The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority responded to the Trump administration’s concerns about safety and cleanliness, especially at South Station. The administration had warned the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority that federal funding could be withheld if an action plan was not submitted on Thursday. They cited incidents such as an elderly woman being pushed from a bus and a man attacking bus riders with a belt. MBTA General Manager Philip Eng sent a letter detailing safety improvements, including the installation of new cameras on trains and buses, according to WHDH.
MBTA Chief Operating Officer Ryan Coholan said the agency has submitted the requested information and is willing to work with federal and state partners. This comes after a belt attack on a bus in Cambridge and the fatal stabbing of a Ukrainian refugee on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that funding could be withheld, as reported by NBC Boston.
MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng, who joined in April 2023, reported that the MBTA Transit Police Department now has 228 officers, up from 195 in FY 2022, and that over $512 million has been spent on security infrastructure since 2012. He said recorded crime on the system dropped 16% this year, with 2.63 crimes per million trips, as mentioned by NBC Boston. These steps follow a Federal Transit Administration safety inspection and aim to improve safety for riders. Federal officials continue to monitor the MBTA’s security measures
