What is the MBTA?

The MBTA owns and operates one of the oldest and largest public transportation agencies in the US, serving more than 1.2 million passenger trips each weekday before the COVID-19 pandemic. The MBTA’s services, or modes, include:

  • Heavy Rail — The MBTA operates three heavy rail lines: the Red Line, Blue Line, and Orange Line. Collectively, these lines provide core subway services.
  • Light Rail — The MBTA’s primary light rail system, the Green Line, provides services to outlying areas to the west and subway service through the center of the city. The MBTA also operates the Mattapan Trolley, which serves as an extension of the Red Line from Ashmont to Mattapan.
  • Bus — The MBTA operates more than 170 bus routes directly or via contract, including five bus rapid transit routes via the Silver Line and 15 key routes that offer frequent service to higher-ridership corridors. Local bus routes, commuter or express routes, and supplemental routes comprise the rest of MBTA bus service.
  • Commuter Rail — The MBTA’s 12 primary commuter rail lines link cities and towns around the state with downtown Boston, while also providing regional connections.
  • Ferry — The MBTA provides ferry services on two routes between downtown Boston, the South Shore, Logan Airport, and Charlestown.
  • Paratransit — The MBTA provides paratransit service via The RIDE to eligible customers in 58 cities and towns in eastern Massachusetts.

MBTA System Map

MBTA Performance Measurement

The MBTA uses performance measures to track progress toward goals, provide accountability and transparency, and plan for future programs and investments. Several current initiatives and plans include goals and performance measures that align with those included in Tracker. To ensure alignment among these efforts, OPMI has worked closely with MBTA and MassDOT staff and MBTA Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) members in the development and presentation of these performance measures and targets. The following plans and performance tools are related to Tracker:

MBTA Scorecard



Performance Goal Performance Metric Current Performance (CY22) CY21 2023 Target
Safety Fatalities (Bus) 0 0 0
Fatalities (Commuter Rail) 4 1 0
Fatalities (Heavy Rail) 1 0 0
Fatalities (Light Rail) 0 0 0
Fatalities (The RIDE) 0 0 0
Mainline Non-Revenue Train Derailments (Commuter Rail) 1 0 1
Mainline Non-Revenue Train Derailments (Heavy Rail) 0 1 0
Mainline Non-Revenue Train Derailments (Light Rail) 1 0 2
Mainline Revenue Train Derailments (Commuter Rail) 0 0 1
Mainline Revenue Train Derailments (Heavy Rail) 0 2 1
Mainline Revenue Train Derailments (Light Rail) 1 0 2
Mean Miles Between Failures (Bus) 18,718 28,638 29,500
Mean Miles Between Failures (Heavy Rail) 55,222 44,617 44,500
Mean Miles Between Failures (Light Rail) 6,618 7,780 7,650
Mean Miles Between Failures (The RIDE) 27,575 26,334 62,500
NTD Reportable Injuries (Bus) 277 264 286
NTD Reportable Injuries (Heavy Rail) 202 184 180
NTD Reportable Injuries (Light Rail) 104 88 79
NTD Reportable Injuries (The RIDE) 20 29 27
Rate of Collisions (Bus – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 74.78 58.6 60.08
Rate of Collisions (Heavy Rail – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 2.42 1.31 0.88
Rate of Collisions (Light Rail – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 5.37 4.53 2.86
Rate of Fatalities (Bus – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 0 0 0
Rate of Fatalities (Commuter Rail – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 3.7 0 0
Rate of Fatalities (Heavy Rail – Per 1M Revenue Miles) < 0.01 0 0
Rate of Fatalities (Light Rail – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 0 0 0
Rate of Fatalities (The RIDE – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 0 0 0
Rate of NTD Reportable Injuries (Bus – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 12.7 11.01 12.23
Rate of NTD Reportable Injuries (Heavy Rail – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 10.64 8.39 7.99
Rate of NTD Reportable Injuries (Light Rail – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 17.44 16.6 14.35
Rate of NTD Reportable Injuries (The RIDE – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 2.41 2.91 2.27
Rate of Safety Events (Bus – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 4.54 3.71 4.21
Rate of Safety Events (Heavy Rail – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 1.32 1.09 1.07
Rate of Safety Events (Light Rail – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 5.53 3.21 4.94
Rate of Safety Events (The RIDE – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 4.46 3.21 1.74
Yard/Shop Train Derailments (Commuter Rail) 1 0 1
Yard/Shop Train Derailments (Heavy Rail) 1 3 4
Yard/Shop Train Derailments (Light Rail) 1 1 4



Performance Goal Performance Metric Current Performance (FY23) FY22 2022 Target 2024 Target Long Term Target
Budget & Capital Expenditures Actual Total Expenses $2.32B $2.21B $2.35B
Actual Total Expenses Growth Rate 5.20% 2.00% Context Only
Actual Total Non-Operating Expenses (Debt Service) $491M $474M
Actual Total Non-Operating Revenues $1.89B $2.64B
Actual Total Operating Expenses $1.83B $1.73B
Actual Total Operating Revenues $446M $382M
Actual Total Revenues $2.34B $3.02B $2.77B
Actual Total Revenues Growth Rate -23% 14% Context Only
Average Elapsed Days Between Advertising and NTP 126 days 113 days 130 days 130 days 130 days
Fare Recovery Ratio 21% 19% 45% 50%
Projects Completed On or Under Budget 20% 100% Context Only
Projects Completed On or Under Time 40% 75%
Total CIP Spend $1.85B $1.61B $2.00B
Total CIP Spend (Expansion) $325M $493M $548M
Total CIP Spend (Reliability/Modernization) $1.53B $1.11B $1.45B
Total Spend vs. CIP Spend Target 93% 61% Context Only
Actual Closing Balance (Revenue – Expenses) $14M $816M $417M
Actual Non-Operating Revenue Details (Other) $47M $988M Context Only
Actual Non-Operating Revenue Details (State and Local) $1.84B $1.65B
Actual Operating Expense Details (Contracted Transit Services) $632M $583M
Actual Operating Expense Details (Materials and Services) $305M $288M
Actual Operating Expense Details (Other) $29M $25M
Actual Operating Expense Details (Wages and Benefits) $865M $838M
Actual Operating Expenses Growth Rate 5.6% 6.0%
Actual Operating Revenue Details (Fares) $376M $322M
Actual Operating Revenue Details (Other) $70M $60M
Actual Operating Revenues Growth Rate 17% 90%



