The latest power failure on MBTA comes when T tries to return to the track. But recession, outage and shutdown for repair have left MBTA Riders to pack their patience once again after years of safety concerns over rail.
As MBTA set fire to the infrastructure of aging, the work comes with a little sticker shock on the way. The NBC10 Boston investigators followed the money and received hundreds of million dollars in the year -door overtime.
Taxpayers rated $ 510 million in overtime in 2022 and $ 553 million in 2023.
Stephen Wink, the co-chairman of the MBTA Rider Oversite Committee, said that there is no dearth of places where that money can be spent.
“It is always a concern,” can the use of that money be better to improve safety in a more tangible manner? Can it be better spent? Can it be better used by low -income rent? ” Who is now on the table, thankfully, ”Wune said.
While many riders struggle to bear public transit, some MBTA employees are cashing.
MBTA started over $ 3.5 million in overtime for 25 Foreperson-Virperson in two years. The top -earner raised his salary in 2022 in 2022 in 2022 to about three times in $ 413,192.
“Overtime is an important part of our toolbox,” General Manager Philip Ang told NBC 10 Boston investigators. “At the same time, T can be more efficient.”
ENG says that to bring MBTA back to speed, it is more required by these workers who oversee and maintain the power system.
“Our system requires some TLC, and the power system is one that 76% is not in a good repair position,” Ang said.
The age was displayed last month, when a decades -old power cable caught fire, causing the orange line and red line service to a stop. The MBTA believes that failed wires were 40 years or older.
Forcerson-wireers are jobs where security is important, but the records obtained by NBC 10 Boston investigators suggest that some of those workers are looking at seven days a day long.
During a two-week period in March, the highest-earner worked 233.5 hours, which included 154 in overtime-an average of about 17 hours average. Until it is approved, the employees are beyond 24 hours per week, according to the handbook.
It comes at a time when security is in the headlines, demanding improvement in federal transit administration.
“The FTA wants the security system to be,” Wune said.
Asked why overtime is required and about safety concerns, Eng said, “We are managed from the point of view of ensuring that our employees are able to work safely, but we also know that we move forward, as we do better and as we repair our system, we will control better control.”
The ENC also emphasized that the preceding-wireers do important tasks and said that MBTA is trying to find out that it needs to be rented more. Till then, wellness check employees are working for a long time to ensure that everyone is safe.