KEEPING PACE

How Greater Boston’s Bus System

Can Support a Growing and Changing Region
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

What would a successful MBTA bus system look like? . . . . . . . . 5

Today’s Region, Yesterday’s Bus Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Case Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Recommendations: An Agenda to Fix Greater Boston’s Bus

System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Acknowledgements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Image Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

1
 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Fifty years ago, Greater Boston was home to 3.2 million people; today that number The recommendations in this report build on two previous reports: Better Buses:
is up to 4.9 million, a 53% increase in the overall population. Meanwhile, our bus Getting Boston on Board1 and 64 Hours: Closing the Bus Equity Gap.2⁠ The conclusions
system has failed to keep up with this population increase. have been vetted by peers in the advocacy, environmental justice, and business
communities, as well as by public sector staff with direct experience shaping the
The current MBTA bus fleet is actually smaller than it was 50 years ago. In transit system. Public outreach was also conducted to help inform a vision of
our most heavily transit-dependent communities, train service is limited or success that centers on the experiences of the actual people who live with this bus
nonexistent, and bus service has not kept up with the surging demand. Key system and feel the impact of its failures and successes every day.
corridors are choked with traffic and air pollution and low-income riders and people
of color are disproportionately impacted. This is especially apparent in communities The path laid out in this report is entirely achievable by 2030 — and it is necessary
like Revere, Chelsea, and Everett, which have seen a staggering 42% growth since if we intend to do right by our neighbors, our co-workers, our family members, and
1990. future generations.

While municipalities and State agencies are making laudable steps to improve bus
service, recognizing the air quality and climate benefits of buses, progress has been
piecemeal and insufficient. The region is crippled by having too few buses, too few
and outdated facilities, slow and unreliable service, and underlying it all, a broken
budget. Only a comprehensive, coordinated, and well-resourced effort to transform
the bus system will bring it up to speed to meet the region’s current and future
needs. No one player — not the MBTA, the legislature, the City of Boston, nor the
50 other communities served by the bus system — can fix this problem alone.
This report outlines a concrete, time-bound plan for policymakers across all levels
of government to get our bus system on the right track.

First, the Governor and the State Legislature must make a real effort to adequately
fund the MBTA and allow for regional funding of transit projects. They must do
this while working on actionable policies that eliminate the existing capital and
operating budget gaps and increase matching funds for federal grant opportunities.

Municipalities in the Greater Boston region also have an important role to play:
They have ownership of the streets that carry thousands of bus riders every
day. Some of the key steps they can take to improve bus operations in their own
communities are prioritizing multimodal streets that include bus priority, improving
bus stops, and amending zoning codes to allow for more housing near transit.

And, of course, the MBTA has a critical role in advancing the bus system across
the region. One of its greatest challenges will be to improve service with the
existing bus fleet while expanding the electric fleet and the bus network. This
will include building new bus facilities, purchasing 200 to 600 additional electric
buses, and recruiting and retaining bus operators to support current and future bus
operations.

2 3
W H AT W O U L D A
SUCCESSFUL
MBTA BUS SYSTEM
LOOK LIKE?
5
 What would a successful MBTA bus system look like?
The bus is the workhorse of Greater Boston’s transportation system. Buses 1. Buses are fast and reliable.
provide 38% of the region’s transit trips — up to 291,000 weekday trips — and When a parent in Chelsea needs to
serve the highest rate of low-income riders across MBTA services, with 42% of bus get to work in the morning or a student
riders considered low-income; 48% are people of color. Nearly 300,000 people rely in Allston must get to Boston University
on MBTA buses each day,3 reflecting a ridership that has retained and regained its for class, they can leave minutes, not hours,
numbers more steadily than all other transit modes. The bus serves working-class before they need to arrive and be confident
parents trying to make it home in time for dinner, college students hurrying to they’ll get there on time every day. Modern,
class, seniors making weekly grocery trips, and many more. Few public resources electric, clean vehicles show up on schedule, regardless
rival the bus system’s potential to boost the economy, reduce traffic of traffic, thanks to dedicated bus lanes and faster boarding. Schedules are easy
congestion and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and improve the to understand, and buses can be tracked in real time through smartphone apps or
daily lives of people in the region. digital signage at stops. Long waits rarely happen, thanks to better planning and
dispatching.
All too often we measure the success of our transit
systems in minutes and miles. While important to 2. Bus routes get you where you need to go.
have measurable goals for improved service, if
Whether you are heading to an early-morning shift in Malden or to meet friends
those measures of success aren’t felt by riders,
for live music in the Fenway, there’s a bus that can get you there — or at least to
they aren’t particularly helpful.
the commuter rail or subway stop that will. There’s rarely the need to drive, hail a
car, or embark on endless walks to cover the last one or two
In 2022, LivableStreets conducted six different
miles to your destination. An improved bus network
outreach deployments across Greater Boston
pairs high-volume routes with shorter ones
related to bus prioritization, the MBTA’s Bus
more effectively, and all are interwoven with
Network Redesign project, and the Orange
green, safe bike and pedestrian paths.
Line Shutdown. Riders participated in a two-
Buses offer better night, midday, and
minute survey that aimed to understand
weekend service. More routes are
what their current experience taking or
available overall, especially in
relying on the bus system was like, what they
neighborhoods that are growing
believed would make their bus trips better, and
and thus are highly dependent
how the cost of the T affected their day-to-day
on the bus.
lives. Riders were surveyed while waiting for their
buses so as not to impact their travel, and were
3. Bus service is equitable
given Dunkin’ gift cards for their time.
and accessible for all.
Participant demographics were not collected but the Street Riding the bus is convenient
Ambassadors who conducted the outreach reported talking with and reliable throughout
Spanish and Haitian Creole speakers, the elderly, students, and people the system, whether you’re
with disabilities. boarding at Chelsea, Back Bay,
Nubian, or Harvard. Bus Rapid
Below is a summation of how these everyday bus riders would measure a Transit features make waiting
successful bus system: at bus stations and boarding
effortless for people traveling
with wheelchairs, strollers, grocery