Performance Goal Performance Metric Current Performance (FY23) FY22 2022 Target 2024 Target 2026 Target Long Term Target
Customer Experience Average Percent of Weekday Passenger Miles with Direct Benefit from Bus Priority Corridors 7.50% 5.70% Context Only
Average Percent of Weekday Passenger Miles with Indirect Benefit from Bus Priority Corridors 60% 51%
Average Weekday Passenger Miles in Bus Priority Corridors 54,000 38,000
Bus Reliability (Key Bus) 78% 78% 80% 80% 80%
Bus Reliability (Other Bus) 66% 69% 75% 75% 75%
Bus Reliability (Silver Line) 81% 81% 80% 80% 80%
Commuter Rail Reliability 91% 92% 90% 90% 90%
Elevator Uptime 98.70% 98.60% 99.70% 99.70% 100%
Ferry Reliability 100% 99% 97% 97% 97%
Number of Other Priority PATI Bus Stops Constructed 11 92 Context Only
Number of Other Priority PATI Bus Stops Designed 35 100
Percent of Critical-Priority PATI Bus Stops Constructed 57% 37% 100% 100% 100%
Percent of Critical-Priority PATI Bus Stops Designed 43% 39% 100% 100% 100%
Percent of High-Priority PATI Bus Stops Constructed 24% 20% 25% 45% 100%
Percent of High-Priority PATI Bus Stops Designed 51% 22% 30% 60% 100%
Station Accessibility (Unweighted) 78.90% 77.80% 77.30% 81.40% 87.00% 100%
Subway Reliability (Blue Line) 95% 96% 90% 90% 90%
Subway Reliability (Green Line) 78% 79% 90% 90% 90%
Subway Reliability (Orange Line) 92% 91% 90% 90% 90% 95%
Subway Reliability (Red Line) 90% 90% 90% 90% 90% 95%
The RIDE Reliability 88% 89% 90% 90% 90% 90%
Total Active Bus Priority Miles 41.87 42.87 Context Only
Total Active Transit Signal Priority (TSP) Signals 91 86



Performance Goal Performance Metric Current Performance (FY23) FY22 2024 Target
System Condition Facility Condition – Assets Scoring Lower Than 3 on TERM Scale (Administrative/Maintenance Facilities) 22.8% 35% 22.8%
Facility Condition – Assets Scoring Lower Than 3 on TERM Scale (Passenger/Parking Facilities) 2.6% 6% 3.1%
Non-Revenue Service Vehicle Condition – Beyond Useful Life (Transit and Commuter Rail) 48.5% 22% 50.8%
Rolling Stock – Beyond Useful Life (Articulated Bus) 21.2% 0% 23.7%
Rolling Stock – Beyond Useful Life (Bus) 20.0% 32% 17.3%
Rolling Stock – Beyond Useful Life (Commuter Rail Coach) 7.5% 7% 6.8%
Rolling Stock – Beyond Useful Life (Commuter Rail Locomotive) 22.9% 23% 22.9%
Rolling Stock – Beyond Useful Life (Ferry) 0% 0% 0%
Rolling Stock – Beyond Useful Life (Heavy Rail) 30.1% 53% 28.6%
Rolling Stock – Beyond Useful Life (Light Rail) 40.5% 0% 40.5%
Rolling Stock – Beyond Useful Life (Paratransit Automobile) 0% 0% 0.0%
Rolling Stock – Beyond Useful Life (Paratransit Van) 0% 0% 25.1%
Rolling Stock – Beyond Useful Life (Vintage Trolley) 100% 100% 100%
Track Condition – Miles with Speed Restrictions (Commuter Rail) 3.0% 3% 4.0%
Track Condition – Miles with Speed Restrictions (Heavy Rail) 13.2% 7% 17.2%
Track Condition – Miles with Speed Restrictions (Light Rail) 7.4% 2% 15.6%



Performance Goal Performance Metric Current Performance (FY23) FY22 2022 Target 2024 Target 2026 Target Long Term Target
Healthy & Sustainable Transportation Bus Fleet Composition (Compressed Natural Gas – CNG) 16% 15% Context Only
Bus Fleet Composition (Diesel) 18% 37%
Bus Fleet Composition (Electric) 0.5% 0.4% 3.1% 13.7% 100%
Bus Fleet Composition (Hybrid) 65% 48% Context Only
Percent Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions from 2009 Baseline 44% 42% 20% 50%
Rate of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (kg CO2e Per UPT) 1.02 1.21 Context Only
Ridership (UPT) 233,094,592 202,597,697
Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions (kg CO2e) 237,759,082 244,188,484