The T released the draft version of a bus route optimization plan across the Greater Boston region, calling for boosting service 25% and giving 275,000 more Bay Staters access to trips every 15 minutes or faster
would impact dozens of communities, many of which have significant populations of color or high proportions of low-income households.
MBTA officials project the changes would require $90 million in added spending, a significant new cost at a time when the agency expects it will face a budget deficit of hundreds of millions of dollars starting next year that grows wider in subsequent years. It's unclear whether the plan will require service cuts elsewhere or fare increases.
The agency would need more drivers to provide the increase in service, and officials are already struggling to attract enough employees to run the existing bus schedule. In a briefing with reporters ahead of an afternoon event to release the proposed bus map, MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said his team views the boost in bus service as"an important initiative to put forward" despite the challenges it will face.
"There's been some public discussion with concerns about service cuts and fare increases, and this is our statement that we intend to expand service," Poftak said."We will work on solutions for those out years, but we will work on them with this service level embedded in it."
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