6 7
 carts, or small children. Better
THE MBTA AND MUNICIPALITIES HAVE wayfinding and tech features
make access easy for
TAKEN SIGNIFICANT STEPS TO IMPROVE people who are vision-

SERVICE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

or hearing-impaired or
neurodivergent. Electric
buses in environmental
justice communities
make the air easier to
THIS WORK INCLUDES: breathe, and street trees
offer shade to waiting
passengers. More people
ride for free.
Better Bus Project: Launched in 2018 with 3 key assessment reports,
this initiative took preliminary steps to improve poorly functioning 4. People riding the bus
feel safe, comfortable, and
bus routes, setting in motion much of the following.4 respected.
Bus riders do not feel like second-
Bus Network Redesign: Launched in 2022, the process aims to redraw class citizens; nor do they feel
the map of bus routes to make them less complicated and more like customers paying for a cut-rate
service. People have pride in riding the
equitable.5 bus and users of other transit modes respect
bus lanes, bus riders, and bus drivers. Older people
Pledge to Increase Service: In 2022 the MBTA committed to expand can rest in comfort during short waits, protected from the
elements. Families, women/femmes, and gender-nonconforming people feel safe
bus service by 25% and weekend service by 70%.6
while using clean, well-maintained, well-lit facilities and vehicles. Clean restrooms
are available at stations and key stops. Riders trust the MBTA and know that the
Dedicated Bus Lanes: Since 2017, 25 miles of bus lanes have been people running the system listen to and care about their needs — and are doing
painted in the region, and in 2021, the first center-running bus lanes everything they can to support them.

in New England opened on Columbus Avenue in Boston.

Better Bus Stops: While most stops still have barriers to accessibility,
the MBTA is working to make some of them more accessible, safer,
and more comfortable.7
I take my kids to the Jackson
Free Fares: The City of Boston is running a pilot project for fare-free Mann school. We used to have
to wait 45 to 1 hr in the snow.
service on 23, 28, and 29 buses, which has reduced travel times and Now it’s much faster!”
increased ridership by as much as 38%.8
Bus rider, Brighton Ave,
Boston; July 2019
8 9
TODAY’S REGION,
YESTERDAY’S
BUS SERVICE
11
 ¯ Today’s Region,
Yesterday’s Bus Service
MAP KEY

Over the past 50 years, our region has changed

dramatically, but our transit system has not
changed with it at the same pace. Fifty years
ago, Greater Boston was home to 3.2 million
people; today that number is up to 4.9 million,
a 53% increase in overall population. That alone
would suggest the need for a much larger transit
system, but the MBTA’s current operating fleet
of 1,121 buses9 is actually smaller than it was in
1972, when the agency operated 1,200 buses.10
Population growth is only part of the story,
though, as the areas that are most reliant on the
circled area bus system — neighborhoods that also have
enlarged on next page limited or no rail service — have experienced the
most growth in recent decades, far outpacing the
service available.

Between 1990 and 2020, cities and towns with Everett

MBTA bus service grew in population by 16%,
with the majority of this growth taking place after
2010.11 For municipalities with high numbers
of bus-dependent riders, the growth was more
Revere
pronounced, with populations growing by 18%.
The City of Boston has grown by more than
100,000 people, and Cambridge and Somerville by
more than 30,000. In all, the core bus service area
— cities and towns served by multiple routes and
with frequent service — has grown by a quarter of a Chelsea
million people in the past 30 years.

In fact, the three fastest-growing cities in the MBTA bus

service area — Revere, Chelsea, and Everett — are all cities
whose residents depend mostly on buses to access the rest of the
transit system. Between 1990 and 2020, the total population of these three
cities has grown by 42% (an additional 45,000 residents), yet there have been only
modest changes to transit services in these communities.

12 City of Boston, MassGIS, Esri, HERE, Garmin, USGS, EPA, NHS

13
 TIMELINE OF MBTA BUS FACILITIES16
What is Holding Back Greater Boston’s Bus System? 2. Too Few Buses
Attempts to significantly improve service will only succeed
Four core problems are holding back the bus system:
with a bigger fleet. The 64 Hours: Closing the Bus Equity Gap
report found that the MBTA needs an additional 200 to 600
1. Staffing shortages
more buses to run service more frequently and appropriately
A report studying the 2015 workforce of the US transit sector predicted the service the needs of communities of color. An expanded fleet
retirement of 72% of its bus operators by 2022.12 This, coupled with a lack of new must also meet modern bus standards: in the past decade,
entrants into the workforce due to issues of compensation, safety, and changing buses have shifted from running entirely on fossil fuels (diesel,
workplace culture, has created a critical shortage of bus operators nationwide. The biodiesel, and compressed natural gas) toward electricity, a
MBTA has been hit especially hard by this operator shortage. In addition to the 300 transition that Greater Boston must make to protect public
drivers they currently lack to meet current service needs, the MBTA will also need health and meet GHG emission reduction goals. Existing
to deploy 440 additional bus drivers to provide the 25% service increase proposed facilities, however, are not equipped to store or maintain
in the Bus Network Redesign project.13 While the MBTA has invested significant electric buses, and there are not nearly enough of them.
resources to hire new bus operators, even if they double the current rate of hiring,
it could take up to two years to hire and train enough operators to bring bus 3. Insufficient and Outdated Facilities
service up to the pre-pandemic level.14 The MBTA must also hire more dispatch,
The MBTA relies on a network of nine garages to service its
maintenance, and managerial personnel to assist those operators.
bus fleet. The newest of these facilities — aside from a
temporary facility at Arborway — is approximately 40 years
old, with the oldest dating back nearly a century.

