Coronavirus Prompts MBTA Schedule Changes

BOSTON — The MBTA announced service changes across rail, bus and ferry lines to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. Changes will go into effect at the start of service on Tuesday, March 17.

The agency said the changes were made based on guidance from public health professionals on coronavirus and took into account recent reductions in ridership, the health and safety of MBTA employees and customers, and social distancing measures.

"The MBTA plays an important role in slowing the spread of the coronavirus while continuing to provide critical services to medical professionals and other employees in key industries that rely on public transit," MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said in a statement. "While some of these changes are inconvenient, they maintain a responsible balance between protecting the health and safety of the MBTA workforce and our customers, and our goal of continuing to run safe and reliable service without major disruptions."

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The MBTA will continue assessing ridership needs with a particular focus on workforce access for hospitals, as well as food distribution locations operated by the city of Boston. As part of that ongoing assessment, the T will continue monitoring customer volumes and make service adjustments accordingly; this means if the T experiences an increase in ridership, capacity will be added as necessary.

Service by individual mode will change according to the following:

• Blue Line: Trains every 9 to 13 minutes
• Orange Line: Trains every 9 to 11 minutes
• Red Line between Alewife and JFK/UMass: Trains every 7 minutes
• Red Line Ashmont and Braintree Branches: Trains every 14 minutes
• Green Line: Trolleys every 7 to 13 minutes on the branches; more frequent service on the trunk
• Bus: MBTA buses will operate on a Saturday schedule with a number of exceptions. Select express bus routes 325, 326, 351, 352, 354, and 501 will operate according to regular weekday schedules.
• Ferry: Ferry service will be cancelled until further notice. Ferry customers who board at the Hingham and Hull terminals are encouraged to use West Hingham or Nantasket Junction Stations on the Greenbush Commuter Rail Line as an alternative.
• Commuter Rail: All Commuter Rail lines will operate on reduced schedules, which can be found at mbta.com. On all lines, Commuter Rail schedules are being modified to support targeted periods of peak travel while providing options for off-peak travel throughout the day.
• Mattapan Line: Trolleys every 12 to 26 minutes
• The RIDE: Full Service

CharlieCard Store:

The MBTA's CharlieCard Store is located at 7 Chauncy Street within Downtown Crossing Station. Normal hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. In the event that hours of operation change, customers should check MBTA.com for updated service hours.

In addition to encouraging good hygiene practices and social distancing, the MBTA is continuing its enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols, which includes:

• Disinfecting all fleet vehicles – buses, trolleys, subway cars, Commuter Rail coaches, ferries, and RIDE vehicles – every twenty-four hours;
• Disinfecting all MBTA customer business site locations, including the RIDE Eligibility Center, every twenty-four hours;
• Cleaning all high-contact surfaces such as handrails, fare gates, and fare vending machines in subway stations once every four hours.

The MBTA continues to follow guidance from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, with the MBTA encouraging its riders and the public to:

• Wash hands often with soap and warm water for at least twenty seconds;
• Cover coughs and sneezes;
• Stay home if sick;
• Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth;
• Clean areas that are frequently touched with sanitizing spray or wipes.

A list of schedule changes can be found at mbta.com/coronavirus.

MBTA riders and Massachusetts residents are encouraged to visit mass.gov/COVID19 for information on coronavirus, or COVID-19, and mass.gov/KnowPlanPrepare for additional preparedness tips.

For more information, please visit mbta.com/coronavirus, mass.gov/COVID19, and mass.gov/KnowPlanPrepare, or connect with the T on Twitter @MBTA, Facebook /TheMBTA, or Instagram @theMBTA.