MENU
SEARCHThe accomplishment, the first of its kind since 2009, was realized within 18 months of the Healey-Driscoll Administration taking office and under the leadership of MBTA GM Phillip Eng.
MBTA has taken a comprehensive approach focusing on recruitment, retention, skills training, and leadership development.
Photo: METRO Magazine
Boston’s Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) reached a landmark achievement by successfully negotiating agreements with all 28 of its affiliated labor unions, representing 16 collective bargaining agreements.
The accomplishment, the first of its kind since 2009, was realized within 18 months of the Healey-Driscoll Administration taking office and under the leadership of MBTA GM Phillip Eng.
Key Highlights:
All agreements finalized within one year of negotiations, a significant improvement from previous multi-year processes.
Four-year terms for all 16 contracts, ensuring the longest period of labor stability since the 1980s.
Enhanced wages and incentives to boost recruitment and retention efforts.
Built upon the historic pension agreement with the Carmen's Union (March 2023) and similar agreement with the Transit Police Association (Fall 2023).
The final agreement, ratified with the MBTA Plumbers in June 2024, completes a series of contracts modeled after the August 2023 agreement with the Boston Carmen's Union, ATU Local 589.
These agreements address long-standing labor concerns and aim to stabilize and expand the MBTA workforce.
“The Healey-Driscoll Administration understood from the beginning that rebuilding our workforce was paramount to restoring the reliability of safe public transit. I’m thankful for the efforts across our organization that negotiated and settled these contracts with our labor partners in record time. These contracts provide a level of stability we haven’t seen in decades,” said Eng. “Union workers and the new hires we’re eager to bring on are on the frontline of providing reliable safe service for many communities. I’m so proud to stand side by side with the MBTA workforce.”
Workforce Development Initiatives taken on by the MBTA include:
Over 1,900 new hires since the beginning of the Healey-Driscoll Administration, including more than 1,600 in 2023 alone.
$20 million investment from a supplemental budget to support hiring efforts and the Local 589 Agreement.
Comprehensive approach focusing on recruitment, retention, skills training, and leadership development.
Restructuring of senior leadership and improvement of frontline teams, safety protocols, engineering, and planning.
In Part 2 of a two-part conversation, AC Transit’s director of maintenance joins co-hosts Alex Roman and Mark Hollenbeck to discuss his maintenance team’s work with various types of vehicle, training, augmented reality, and more.
Read More →
The transit agency cites labor disruptions, demographic shifts, and evolving rider needs as it advances safety initiatives, paratransit changes, and major infrastructure projects across its network.
Read More →
John Hatman, COO of Master’s Transportation, breaks down the priorities, warning signs and common mistakes fleet managers should address now to stay ahead of summer demand.
Read More →
See how the TTC is testing a new wayfinding system at major subway stations while planning to introduce fare capping to make transit easier to navigate and more affordable for riders.
Read More →
The new center serves as the central hub for monitoring and managing PATCO train operations, communications, customer service coordination, incident response, and overall operational oversight across the transit system.
Read More →
Despite these pressures, VIA Rail is reporting that total revenues increased to $514.8 million as more travelers took advantage of the wide range of options available through the corporation’s new reservation system.
Read More →
Up until now, this feature was only available when using a SEPTA Key card.
Read More →
Created in partnership with Walsh-VINCI Transit Community Partners, the contractor for CTA’s historic $5.7 billion RLE project, the new $250,000 scholarship program will provide three students a year from 2026 to 2030 with $3,000 scholarships.
Read More →
Steve Goodreau of WSP explores the technology’s promise, limitations and where it may fit in the evolving transit landscape.
Read More →
The Foundation produces the report each quarter, using data collected from surveys of major motorcoach manufacturers that sell vehicles in the US and Canada.
Read More →
