Back on track? Riders weigh in on Phillip Eng’s push to build a better T

When Phillip Eng took over the MBTA two years ago America s oldest subway system was in a state of disrepair A string of safety issues including runaway trains derailments and a fire on the Orange Line that made national headlines had sparked talk of a federal takeover Eng was tasked with turning the T around in April of and says that meant going back to basics From day one it was about rebuilding our work force starting to fix our infrastructure and to handle particular critical safety hires Eng explained Since taking the helm of the embattled agency Eng says it s been full speed ahead The MBTA has replaced feet of new track and for the first time in two decades is slow zone free eliminating speed restrictions In my first six months we d fix two speed restrictions and three would pop up Eng reported It was a tournament of whack-a-mole We had to be aggressive Shutdowns test riders patience Despite the progress problems continue to surface Just last week a power issue at South Station snarled Thursday s commute forcing red line riders onto shuttle buses Regular partial shutdowns on subway lines remain another source of frustration It s a little erratic trying to figure out which lines are going to be shut down from where Green Line rider Emily Brown declared Eng who rides the blue line has dealt with these shutdowns firsthand He says they re essential to keep up with maintenance work but insists the agency is working to make them less disruptive The T has reduced the number of extended shutdowns from in to seven so far this year For every rider I want them to know that these shutdowns are really meant to make sure we get in get the work done get out and then allow them to have a regular trip Eng noted I think the short term pain is far better than living with a speed restriction for years Safety and federal scrutiny Even as system improves other challenges remain In a letter to the T Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy is calling for the MBTA to outline how it s reducing crime and improving safety or pitfall losing federal funding He pointed to new incidents making headlines including an elderly woman who was thrown off an MBTA bus in Roxbury this month People traveling on the MBTA system to reach their jobs schooling healthcare and other critical services need to feel secure and journey in a safe setting free from crime and threatening encounters with drug addicts or the mentally ill Duff wrote in a letter to the T In a comment Eng explained safety is at the center of the agency s work writing We look forward to providing the requested information and we ll continue to demonstrate the substantial progress that we ve made working with the FTA Those safety concerns have also fueled speculation about a federal takeover of South Station The Trump Administration hinted at the idea last month pointing to issues with crime and cleanliness Eng acknowledged that a great number of unhoused people often seek shelter in the station especially during severe weather but disclosed he trusts transit and Amtrak police to connect them with services they need He also questioned whether the federal regime has the legal authority to intervene I don t envision that they will take this over at this point Eng noted I don t believe they have the legal authority and I really do have a lot of trust in our own police agencies here Fare enforcement crackdown Secretary Duffy s letter also raised concerns about fare evasion something the T has started cracking down on Last week the MBTA began deploying a new fleet of enforcement officers at stations and on trains Chosen riders say they haven t noticed a difference I heard about the farechecks but it s the same on the E line The doors are inevitably open and people just walk right in declared Green Line rider David Hallowes Riders caught skipping fares are issued citations and required to pay a fine of up to for repeated offenses Fares account for about of the MBTA s operating revenue so Eng says improving compliance is essential But the General Manager doesn t expect enforcement to be fool-proof right away This is not just a one time fix This has to be a cultural shift because we ve allowed this practice to happen for so long Eng reported Whether it s for a train ticket or for a bus ticket those add up In several avenues they re not taking from the MBTA they re taking from their fellow riders Looking ahead Despite the challenges Eng says he remains focused on improving operations and that includes delivering on something riders have long required for late night utility As part of the fall operation schedule all train lines and eight bus routes are running one hour later on Fridays and Saturdays Eng says this plan will continue as long as the MBTA has the funding to encouragement it Eng s commitment to building a better T for future generations has earned him the nickname Train Daddy Eng Though reluctant to embrace the spotlight Eng says the aid he s received has been inspiring including from a group of younger riders demanding specific face time with the man in charge Just the previous 24 hours I was walking out of my apartment and a group of year olds stopped me One by one they all requested for a picture which was really heartwarming he mentioned We re building a system for the people we serve in the present day but we re building a system for the future generations And those kids that I saw last night are the future generations