“As we make our system safer and more accessible, we are making transit not just an option but the preferred choice. Ridership is increasing, but more importantly, we are supporting quality of life and boosting regional economic vitality. We know that safety is integral to everything we do at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA),” wrote MBTA General Manager Phil Eng in his response to a statement issued last month by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, “threatening federal funding for the transportation system,” according to a WCVB report.
According to the report, Duffy’s statement “called for immediate action” from leaders in Boston and Chicago and criticized the fact that both cities “allow cashless bail, which allows deranged criminals to repeatedly terrorize public spaces.”
Duffy sent letters to Eng and his counterpart in Chicago, “demanding written reports within two weeks that identify actions that are being taken to deter crime, stop fare evasion and provide a clean environment aboard the transit systems,” according to the WCVB report. If the transportation agencies did not “take actions that enhance safety,” Duffy said they would “risk [losing] federal support.”
Eng responded Oct. 2 with a 12-page letter (download below) addressed to Duffy and released by the MBTA last Friday.
“Our commitment to safety is the foundation of everything we do, and the letter submitted to Secretary Duffy yesterday is a clear demonstration of how the MBTA, in working closely with the USDOT and the FTA, continues to deliver for our riders,” Eng said in a statement about the letter, according to the WCVB report. “Since 2023, we’ve addressed decades of deferred maintenance, rebuilt a depleted workforce, and invested hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure improvements and service upgrades. Our work is never done, but the results are clear: we are delivering a safer, more reliable system for our riders, and we will continue to challenge ourselves every day to get better.”
According to the report, Eng’s letter “presents numerous statistics about crime in the system, including that crime at South Station is down 16% for the year to date. It also summarizes efforts made to improve the condition of MBTA equipment and stations, with more than one page of detail about South Station.”
In response to the demand for information about funding, Eng’s letter includes more than two pages of details on how federal grants are being used.
“We sincerely appreciate your interest in and concern for public safety on the MBTA’s transit network. We strongly believe in continuous improvement and together in partnership with our colleagues in the federal government, we look forward to jointly progressing toward our common goals. The federal funding received to date has enabled us to advance vital projects that enhance the safety, accessibility, and reliability of our system, and we look forward to future funding opportunities,” Eng wrote in the conclusion of his letter.