The MBTA is planning to replace most of its bus maintenance

Both Washington, D.C. and Montreal are in the process of building
facilities in the next decade and to consolidate some of its
multiple new facilities to maintain 750 (DC) and 900 (Montreal) buses. smaller, outlying facilities into larger, more centralized facilities
Both bus fleets contain diesel and electric propulsion types and a mix that can better serve the needs of a modern fleet, including
of vehicle lengths and will accommodate buses ranging from $522,000 power and facilities for electrification, but this will be an
enormous undertaking.
to $1.8 million per vehicle (an average of around $850,000 per bus).
Each city is building or expanding four garages over a period of more The cost of building new bus maintenance facilities is
than a decade, similar to the program the MBTA plans to undertake comparable to replacing the MBTA’s bus fleet — for each bus
and all facilities are fully-enclosed. a facility can house, the building cost is similar to purchasing
a new bus, meaning that a garage that holds 100 buses costs
roughly the same as purchasing 100 new buses. And while a
Bus garages built in the US and Canada since 2010 (housing at least
bus maintenance facility will last around 75 years, the total
100 buses)15 investment is required upfront.

*costs are in USD and are inclusive of land acquisition, design and construction Replacing both the bus fleet and the facilities over the next
decade may strain the MBTA’s capital budget over this period.
The MBTA must carefully optimize and control costs in order
Total Buses Accommodated 3,618 to provide the facilities necessary to operate current and
additional service, particularly if decarbonization goals are to
Average Cost per Bus* $779,741
be met through electrification.

**excludes Boston’s Quincy garage and Manhattan’s Mother Clara Hale garage
14 14 15
 4. Slow, Unreliable Service
Greater Boston has made good progress
on rolling out dedicated bus lanes, and
residents have enjoyed the benefits — O P E R AT I N G , C A P I TA L , + DEBT
both performance and rider satisfaction
have increased consistently. But
municipalities must give buses greater
priority on the region’s streetscape while Every major transit agency in the country has two budgets: operating
removing barriers that slow down service. and capital. The operating budget covers day-to-day expenses,
More priority bus lanes are needed, especially
including labor, fuel, and maintenance. The capital budget funds
in high-frequency, high-congestion corridors.
Much more can also be done to improve service, long-term infrastructure needs, including new buses, storage and
including implementing center-running bus lanes, maintenance facilities, and infrastructure improvements.
all-door boarding, signal priority for buses, elevated
boarding, fare-free buses, faster fare collection, and the As part of Forward Funding, the MBTA was granted the ability to issue
use of automated camera enforcement to keep bus lanes
clear of vehicles other than buses. its own bonds to pay for capital projects like buying new equipment.
But as part of the deal, the Commonwealth shifted $3.3 billion in debt
5. A Broken Budget
to the MBTA. This means that every year a large portion of the MBTA’s
The MBTA is insufficiently funded and has been for years. Prior to
2000, the MBTA covered a portion of its operating budget through a
operating budget — the funds that help keep the system operating
combination of fares and other revenue streams, like parking fees. The safely and efficiently day to day — are spent just paying off debt.
legislature, recognizing the MBTA as a necessary public service, would
cover any remaining costs. This approach allowed the MBTA to prioritize This is similar in concept to checking and savings accounts. The
service and safety first.17
checking account pays for regular expenses like groceries, while the
However, starting in 2001, the legislature adopted “forward funding”, savings account pays for larger, unexpected expenses, like a new
which was supposed to make the MBTA more efficient. In reality, it has
appliance. In this analogy, the MBTA doesn’t have much of a savings
caused a fiscal crisis that we are paying for today. Forward Funding
increased local assessment fees and allocated one penny from the account, and is constantly tapping into its day-to-day budget to
state’s sales tax to the MBTA. Sales tax revenues — which were cover big repairs and upgrades as they arise; putting them off for
expected to go up 3% every year — have instead held around 1%,18
while operating expenses, especially energy costs, health care for
another day, creating a dangerous backlog; or charging them to a
workers, and the cost of providing paratransit service, have far outpaced credit card and struggling to pay down that debt.
projections. This funding strategy has never generated enough to cover
“I need heating
the MBTA’s costs, leading to an ever-growing gap in the budget.19 Until the MBTA is relieved of the debt it is unfairly saddled with and
and more seating.” The consistent underfunding of the MBTA has led to a massive backlog
is provided appropriate sustainable funding, it will never be able to
of needed repairs, dangerous infrastructure and facilities,20 routine catch up.21
Bus rider, Columbus Ave,
breakdowns and derailments, and an overall unpleasant experience for
Boston; December, 2021
everyone.

16 17
 How Does This Impact People in Greater Boston?
While the bus system’s shortcomings impact the entire region, this mismatch
means there are booming areas of the region where transit is overcrowded,
unreliable, and in poor condition. Much like neighborhoods where populations are
soaring like Chelsea and Everett, booming job centers like the Longwood Medical
Area, Watertown, and the Seaport also lack sufficient bus service. Furthermore,
while systemwide MBTA ridership has yet to fully recover from the COVID-19
pandemic, bus-dependent areas like Chelsea, Lynn, Everett, and Allston now are
have greater bus ridership than they did before the virus. This underscores the
need for reliable bus service in these areas.22

Those who can afford to might get behind the wheel of a car, but every resident
forced to do so further chokes Boston’s streets with traffic, which is already among
the worst in the nation.23 Biking is an alternative for some of the population, but
for workers traveling long distances every day, seniors on their way to the doctor,
people with disabilities, and many others who don’t have access to a car or have no
direct access to a subway or commuter rail line, riding the bus is the only option.

