Feds order MBTA to adopt ‘safety pause’ after recent runaway train incidents
BOSTON – The MBTA is once again in the Federal Transit Administration’s crosshairs, with the agency ordering a “safety recall” so the T can address incidents related to the “safe movement of disabled trains.”
The T has come under fire for trains leaving alone, including an incident in May when a runaway Red Line train passed through Braintree station while passengers waited on the platform.
In a letter dated July 28 to MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak, the FTA’s associate administrator and chief safety officer raised concerns about the ongoing problem with the T.
“…there is a continued failure to adequately prevent unwanted and uncontrolled train movements by disabled trains,” said FTA’s Joe DeLorenzo. “There have been three incidents of uncontrolled train movement since May 28, 2022, including July 25, when the MBTA experienced an uncontrolled train movement at Braintree Station. While the recent incidents are not have resulted in injuries, uncontrolled train movements, especially on the main line, are exceptionally dangerous, can cause collisions or derailments and pose a substantial risk of injury or death to employees on the train’s route.”
The T tells Boston 25 the agency believes it can maintain passenger service at existing levels, with little disruption, despite the security disruption.
DeLorenzo said a combination of unsafe conditions and practices exists “such that there is a substantial risk of death or personal injury.”
“The FTA requires the MBTA to take an immediate safety measure with all workers who in the course of their employment may operate a disabled rail transit vehicle and with all workers who may have reason to secure such vehicles “. DeLorenzo said.
The FTA order also prohibits the MBTA from allowing a worker who has not attended a safety briefing to move rail transit vehicles in T yards or T shops.
The security measure comes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
The FTA says all workers must review and discuss the facts and causes of recent incidents, including an incident on July 25 when an uncontrolled train was moved from Caddigan Yard to Braintree station, a shooting on 30 from May on the main line from Braintree station and a shoot in May. 28 at the MBTA’s Cabot Yard.
The T is under orders to report its progress to the FTA on Monday, August 1 and provide evidence that workers logged on to the briefings.
In a statement provided to Boston 25, a spokesperson said, “The MBTA shares the Federal Transit Administration’s concerns about recent incidents of uncontrolled movements involving out-of-service train cars. After receiving the TLC’s letter yesterday , the MBTA is taking steps to execute the immediate actions required by the FTA. With the full support of FTA’s ongoing scrutiny of safety-related processes and practices, the MBTA is committed to providing the training and tools necessary for employees to create and maintain a safety-first culture.”
The T says the planned safety briefings with its workers will last approximately fifteen minutes and that the briefings will take place at the start of shifts and during breaks.
This latest FTA action follows the T’s previous guidelines to improve safety.
In May, the TLC issued a series of special directives order the MBTA to correct the top concerns, citing the lack of a safety culture on the T, in part because there appears to be no “guide” on safety.
The T says it has met all FTA deadlines and requirements to date in response to the special directives issued and continues to develop corrective action plans to address those directives.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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