It’s a question embedded in practically any debate about Boston transit, whether on social media or in the brewing gubernatorial election: Can the T really claim to have turned around its fortunes if riders still find the system unreliable?
In an 87-page year-end report released on Friday, the MBTA’s board of directors seems to think so. The five-member fiscal control board celebrated a series of gains in the 30 months since it was created after the service debacles during the severe winter of 2015.
Those include: reining in operating expenses while spending more on desperately needed repair and maintenance work, rescuing the Green Line extension from cost overruns, developing plans to improve bus service, and finalizing a new fare collection system.
On the issue that perhaps most affects service reliability, the T is on pace to spend $795 million on repair work this fiscal year, up from $709 million the year before, and just $502 million the year before that.
One thing not on the mission accomplished list? Making the trains and buses run on time. Riders on a daily basis still face delays and service hiccups from track issues and disabled vehicles, and often erupt with frustration on social media.
The board’s report, however, doesn’t avoid this elephant in the room.
“This board recognizes that the day-to-day realities of many T riders do not necessarily align with this view of long-term progress,’’ directors wrote. “Too many system users still experience T service that is late, inadequate, or otherwise unreliable.’’
The board believes — as Governor Charlie Baker and Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack have argued in recent months — that the boost in repair and maintenance work, as well as new vehicles, will make for better rides in the coming years.
Baker on Friday toured a T facility, and highlighted investments along the system to protect against winter weather, such as a new third rail, track heaters, and fencing along tracks. He said other infrastructure work across the system will eventually result in improved service and that the T has spent the last two years “preparing for this big investment in the core system.’’
Until then, though, the tweets like one sent by a Red Line commuter to Baker Friday morning will probably continue to fly: “finally get on a train and now we are on standby because of a disabled train. Oh #redline. Why can’t you just DO YOUR JOB?’’
The report, which the board is required to file to the Legislature each year to detail progress at the agency, also hinted at some of its key goals in the coming year: improving its least reliable transportation mode — buses — and controlling employee pension costs. The agreement that governs the T’s pension system — which officials say is on unstable footing — is up for renewal in June and figures to be a point of contention between the agency and union workers.
Fountain of youth
The RMV is offering to help you stay young.
The registry has unveiled new rules that will let motorists keep old photos on their drivers’ licenses for a longer period of time. In the past, drivers had to get a fresh photo after nine years. Now, it will be 14.
Drivers still need to renew licenses every five years, but now can do so online over two consecutive renewal cycles before having to do so in person at an RMV office. Previously, drivers could only renew online for one cycle before returning to the RMV.
The new rules won’t apply to drivers who get their first license photo taken before they turn 21, said Erin Deveney, the state’s RMV chief.
“We recognize there is a significant image change in that time period,’’ she said.
The RMV will also be using facial recognition software to determine whether a new picture matches the driver’s appearance in the old photo on file. Deveney said the software is capable of recognizing faces even after 15 years since the photos were taken.
Adam Vaccaro can be reached at adam.vaccaro@globe.com.