In short, entire neighborhoods of people who are integral to our economy and the
fabric of our community struggle daily to get to and from their
jobs, their schools, their homes, and the resources that
make Greater Boston a good place to live.

In 2022, LivableStreets deployed Street

Ambassador to talk to bus riders
throughout the region to learn more
about their experiences. Here is what
the Ambassadors learned in three
bus-reliant neighborhoods where
we spoke directly to bus riders
about their experiences.

C A S E
STUDIES
18 19
 MAP KEY

ROXBURY IS THE HEART OF

BOSTON, AND RESIDENTS HAVE
A LO N G L I S T O F U N M E T N E E D S

Located in the center of the city, Roxbury is a working-class

community of 59,790 residents, 55.6% of whom are Black or African-
American.24 At its core is Nubian Station, one of the highest-traffic
hubs in the region’s bus system. Though several high-frequency bus
routes run in and out of the square, the neighborhood has been
underserved by the MBTA for decades, creating a deep mistrust
between the people and MBTA. Nubian was once served by an
elevated Orange Line, but it was removed from the neighborhood in
the 1980s. Promises to rebuild rail service were abandoned.25 Aside
from the Silver Line bus, which has served as a subpar replacement
for this rail line, Roxbury has few dedicated bus lanes, despite 36% of
residents taking transit to work, mostly on the bus.
Mornings and evenings at Nubian Square bring long waits, packed
buses, and frustrated residents who cite many wants and needs that
would improve their lives and make them ride the bus more. These Roxbury
include common requests such as buses that arrive more often and
on time and don’t fill the air with exhaust. But Roxbury residents’
concerns run deeper than typical transit metrics. Riders also lamented
worn-down, poorly maintained facilities, with
Nubian Station in particular perceived
as dirty, uncomfortable, and unsafe.
“If the station was cleaned more, if
In addition, there’s a persistent
folk didn't hang out here too much. Bus
distrust of the MBTA, driven by
drivers can get a little disrespectful which
feelings that the agency does not
I don't like. I use the bus to explore and get
treat people with respect or listen
to know my city but sometimes riding the
to their concerns and needs.
bus can be unpleasant."
Bus rider, Nubian Square, Roxbury;
20
March 2022.
City of Boston, MassGIS, Esri, HERE, Garmin, USGS, EPA, NHS
21
 MAP KEY

CHELSEA IS A HUB FOR ESSENTIAL

WORKERS, HELD BACK BY
PA C K E D , I N F R E Q U E N T B U S E S

Chelsea is one of the most densely populated communities in

Massachusetts, with more than 40,000 people living within its 1.8
square miles. It has long been a home for immigrants, from Irish and
Russian-Jewish immigrants in the early 20th century to many Latinx
immigrants today. About 70% of Chelsea’s population identify as a
racial or ethnic minority, 62% identify as Hispanic or Latinx,26 and 38%
of residents were born outside the United States. People in Chelsea
rely heavily on buses, and the community’s major routes include a
branch of the Silver Line 3 and bus routes 111 and 116/117.27 Both the Chelsea
Silver Line 3 and the 111 have dedicated bus lanes on sections of the
routes.
Even with its proximity to downtown and its high-volume bus corridors,
Chelsea’s transit service is insufficient for the volume of riders who
depend on it and the growth it has experienced. Chelsea riders
reported that their biggest concern is that buses do not show up when
they say they will, and when they do, they are often overcrowded.
This makes it difficult to depend on the bus to get to work, school, or
appointments. Complicating matters further, residents are increasingly
traveling away from Downtown Boston and toward growing North
Shore communities like Revere and Malden, where there is even less
bus service.

“I rely on the bus. Having it

free or discounted would help
anyway. I need to get to a lot of
medical appointments and after a
while they add up.”

22
Bus rider, Chelsea; March 2022
City of Boston, MassGIS, Esri, HERE, Garmin, USGS, EPA, NHS
23
 MAP KEY

IN ALLSTON, A YOUNG AND

G RO W I N G P O P U L AT I O N C A N N OT
R E LY O N K E Y B U S R O U T E S
Allston is a neighborhood on the west side of Boston that’s home
to an increasingly large population of students and young families,
as the area develops. Nearly 80% of residents are between 18 and
Allston
34 years old, and it’s also a racially diverse community, with 44%
of the population identifying as people of color, with a large Asian
population in particular.26 Allston is served in large part by two key
bus routes — the 57 and 66 — and three Green Line stops. Several of
the routes serving Allston today were created in 1989 when they were
changed from an 1800s-era route structure. Despite its high-frequency
bus lines, there is still only one dedicated bus lane, which is curbside
and shared with bicycles.
The biggest problem cited by Allston transit riders is, without
question, poor reliability. Residents find themselves waiting for
inconsistent buses that are delayed in traffic when they are needed
the most. Many people resort to driving or ride-hailing out of
frustration — if they have the means to do so — thus worsening the
already bad traffic. Allston’s bustling nightlife, combined with limited
late-night bus service, lines its streets with double-parked ride-
share vehicles, creating unsafe conditions for
pedestrians and conflicts for vehicles trying
“If I was walking and I only had to navigate the streets, especially buses.
enough for one more ride when the New residents report driving private
bus passes, I don't want to waste my vehicles for most of their trips, making
last ride. It would help the most if I bus service even less reliable and air
didn't have to pay to ride and I can just quality worse.
get on.”

