Is the MBTA Really a Top Transit System in the U.S.?

BOSTON, MA - Massachusetts residents may have gripes with the MBTA, but a recent study ranked it as the third-best transit system in the country.

The data-calculating site SmartAsset looked at U.S. Census Bureau data on the use of public transportation in every U.S. city with a population of more than 175,000 people to find which cities are the easiest and cheapest to traverse using public transportation.

The site looked at: the average commute time for transit users; percentage difference between average commute times of car commuters and transit users; percentage of commuters who use public transit; total number of commuters who use public transit; and the difference between the citywide median income and the median income of transit users.

Boston’s transit system ranked third on the list, right below Washington D.C. and San Francisco.

“The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) handles all public transportation in Boston. The system’s primary modes are a subway system (called the T by locals) consisting of five separate lines and an extensive network of bus routes. Overall, it handles about 390 million rides per year. The percentage of commuters that primarily use transit to get to work in Boston is 34 [percent], fifth highest in the U.S.,” SmartAsset wrote.

According to the study, the average commute time is 29.2 minutes for Boston drivers and 39.8 minutes for transit riders.

See the full study >>>