Passengers will begin to see changes designed to improve their travel experience almost immediately, among them the launch of a staffed customer service center that will be open seven days a week to provide assistance to customers.
At the stroke of midnight, Keolis Commuter Services officially began operating the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's 14 commuter rail lines with a pledge to increase on-time performance and improve safety, cleanliness and customer service.
In January 2014, Keolis Commuter Services, part of Keolis North America, won a highly competitive bid for the $2.6 billion, eight-year contract to operate and maintain MBTA's commuter rail service, which is the fifth busiest in the nation, serving 127,000 passengers daily.
Ad Loading...
MBTA CEO/GM Beverly Scott pictured with Eric Asselin, executive VP/GM for Keolis North America to her left.
"This is a momentous day for Keolis, our passengers and the communities we will serve,” said Eric Asselin, executive VP/GM for Keolis North America. "From customer service to on-time performance, we pride ourselves in how we are always ‘thinking like a passenger’ in everything we do. With the commitment of our employees and the input of our passengers, we are dedicated to making one of the nation’s preeminent commuter rail services even better.”
Keolis officials said passengers will begin to see changes designed to improve their travel experience almost immediately, among them the launch of a staffed customer service center that will be open seven days a week to provide assistance to customers. Passengers will also be encouraged to share suggestions or concerns via a dedicated customer service Twitter account @MBTA_CR and on Facebook.
Other improvements will include freshly cleaned trains and stations, new signage, and repairs to damaged seats. New pocket timetables, featuring larger, easier-to-read system maps, are distributing today at the major stations.
Keolis will also be introducing the first official MBTA Commuter Rail app which is designed to make it easier for passengers to plan their journey. The first version of the app was released today and is free and available for download for both Apple and Android devices. An enhanced version will be released this fall, providing real-time information about commuter rail travel times, a place to register lost or found items in trains and stations and other features designed to enhance the passenger experience.
In this conversation, TBC’s Executive Director Ed Redfern, President Corey Aldridge, and Washington Representative Joel Rubin outline the coalition’s key policy priorities, the challenges facing transit agencies, and how industry stakeholders can work together to strengthen the voice of bus transit at the federal level.
Amanda Wanke, who has worked at DART for 10 years, including the past 2½ years as CEO, will join Metro Transit as deputy chief operating officer, operations administration.
In his first State of CDTA address as CEO, Frank Annicaro highlighted the organization’s continued focus on delivering reliable service, investing in innovation, and strengthening connections across the region.
The special episode features an exclusive interview with Mark Miller, president of Constellation Software Inc. and executive chairman of the Volaris Group, who reflects on the podcast's early vision and the importance of creating a platform where transit leaders can share ideas and learn from one another.
The CAD facility enables NFI to complete full domestic production of heavy-duty transit vehicles, including zero-emission buses, in Winnipeg for the first time in 15 years.
The findings provide clear evidence that sustained Federal investment in public transit and passenger rail delivers significant returns for workers, communities, taxpayers, and the U.S. economy, APTA officials said.
On a recent episode of METROspectives, METRO Magazine’s Executive Editor Alex Roman sat down with Ana-Maria Tomlinson, Director of Strategic & Cross-Sector Programs at the CSA Group, to explore a bold initiative aimed at addressing those challenges: the development of a National Code for Transit and Passenger Rail Systems in Canada.