Bus rider, Union Square, Allston;

24
March 2022
City of Boston, MassGIS, Esri, HERE, Garmin, USGS, EPA, NHS
25
RECOMMENDATIONS:
AN AGENDA TO FIX
GREATER BOSTON’S
BUS SYSTEM
27
 Recommendations: While the successful passage of the Fair Share amendment has the potential
An Agenda to Fix Greater Boston’s Bus System to begin to address the funding gap, it will not be enough. The MBTA needs
immediate support, but it also needs more than a short-term fix. The
Greater Boston demands a significantly better bus network to sustain economic Massachusetts House and Senate must advance a balanced-revenue package
prosperity and quality of life. We believe this bus system is within reach within the that provides our transportation system statewide with dedicated revenue to keep
next decade. However, the only successful path forward involves the combined transit moving. This should be a top priority for the legislative session beginning in
efforts of state policymakers, municipalities and state agencies, and the MBTA 2023.
itself.
In addition to hiring 600-800 additional operators, buses and bus maintenance
facilities will undoubtedly demand a heavy portion of funding for the MBTA
MBTA between now and 2030, particularly if decarbonization and greenhouse gas
emission reduction goals are to be met. Buses running on congested streets
with diesel-powered engines simply will not lead the Commonwealth to net-zero
emissions by 2030, and the communities that are disproportionately burdened by
hazardous air pollution today will continue to experience health inequities.

2. Allow for regional funding of MBTA and other transportation

projects.
Governor &
The Commonwealth should pass legislation enabling regional groups of
State Legislature
municipalities to hold votes to raise funds for specific projects or lists of projects,
through increases in the property tax, sales tax, parking fees, excise tax, real estate
transfer tax, or other sources. This is a major source of revenue used to finance
transportation investments in states across the country, including California,
Colorado, Georgia, Michigan, Missouri, Idaho, Ohio, South Carolina, and Louisiana
Below we have outlined an actionable agenda for decision-makers at the state,
and frequently have high rates of passage (70%–80%).29
agency, and local level to enact within the next few years. While the problem may
be daunting, the bus system is one of the most flexible and adaptable pieces of the As the legislature advances meaningful opportunities for local and regional funding
transit system. Dramatic improvement is possible by 2030 if actors at all levels of mechanisms for transportation, it should also ensure that those policies do not
government work together to make it a reality. unintentionally exclude communities where transit needs are high but municipal
capacity to fund improvements are lower than surrounding cities and towns. This
Governor and State Legislature could potentially be achieved by ensuring Environmental Justice communities are
explicitly prioritized for funding and transit improvement projects.
1. Provide stable and sufficient funding for the MBTA.
The legislature must work with the Governor to provide stable and sufficient 3. Reset the Capital and Operating Budgets; Delete the “Big Dig” Debt.
financial resources for the MBTA, beginning in 2023. Long before the pandemic, the The Commonwealth should take on the big dig-era debt that it saddled the MBTA
MBTA was chronically underfunded. Buses are often overlooked when the media with unfairly in 2008. This poor decision was made decades ago, and it has
and public discuss rail and subway needs. However, bus service is a major part not aged well. The legislature should work with the administration to reform
of the MBTA’s budget, with the FY23 MBTA Operating Budget allocating nearly the MBTA’s operating and capital budgets based on best practices for transit
2,500 of the 5,641 (45%) total positions to bus operations and maintenance. funding in other regions. This could include revenue sources that will help reduce
Therefore, bus service needs to be actively considered in financing conversations single occupancy vehicle trips while also generating resources for transit, such as
for the MBTA.28 congestion or Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) fees. Overall, the region should not be
forced to choose between capital improvements and operating services, which

