Phil Eng News Today

You may no longer need to carry your handy Charlie Card.

The MBTA was able to lift all remaining 19 speed restrictions on the Blue Line during a recent two-week partial closure. The milestone marks the first time under General Manager Phil Eng that the system has had a subway or trolley line without slow zones.

A year into MBTA General Manager Phil Eng's tenure, some transit advocates and lawmakers say they're encouraged by his performance, while many riders say they're still waiting for their commutes to improve.

Looking to bring a little levity to stressful commutes, a local group is calling for the MBTA to put giant googly eyes on the front of T trains.

On Thursday, the MBTA announced a 21 day public comment period for their proposed five year, multi-billion dollar capital investment plan.

The Callery pear tree (or Bradford pear tree) is popular in many suburban neighborhoods, due to its gorgeous white blossoms. However, Massachusetts officials say it's also an invasive species that crowds out other plants.

The MBTA Board voted unanimously Thursday to extend the agency's contract with Keolis Commuter Services, which operates the authority's commuter rail network, for one year to mid-2027. MBTA General Manager Phil Eng says negotiations between Keolis and their unions are ongoing.

House Democrats want to boost state spending by 3.3 percent next fiscal year with a $57.9 billion budget that mirrors many of Gov. Maura Healey's ideas for tapping new funding sources and drives up outlays on the expectation that flat state tax collections will begin to rise again.

It's been one year since Phil Eng was announced As the new general manager for the MBTA, and after a "whirlwind year," he tells WCVB that things are getting better.

“It has been a tremendous amount of change in one year, and at the same time, there's so much more that I know we can continue to improve and deliver differently,” Eng said.