The MBTA reminds customers that upcoming spring 2021 subway and bus schedules will take effect on Sunday, March 14. These changes are part of Forging Ahead, the MBTA’s plan to preserve transit access and quality of service available to transit-critical customers and were approved by the Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) in December 2020 along with other service adjustments to other MBTA travel modes. These short-term service changes for Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) help match service levels with current and near-term low ridership demand.
For full and complete listing of all upcoming service changes, including all changes to bus routes, Commuter Rail lines, subway, and ferries, please visit mbta.com/ForgingAhead.
Subway Service Changes Effective March 14:
There will be no changes in the hours of operation or any elimination or consolidation of any subway routes.
Service frequency will be reduced by 20 percent on the Red, Orange, and Green Lines. Frequency on the Blue Line will be reduced by up to 5 percent.
Bus Service Changes Effective March 14:
In order to better reflect ridership levels and preserve access and quality of service for transit-critical communities, a number of bus schedule changes will go into effect on March 14.
Bus routes with high ridership serving high transit-critical communities have been prioritized in the Forging Ahead plan and will not change. Other routes will operate with less frequency, with both increased and decreased frequency depending on the time of day, or with their hours of service changed. A number of bus routes will be suspended, consolidated, or have routing or trip changes with service alternatives and details available online.
•Paratransit Service (The RIDE) Changes:
As a result of changes to subway, bus, and Commuter Rail service, The RIDE will implement the following changes in the coming weeks:
*Some RIDE ADA trips may become premium fare trips, complementing the changes to fixed route changes. RIDE service boundaries will not change.
*Trips will be scheduled 40 minutes from request time instead of 30 minutes.
*Premium service hours will be adjusted to complement Commuter Rail hours of operation.
RIDE customers impacted by these changes will be notified in the coming weeks.
As part of its Forging Ahead initiative, the MBTA organized a months-long process to solicit the public’s input, including more than 7,000 comments from riders and stakeholders. This process and the feedback received were used to shape the final plan approved by the FMCB.
The MBTA and FMCB continue to discuss how the MBTA will add back and increase service. Ridership will be monitored with MBTA staff returning to the FMCB every month to show where ridership stands compared to service planning scenarios. Other data sources will also be monitored, including passenger surveys, employer surveys, roadway data, general travel data, and economic recovery planning. FY22 service levels will be planned as part of the FY22 budget process.