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 (CY21) Previous Performance (CY20) 2022 Target
Safety

Safety

Fatalities (Bus) 0 2 0
Fatalities (Commuter Rail) 0 0 0
Fatalities (Heavy Rail) 0 0 0
Fatalities (Light Rail) 0 0 0
Fatalities (The RIDE) 0 0 0
Mainline Non-Revenue Train Derailments (Commuter Rail) 0 1
Mainline Non-Revenue Train Derailments (Heavy Rail) 1 0 0
Mainline Non-Revenue Train Derailments (Light Rail) 0 4 1
Mainline Revenue Train Derailments (Commuter Rail) 0 1
Mainline Revenue Train Derailments (Heavy Rail) 2 0 0
Mainline Revenue Train Derailments (Light Rail) 0 1 1
Mean Miles Between Failures (Bus) 28,638 33,874 25,000
Mean Miles Between Failures (Heavy Rail) 44,617 47,567 47,500
Mean Miles Between Failures (Light Rail) 7,780 8,021 7,500
Mean Miles Between Failures (The RIDE) 81,592 40,640 60,000
NTD Reportable Injuries (Bus) 264 219 324
NTD Reportable Injuries (Heavy Rail) 184 136 195
NTD Reportable Injuries (Light Rail) 88 53 84
NTD Reportable Injuries (The RIDE) 29 13 27
Rate of Collisions (Bus – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 58.60 56.84 57.42
Rate of Collisions (Heavy Rail – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 1.31 0.84 1.29
Rate of Collisions (Light Rail – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 4.53 3.63 4.44
Rate of Fatalities (Bus – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 0 0.09 0
Rate of Fatalities (Commuter Rail – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 0 0
Rate of Fatalities (Heavy Rail – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 0 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) 11.01 10.37 14
Rate of NTD Reportable Injuries (Heavy Rail – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 8.39 6.03 8.46
Rate of NTD Reportable Injuries (Light Rail – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 16.6 9.62 14.7
Rate of NTD Reportable Injuries (The RIDE – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 2.91 1.47 1.91
Rate of Safety Events (Bus – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 3.71 3.84 5.21
Rate of Safety Events (Heavy Rail – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 1.09 0.71 1
Rate of Safety Events (Light Rail – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 3.21 5.26 5.58
Rate of Safety Events (The RIDE – Per 1M Revenue Miles) 1.31 2.03 1.99
Yard/Shop Train Derailments (Commuter Rail) 0 8
Yard/Shop Train Derailments (Heavy Rail) 3 5 3
Yard/Shop Train Derailments (Light Rail) 1 2 4

 

Performance Goal Performance Metric Current Performance (FY22) Previous Performance (FY21) 2022 Target 2024 Target Long Term Target
Budget & Capital Performance

Budget & Capital Performance

Actual Closing Balance (Revenue – Expenses) $816M $487M $417M
Actual Non-Operating Revenue Details (Other) $988M $909M Context Only Context Only Context Only
Actual Non-Operating Revenue Details (State and Local) $1.65B $1.53B Context Only Context Only Context Only
Actual Operating Expense Details (Contracted Transit Services) $583M $543M Context Only Context Only Context Only
Actual Operating Expense Details (Materials and Services) $288M $288M Context Only Context Only Context Only
Actual Operating Expense Details (Other) $25M $67M Context Only Context Only Context Only
Actual Operating Expense Details (Wages and Benefits) $838M $745M Context Only Context Only Context Only
Actual Operating Expenses Growth Rate 6.0% 0.8% Context Only Context Only Context Only
Actual Operating Revenue Details (Fares) $322M $167M Context Only Context Only Context Only
Actual Operating Revenue Details (Other) $60M $34M Context Only Context Only Context Only
Actual Operating Revenues Growth Rate 90.0% -67.5% Context Only Context Only Context Only
Actual Total Expenses $2.21B $2.16B $2.35B
Actual Total Expenses Growth Rate 2.0% 1.8% Context Only Context Only Context Only
Actual Total Non-Operating Expenses (Debt Service) $474M $512M Context Only Context Only Context Only
Actual Total Non-Operating Revenues $2.64B $2.44B Context Only Context Only Context Only
Actual Total Operating Expenses $1.73B $1.64B Context Only Context Only Context Only
Actual Total Operating Revenues $382M $201M Context Only Context Only Context Only
Actual Total Revenues $3.02B $2.64B $2.77B
Actual Total Revenues Growth Rate 14.00% 16.30% Context Only Context Only Context Only
Average Elapsed Days Between Advertising and NTP 113 126 90 90 90
Fare Recovery Ratio 19.0% 10.2% 45.0% 50.0%
Projects Completed On or Under Budget 100.0% 94.0% Context Only Context Only Context Only
Projects Completed On or Under Time 75.0% 57.0% Context Only Context Only Context Only
Total CIP Spend $1.61B $1.93B $2.00B
Total CIP Spend (Expansion) $493M $563M $548M
Total CIP Spend (Reliability/Modernization) $1.11B $1.36B $1.45B
Total Spend vs. CIP Spend Target 60.6% 110.0% Context Only Context Only Context Only

 

Performance Goal Performance Measure Current Performance (FY22) Previous Performance (FY21) 2022 Target 2024 Target 2026 Target Long Term Target
Customer Experience

