For Greater Boston, A New Commuter Rail Schedule For A New Kind Of Commute
An MBTA Commuter Rail Train sits at South Station.
Das48 / Wikimedia Commons
The pandemic has obliterated the traditional morning and afternoon rush hours, so to boost commuter rail ridership and to lure riders back to the rail system operator Keolis is radically changing train schedules as of Monday.
It may be hard to imagine, given all the talk about buses and subway service cuts, but the pandemic has impacted commuter rail more than any other transit mode in the MBTA system. Passenger traffic dropped quickly last March to only 10-12% of its pre-pandemic levels, and is still only back to around 15%.
Weeknight service after 9 p.m. is preserved in the MBTA s Spring 2021 schedule change
Published 3 hours ago •
Updated 58 mins ago
NBC10 Boston/NECN
The commuter rail will see services increase starting Monday as part of the MBTA s new spring schedule.
The Spring 2021 schedule provides more trains during the middle of day, offers more consistent options and increases services compared to the Winter Schedule that has been in effect since December 2020, according to the MBTA. Download our mobile app for iOS or Android to get alerts for local breaking news and weather.
“The MBTA and Keolis worked to create a service offering that is attractive to passengers for both its all-day frequency and ease of trip planning with trains at regular and predictable intervals,” MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said. “Adopting a regional rail style of service also helps to better position the network for a future rail transformation.”