North Side Commuter Rail Schedule Changes Postponed Until Spring 2016

MassDOT and the MBTA announced Tuesday night the recently revised North Side Commuter Rail schedules will not be implemented until spring 2016.

The revision of Commuter Rail schedules is a critical element of MassDOT and the MBTA’s efforts to deliver safe, reliable, on-time service to Commuter Rail customers, according to transpotation officials. Building new schedules will help minimize cascading failures and ensure that on-time service can be delivered both safely and consistently.

In December, the MBTA will release in draft form proposed new schedules for both North Side and South Side services, along with specific plans for extensive public engagement. Following the period of public engagement,

MassDOT and the MBTA will make changes based on the feedback received and then implement the new schedules for the entire Commuter Rail system in spring 2016.

“The coming changes will be the most substantive made in decades; when the process is complete, we are confident that the new schedules will serve the best interests of our ridership,” said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack in a statement.