28 29
 often leads to prioritizing capital investments at the expense of people who need educate drivers, and enable the use of camera enforcement for bus lane and
the bus today. This work should begin in earnest in 2023. bus stop infractions in the 2023–2024 legislative session. This legislation will
not mandate the use of camera enforcement, and will simply allow the MBTA or
4. Provide more matching funding; apply for more federal grants. municipalities to opt in.
The federal government offers several matching grant programs for fixed guideway
transit, complete streets, and other bus-related improvement projects. Greater It is important to note with the enabling of camera enforcement, extreme caution
Boston has been successful in winning federal discretionary Rebuilding American and thought should be put into implementation. Citizens must be clearly informed
Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grants over the last couple of in multiple languages about where and how to operate around bus lanes. Any
years for bus projects on Blue Hill Avenue in Boston and the Lynnway multimodal program implemented after the fact should have the goal of issuing zero citations
corridor in Lynn. The challenge now is accessing even larger funding opportunities and collecting $0 in fines — and include issuing warnings, keeping fines low and
that can support more complex multi-jurisdictional bus-based infrastructure non-escalatory, ensuring thorough data protections, regularly evaluating the
projects. Greater Boston has, for example, only applied for one fixed guideway impacts of the program, as well as ensuring the process is easy and clear for
Capital Investment Grant (CIG) in the past 20 years for the Green Line Extension. people to navigate paying, contesting, or requesting assistance with their ticket.
The administration should work with the MBTA, municipalities, and the The primary goal should be to keep buses, and the people on them, moving forward.
Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to include more bus-related projects,
especially in Environmental Justice communities. And the legislature should Municipalities and State Agencies
work with the administration to provide additional matching funds to strengthen
Massachusetts’ competitiveness for federal grant dollars.
1. Prioritize streets and sidewalks that prioritize transit and people.
5. Protect bus priority and prevent vehicle incursions into bus-only The MBTA does not control the streets it operates buses on, so it is imperative that
spaces. the municipalities and state agencies that oversee those streets rebuild roadways
to prioritize people riding transit and to assure safe conditions for people walking
While bus lanes continue to be implemented across the region, the prevention
and biking. This is largely a role for city governments, but many state-owned
of vehicle incursions into the lanes is limited. Based on
roads carry buses or influence bus reliability and speeds — and they are
Massachusetts law, driving in a bus-only lane is not
among the worst offenders. By 2024, MassDOT, DCR, MassPort, and
currently a moving violation, and the MBTA (which “My commute is much
the municipalities that have MBTA bus service should commit
has many existing cameras on buses, including
to supporting the MBTA’s comprehensive bus priority plan, smoother, especially during
forward-facing mounted cameras) has no
and proactively allocate more street space to buses on the morning rush hour. There
ability to use the on-vehicle front-facing
high-frequency and high-ridership corridors that builds are still issues -- with the T, like
cameras to issue citations to drivers
on the existing bus priority network. Municipalities and bus arrival times -- but once I’m on
operating or parking their vehicles in bus
state agencies should also ensure that those projects are
lanes. While local and transit police can the bus there are a narrower band
implemented within the next 5 years.
enforce vehicles blocking lanes using a of times that my ride takes. There
marked-lane violation, this encourages Beyond bus lanes, municipalities can also improve the are fewer times now that I have
additional, and often unnecessary, conditions of their sidewalks and crosswalks to ensure to call an “emergency” Uber. I am
police interactions. Though automated people of all ages and abilities can safely and comfortably really satisfied with these lanes. I
camera enforcement remains a punitive access bus stops. Many municipalities could also improve
measure, given the demographics of bus
don’t know how to drive and part
their curbside management, and on-street parking policies of what I looked for when I moved
ridership, the swift movement of public to prioritize the movement of people walking, biking and
transportation buses is a matter of equity was a city with dependable
taking the bus.
and must be prioritized over individual transportation alternatives.”
drivers. The legislature should make Lastly, municipalities have a responsibility to make sure bus
driving in a bus-only lane a moving violation, Bus rider, Broadway,
Somerville; October 2019
30 31
 operators have space to rest, take breaks, and access bathroom facilities. Public
TRANSIT, HOUSING, + DISPLACEMENT
and clearly communicated bathrooms and layover facilities are critical to support
the needs of bus drivers, older adults, and indeed anyone else moving around While a good transit system is the backbone of a thriving city, it
public spaces. can also add to displacement pressures in low to middle income
2. Manage traffic signals to prioritize transit. communities in a region already struggling with low housing supply.
Buses abide by traffic signals, but there is no reason why signals can’t be set to
In the fall of 2022, Boston surpassed San Francisco to become
prioritize buses. Transit signal priority (TSP) is used widely in many regions but
only sparingly by the MBTA,30 and a key roadblock is an integration across traffic the second most expensive rental market in the country, with the
signals in multiple jurisdictions.31 In cooperation with the MBTA, cities, and towns median price of a one-bedroom in Boston now more than $3,000 a
must lead the way to implement signal systems that can be adapted for transit month. Boston has also been ranked the third-most gentrified city
signal priority. While the Boston region has implemented transit signal priority,
in the nation, according to a 2020 study published by the National
transit signal preemption is a more active measure.32 Rather than extending or
compressing lights, it actively changes signals to ensure that buses only hit green Community Reinvestment Coalition.33 With a growing population and
lights. While this may not be appropriate for every intersection on every bus route, a supply of housing not keeping pace with regional growth, renters
heavily used transit corridors should implement transit signal preemption, even with lower incomes and renters with families must compete in a
if it means small inconveniences for people driving cars.
rental market with higher income earners which can result in the
3. Improve bus stops and stations. displacement of these lower income renters and families.
Of the nearly 8,000 bus stops in the MBTA system, only around 8% are sheltered
and most lack adequate facilities, like benches or clear signage for passengers
As Greater Boston redesigns its transit system we also need to
waiting for the bus. Additionally weather conditions like snow can cause serious design policy to protect low income communities and communities
safety and accessibility issues especially for residents with disabilities. While the of color from displacement, especially the designated Environmental
MBTA is actively working to keep their bus stops up to date and running, cities Justice Communities.
and towns often own the property where bus stops are located. Municipalities
should work with the MBTA to set measurable goals to provide more passenger Housing advocates and activists have been working with state
amenities by 2030, including lighting, shelter, wayfinding, on-demand heat,
real-time departure information, and raised curbs for easier boarding. While
legislators and local policy makers on a series of solutions to keep
overhauling all bus stops in the system will take time, at a minimum all bus stops our region’s most vulnerable renters housed and stabilize tenancies
should meet basic accessibility requirements by 2030. while new supply of housing is underway:
4. Ensure housing and transit are planned together — and Create Special Protection (Anti-Displacement) Zones: Protect current
include the bus residents from being displaced through updates in the zoning
Transit only works when it has people to carry, and people must code through the use of an overlay district with special standards
be able to live near transit to use it. Many neighborhoods in
“I’m an 89-year-old woman! They and around Boston are zoned for single-family housing
to maintain current demographic/racial/ethnic and economic
need to make all the platforms on or have high parking space requirements that increase character.34
T stations smooth like this one. I fell the cost of housing units, even if they are well-served
by transit, walking, and biking infrastructure. Studies Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA): This enabling legislation
the other day at Jackson Square
because the ground wasn’t flat.”
conducted over the Greater Boston Region have would allow municipalities the option of providing tenants in multi-
shown that the average parking supply exceeds the
family buildings the right to match a third-party offer when their
Bus rider, Columbus Ave, Boston; average demand of parking in all of the municipalities,

