MBTA Customers Reminded to Stay Connected during Upcoming Winter Weather

The MBTA and Keolis closely monitor weather forecasts to assess weather conditions related to scheduled service and operations. With winter weather expected in the MBTA’s service area Sunday and into Monday, including parts of the Commuter Rail system anticipating up to a foot of snow accumulation, the MBTA is encouraging customers to stay connected by signing up for T-Alerts, following @MBTA and @MBTA_CR on Twitter, checking mbta.com/winter, and using the Transit app or the MBTA commuter rail app. Commuter Rail customers will be notified in advance of schedule changes, if any. MBTA bus passengers are encouraged to check mbta.com/bus and snow routes. While the MBTA will be deploying teams around the system to pre-treat station platforms and certain bus stops to prevent against the build up of ice, customers are urged to exercise caution and be mindful of the potential for icy conditions.

“As this year’s first major storm appears to be headed our way, we want to remind our customers to stay connected and be safe when traveling,” said MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak. “As we continue monitoring the forecast, we’ll be providing the most up to date information we can through our social media channels, MBTA.com, and through T-Alerts to help our customers to make informed travel decisions throughout the storm.”

In preparation of this winter season, system-wide tree trimming took place along Commuter Rail and subway right-of-way areas with the continued real-time monitoring at critical Commuter Rail interlockings, including switch heaters, third rail heaters, and trip heaters. On the Commuter Rail, MBTA and Keolis will have approximately 350 personnel pre-positioned to respond to downed trees and other incidents that occur throughout the winter storm. The Railroad Ops Emergency Ops Center will again be operational this year. With specific locations prone to commercial power outages, mobile generators will continue to be pre-deployed. Investments in the MBTA’s fleet of snowfighting vehicles continued this year with the replacement of two snow fighters and the addition of two multi-purpose Unimog vehicles outfitted with snowfighting attachments. MPI locomotive fleets also continue to undergo field modifications to resolve moisture intrusion.

Since the winter of 2015, the MBTA has upgraded track and signal infrastructure, invested in snow-fighting equipment, and stocked up on replacement parts for vehicles, making more than $101 million in investments in winter resiliency. Last winter, 23.4 total inches of snow fell in the MBTA service area with about 43% of that total during the month of March and challenging post-storm freezing conditions during the months of January and February. Snow fighting equipment was pre-deployed in key areas (Braintree, Ashmont, Forest Hills, and Mattapan) with no full system shutdowns or closures in MBTA service.

The MBTA is committed to keeping its customers informed by providing the most updated service information quickly, accurately, and when they need it. Customers should stay as up-to-date as possible by checking all available communication channels. Visit mbta.com or connect with the T on Twitter @MBTA and @MBTA_CR.

Check out our Winter Travel Guide