That's specifically called out in the report (p. 25) as an unfunded project which needed $80M in 2010 and didn't get it. It was done in 2011-2012, and probably cost a bit more than the 2010 budget because of that....