32
December 2021
33
 homes are being sold or to designate their rights to a non-profit or local
housing authority, or partner with an affordable housing purchaser.35 Additionally, the MBTA should explore ways to attract and retain more women/
femme, non-binary, low-income workers, and people of color. One option to explore
Rent Stabilization: The percentage of residents who rent their homes is creating an employee childcare program for frontline staff. A recent study
is rising, while nearly half of all MA renters and over 70% of very demonstrates a gender-based wage gap that stems from the need for female
low income renters are burdened with unaffordable housing costs. employees to provide childcare duties instead of having the flexibility to take overtime
shifts like their male counterparts.37 Most of the MBTA’s facilities date to a time
Legislation focused on rent stabilization would overturn the
when there were very few female bus drivers, but today approximately 50% of transit
statewide ban on rent control and allow municipalities to explore operators are women/femme.38 Specific amenities — for example, safe, private, and
capping percentages on rent increases or other stabilizing measures. clean spaces to pump breast milk — should be incorporated into new designs and
retrofitted into older spaces.

The bottom line is that any and all efforts to increase and expand bus service hinge on
having the workforce necessary to operate and maintain buses.
probing us to rework the parking minimums inculcated in our zoning laws.36
Cities and towns must allow multifamily housing development and near high- 2. Expand, improve, and electrify the bus fleet and facilities.
frequency transit — as recently established in the new section 3A of the state’s
zoning law. While this is a good start, this law defines “high frequency transit” as Greater Boston needs 200 to 600 more buses to run more frequent service and
subway or rail service and does not include current or future high frequency bus expand the bus network, and hundreds more operators to drive them. They will also
routes. Municipalities can and should allow for and plan multi family housing near need new facilities to store and maintain these buses, particularly with an emphasis
high frequency bus service as well. Doing so will start a cycle where increased on accommodating electric buses which cannot be stored in outdoor yards as
population results in increased ridership and demand for more frequency. This most MBTA buses are today. Investing in a larger bus fleet and new storage and
increased demand for transit service should be intentionally planned for. It’s also maintenance facilities will reduce crowding, improve frequency and reliability, enable
key to plan for the potential harms that can come from expanding and improving zero emissions service, ensure the facilities are climate resilient, and provide a bus
transit services with better housing and zoning policy that allows these new system sized appropriately for the people who rely on it. Accomplishing these goals
services to continue to benefit the people who already live there. will also require a significant investment in updating existing facilities, many of which
were originally built for streetcars in the early 1900s and the newest of which date to
the 1970s. New facilities built to modern standards will allow the MBTA to electrify
The MBTA
routes in lower-income, higher-pollution areas and to run them with a frequency that
1. Attract and retain operators and other employees who support the meets the demands,2 as well as the goals of the Bus Network Redesign.5
bus system. While the MBTA must take the lead on building and purchasing their own bus fleets
First and foremost, the MBTA must prioritize hiring and retaining bus operators and facilities, it’s also important to note that other State agencies and municipalities
and the staff that support them. Working for a transit agency has long been seen will need to prioritize working collaboratively with the MBTA to ensure that the
as a gateway for stable employment at a middle-class, unionized job.12 Yet in infrastructure required to support fully electrified bus facilities is built. Massachusetts
the wake of the pandemic, the MBTA has been unable to retain and hire enough will also need to robustly pursue its already existing clean energy goals to ensure that
operators and other staff to maintain full service levels. the sources of electricity for these facilities are clean and renewable.

