MBTA weighs commuter rail options

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is considering whether to renew a $300 million-a-year contract with Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad to operate its commuter rail service or take on the service itself, The Boston Globe reported. The current contract expires in June 2013.

If the agency stays with a contractor, it will decide whether to continue with a similar arrangement — a five- or 10-year deal to manage the system using MBTA-owned trains and coaches — or try a new one, such as a decades-long, multibillion dollar pact requiring the contractor to provide some of its own equipment. For the full story, click here.