Customer Experience

Average Percent of Weekday Passenger Miles with Direct Benefit from Bus Priority Corridors 5.7% 4.6% Context Only Context Only Context Only Context Only
Average Percent of Weekday Passenger Miles with Indirect Benefit from Bus Priority Corridors 51.0% 30.0% Context Only Context Only Context Only Context Only
Average Weekday Passenger Miles in Bus Priority Corridors 38,000 23,000 Context Only Context Only Context Only Context Only
Bus Reliability (Key Bus) 78.2% 80.6% 80.0% 80.0% 80.0%
Bus Reliability (Other Bus) 68.6% 70.4% 75.0% 75.0% 75.0%
Bus Reliability (Silver Line) 80.9% 83.9% 80.0% 80.0% 80.0%
Commuter Rail Reliability 92.3% 94.0% 90.0% 90.0% 90.0%
Elevator Uptime 98.6% 99.5% 99.7% 99.7% 100.0%
Ferry Reliability 99.0% 100.0% 97.0% 97.0% 97.0%
Number of Other Priority PATI Bus Stops Constructed 92 Context Only Context Only Context Only Context Only
Number of Other Priority PATI Bus Stops Designed 100 Context Only Context Only Context Only Context Only
Percent of Critical-Pri- ority PATI Bus Stops Constructed 37.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Percent of Critical-Priority PATI Bus Stops Designed 39.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Percent of High-Priority PATI Bus Stops Constructed 20.0% 25.0% 45.0% 100.0%
Percent of High-Priority PATI Bus Stops Designed 22.0% 30.0% 60.0% 100.0%
Station Accessibility (Unweighted) 77.8% 75.2% 77.3% 81.4% 87.0% 100.0%
Subway Reliability (Blue Line) 96.0% 97.0% 90.0% 90.0% 90.0%
Subway Reliability (Green Line) 79.4% 81.5% 90.0% 90.0% 90.0%
Subway Reliability (Orange Line) 90.5% 89.9% 90.0% 90.0% 90.0% 95.0%
Subway Reliability (Red Line) 90.1% 92.8% 90.0% 90.0% 90.0% 95.0%
The RIDE Reliability 89.4% 92.0% 90.0% 90.0% 90.0% 90.0%
Total Active Bus Priority Miles 42.87 17.7 Context Only Context Only Context Only Context Only
Total Active Transit Signal Priority (TSP) Signals 86 81 Context Only Context Only Context Only Context Only

 

Performance Goal Performance Measure Current Performance (FY22) Previous Performance (FY21) 2022 Target 2024 Target 2026 Target Long Term Target
Healthy & Sustainable Transportation

Healthy & Sustainable Transportation

Bus Fleet Composition (Compressed Natural Gas- CNG) 15.4% 13.0% Context Only Context Only Context Only Context Only
Bus Fleet Composition (Diesel) 36.5% 40.0% Context Only Context Only Context Only Context Only
Bus Fleet Composition (Electric) 0.4% 3.0% 3.1% 13.7% 100.0%
Bus Fleet Composition (Hybrid) 47.6% 44.0% Context Only Context Only Context Only Context Only
Percent Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emis- sions from 2009 Baseline 45.0% 20.0% 50.0%
Rate of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (kg CO2e Per UPT) 1.07 2.41 Context Only Context Only Context Only Context Only
Ridership (UPT) 202,597,697 119,000,000 Context Only Context Only Context Only Context Only
Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions (kg CO2e) 216,470,446 287,000,000 Context Only Context Only Context Only Context Only

 

Performance Goal Performance Measure Current Performance (FY22) Previous Performance (FY21) 2023 Target
System Condition

System Condition

Facility Condition – Assets Scoring Lower Than 3 on TERM Scale (Administrative/Maintenance Facilities) 35% 50% 35%
Facility Condition – Assets Scoring Lower Than 3 on TERM Scale (Passenger/Parking Facilities) 6% 8% 7%
Non-Revenue Service Vehicle Condition – Beyond Useful Life (Transit and Commuter Rail) 22% 19% 25%
Rolling Stock – Beyond Useful Life (Heavy Rail) 53% 53% 39%
Rolling Stock – Beyond Useful Life (Articulated Bus) 0% 0% 18%
Rolling Stock – Beyond Useful Life (Bus) 32% 25% 32%
Rolling Stock – Beyond Useful Life (Commuter Rail Coach) 8% 8% 7%
Rolling Stock – Beyond Useful Life (Commuter Rail Locomotive) 23% 24% 23%
Rolling Stock – Beyond Useful Life (Ferry) 0% 0% 0%
Rolling Stock – Beyond Useful Life (Light Rail) 0% 0% 0%
Rolling Stock – Beyond Useful Life (Paratransit Automobile) 0% 33% 0%
Rolling Stock – Beyond Useful Life (Paratransit Van) 0% 43% 0%
Rolling Stock – Beyond Useful Life (Trolley Bus) 100% 100%
Rolling Stock – Beyond Useful Life (Vintage Trolley) 100% 100% 100%
Track Condition – Miles with Speed Restrictions (Commuter Rail) 3% 4% 4%
Track Condition – Miles with Speed Restrictions (Heavy Rail) 7% 3% 2%
Track Condition – Miles with Speed Restrictions (Light Rail) 2% 5% 2%

* The MBTA’s Trolley Bus fleet was retired in spring 2022 and will not be included in the FY23 performance reporting