Modern and well-functioning vehicles and equipment enable RTAs to provide efficient, comfortable, and safe transit services to its passengers. The FTA requires all transit agencies to develop a transit asset management (TAM) plan that outlines how an agency plans to address asset management policy and goals, provides visibility, and supports planning, budgeting, and communications with interested parties. The measures in this section describe the age and condition of RTA vehicles and facilities relative to targets set by them in their TAM Plans. As of publication, asset management data from GATRA and MVRTA is outstanding.
Percent of revenue vehicles that have met or exceeded their useful life benchmark
FTA guidelines for useful life benchmarks for revenue vehicles are set at 12 years for articulated bus and bus, 10 years for minibus, 7 years for cutaway bus, 4 years for minivan, and 13 for trolleybus.
Each RTA sets a target for each type of its revenue vehicles that indicates the proportion of those vehicles that may be at or beyond their useful life benchmark. For example, an agency that operates both buses and vans in revenue service may have different targets for proportion of buses and vans that may be at or above the applicable useful life benchmarks. Of the 15 reporting RTAs, five (BAT, MART, MVRTA, MWRTA, WRTA) met all revenue vehicle targets relative to useful life benchmarks.
The RTAs that did not meet their revenue vehicle targets:
- Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (BRTA) met its target for minivans, but missed its targets for buses (11% target, 27.3% performance) and cutaways (19% target, 19.40% performance).
- Cape Ann Transit Authority (CATA) did not meet its targets for buses (40% target and 47.60% performance) or cutaway buses (0% target, 31.20% performance).
- Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority (CCRTA) met its targets for buses and cutaways but did not meet its target for minivans (0% target, 9.50% performance).
- Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA) met its targets for cutaways and vans, but missed its target for buses (10% target, 47.10% performance).
- Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) met its target for cutaways, but missed its targets for bus (0% target, 3.30% performance) and van (0% target, 12.50% performance).
- Lowell Regional Transit Authority (LRTA) met its targets for bus and minivan but missed its target for cutaway buses by 5% (39.60% performance, 35% target).
- Nantucket Regional Transit Authority (NRTA) met its target for vans but narrowly missed its target for Buses (68% target, 68.40% performance)
- Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) met its articulated and bus targets but did not meet its target for cutaway bus (67.90% performance, 0% target).
- Southeastern Regional Transit Authority (SRTA) failed to meet its target for buses (0% target, 46.90% performance) and cutaways (0% target, 35.80% performance).
- Vineyard Transit Authority (VTA) met its targets for buses and cutaways but missed its targets for minivans and vans (0% target, 100% performance in both categories).
Percent of service (non-revenue) vehicles that have met or exceeded their useful life benchmark
FTA guidelines for useful life benchmarks for non-revenue vehicles are set at 8 years for automobiles and 10 years for trucks and other rubber tire vehicles. Most RTAs have both automobiles and trucks in their non-revenue service fleet.
Four of the fifteen reporting RTAs met their targets for all service vehicles (CATA, CCRTA, MWRTA, and NRTA). Six agencies (BRTA, GATRA, MART, PVTA, SRTA, and VTA) failed to meet their targets for all service vehicles. The other five met either their automobile targets or their truck targets but not both.
| Met targets for all service vehicles | Did not meet targets for service vehicles | Partially met targets for service vehicles |
|---|---|---|
| CATA | BRTA | BAT |
| CCRTA | GATRA | FRTA |
| MWRTA | MART | LRTA |
| NRTA | PVTA | MVRTA |
| SRTA | WRTA | |
| VTA |
Percent of facilities rated below 3 on the condition scale
Facility conditions are assessed using a standardized scale ranging from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent) which reflects the age of the facility, its current operating condition, and the quality of maintenance it has received.
Most RTAs are responsible for a small number of facilities, usually bus garages and administration or maintenance buildings. In FY22, most facilities were in generally good condition and targets met or exceeded. Only FRTA registered performance above 0% of facilities below 3 on the condition scale (this is nominally on-target for FRTA (50% target). However, as part of MassDOT’s group plan, FRTA’s targets are inclusive of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, which does not report to NTD until April 2023, so FRTA’s FY22 performance is not currently reflective of the tribe’s fleets.