Recent initiatives to train new operators and offer signing bonuses is a good start. 3. Make more buses fare-free and improve fare collection.
In 2030 the MBTA should continue to work with the Boston Carmen’s Union to Through a combination of fare-free and improved fare-collection
map out a strategy for accelerating the hiring process. Some of these strategies “Infrastructure is great,
policies, the MBTA should prioritize bus speed and reliability rather
may include increasing starting wages, improving schedules for new operators, than accept fare-related delays and policing of bus riders. The
but it doesn’t help unless
and creating better working conditions, as well as updating its outdated hiring MBTA should implement a systemwide fare-free pilot in 2023 to there are more buses.”
policies and processes which will result in more competitive hiring, higher measure the costs and benefits of a fare-free bus system. This
retention, and an influx of new entrants into the system.12 Bus rider, Broadway,
Somerville;
34 October 2019 35
 would also be an opportunity to measure the potential region to know what to expect and how to use new infrastructure. These guidelines
costs and impacts of a fare-free bus system on the RIDE, should be consistent, but not so rigid that they prevent creative use of roads. Rather,
the MBTA’s paratransit system.While fare-free bus service they must prioritize multimodal use of roads and ensure that bus stops are accessible
pilots have been proven to increase ridership and speed up and easy to use. The MBTA should finalize these guidelines early in 2023 and
service, it is not a one-size fits all solution for low-income bus municipalities should adopt the guidelines by the end of the year.
riders. Most people who ride buses transfer to the subway
or commuter rail, and still pay full fares on those systems. 7. Integrate land-use planning with transit planning.
The MBTA should also implement a low-income fare program Working with MAPC, CTPS and municipal planning departments, the MBTA should
early in 2023. This program is long overdue and MBTA staff have plan bus service based on where demand will be in the near future, not just today.
demonstrated that they have already done their due diligence and Iterative and holistic planning that recognizes where growth (especially housing)
have mapped out a comprehensive implementation strategy. is planned is critical to creating a dynamic transit system that meets the
growing and changing needs of our region. By only reviewing travel
Additionally, in situations where fares are being collected, any fare enforcement
patterns after they have been established, the MBTA sets itself
mechanisms should focus on outreach rather than enforcement to reduce
up to repeatedly fall behind, especially as more suburban
additional police presence, especially in communities of color.39
municipalities grow in population and development density.
Fortunately, the MBTA is already working on a tool that
4. Improve bus dispatching and scheduling to prevent bunching. incorporates land use and planned development as
On frequent routes, buses often arrive in “bunches” — two or three at a time, criteria for ranking corridors for bus priority treatments,
followed by long gaps in service. While street design and signals can help mitigate offering a powerful opportunity to avoid this outcome
this, the MBTA should also use a multi pronged approach to addressing bunching, and direct improvements where they are needed most,
which could include devoting more staff to bus dispatching, rewriting bus both today and in the future.
schedules where needed, and improving layover policies to allow operators more
time between trips. The MBTA should also assess the opportunity cost of
building bus facilities adjacent to high-frequency transit
5. Reestablish an MBTA internal planning department. and, where possible, use that land for dense housing
The MBTA is one of few large transit agencies without an in-house team to development. This could be an especially important
manage planning and technology. As a result, the agency currently relies on strategy in communities that are experiencing high levels
consultants or MassDOT transportation planners who often lack transit-specific of displacement and/or are actively seeking to build more
expertise. This also puts the agency at an extreme disadvantage when it comes affordable housing near transit.
to securing state and federal funding and managing grant-funded projects. The
agency should reconstitute its transportation planning department and 8. Make bus schedules easy for people to understand.
staff — which were consolidated within MassDOT in 2007 — so it can Bus service is most effective when it is both frequent and predictable. The MBTA
“Yes! I'll spend it [the focus on infrastructure and policies that improve service, and more should consider utilizing “clock face” scheduling for bus routes that are scheduled
saved money] on creating readily identify, apply for, and manage funding opportunities. Any at intervals of 15 minutes or less. Clock face scheduling requires a bus to arrive at the
my art and for food. Also, it investment in planning capacity at the T will easily be repaid when same time every hour of the day. For example, a particular bus always comes
would help a lot because I the Commonwealth can leverage additional federal funding. at 10 and 40 minutes past the hour. Many bus systems utilize clock face
visit my grandchild a lot scheduling because of its ease for riders. This approach is also easier “I would go further,
6. Create consistent standards for bus infrastructure for drivers, who can keep better time by making sure they pass probably visit Lynn, to
through the commuter rail,
design. certain landmarks at the same time before and after every hour.
visit my friends.”
which gets expensive.”
The MBTA is in the process of creating bus infrastructure design
Bus rider, Nubian Square, guidelines to ensure that municipalities can follow the same Silver Line rider, Bellingham
Roxbury; March 2022 standards, making it easier for people who are traveling across the Square, Chelsea;
March 2022
36 37
CONCLUSION
39
 Conclusion ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Greater Boston is growing and changing rapidly, but its bus system has been mostly
Report Contributors
stagnant. While the regional economy expands, employment industries boom, and the
population soars and shifts, the number of buses, bus facilities, and level of service
remain largely unchanged — and in some cases, decreased. In short, Greater Boston’s ITDP LivableStreets
bus system has not kept pace with the region it serves and fails the residents who Chinmai Deo Maha Aslam
depend on it to thrive. Gaps in the system’s access and quality of service have become Michael Kodransky Makayla Comas
increasingly apparent, and manifest themselves in stark racial inequities, crippling Aarti Mehta Lorraine Fryer
traffic congestion, and unmet climate goals. In order to mitigate the disparities within Ari Ofsevit Catherine Gleason
the system and address the growing needs of the changing population, the Boston Julia Wallerce Kristiana Lachiusa
region needs and deserves a robust and reliable bus system. Stacy Thompson

With a combined and concerted effort from state policymakers, municipalities, This report would also not have been possible without valuable input and feedback
state agencies, and the MBTA itself, it is reasonable for the public to expect, and from our partners: Jarred Johnson and Matthew Petersen, TransitMatters; Eric
demand, a dramatically improved bus system by 2030. Ongoing initiatives such Bourassa and Aditya Nochur, Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC); Maria Belen,
as Bus Network Redesign and Bus Facility Modernization provide opportunities to GreenRoots; Wendy Landman and Brendan Kearney, WalkBoston; Jaunita Gibson and
achieve many of the goals put forth in this report, and an all-hands-on-deck approach Staci Ruben, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF); Susanna Bohme, Community Labor
between the state, the legislature, the MBTA, and municipalities is necessary to make United (CLU); Brian Kane, MBTA Advisory Board; and Phineas Baxandall, MassBudget.
it happen. We believe that a world-class, 21st-century bus system is within reach for We would also like to thank our municipal partners: Matt Moran at the City of Boston,
our region and hope that this report offers guidance to set the path to it in motion. Andrew Reker at the City of Cambridge, Jay Monty at the City of Everett, Brad Rawson
at the City of Somerville, and Sophie Richards and Alex Train at the City of Chelsea.

40 41
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 IMAGE CREDITS
Front, inside, & back covers: Photos by AdHoc Industries

Executive Summary: LivableStreets Alliance

Pages 4-8: Photos by AdHoc Industries

Pages 10-11, 16, 18-19: LivableStreets Alliance

Page 20: Dudley Department Store, Washington Street, Roxbury Massachusetts

by John Phelan under CC BY 3.0

Page 22: S. DeDomenico Building - Chelsea, Massachusetts by Daderot under CCO

Page 24: Peering into Packards Corner by Joel McCoy under CC BY 2.0

Page 26: Photos by AdHoc Industries

Pages 27, 30, 37-39: LivableStreets Alliance

Page 40: Photos by AdHoc Industries

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