In sharp contrast to the pre-pandemic era, when Lincoln commuters had to hustle to get a parking spot in the town lot each weekday morning, the lot was completely empty last Thursday except for a lone tractor. (Photo by Alice Waugh)
Lincoln and other towns with commuter rail stops will probably see an end to all weekend train service as well as the closure of some stations as the MBTA struggles to cope with a massive ridership dropoff due to the Covid-29 pandemic.
The proposed commuter rail service cuts released by the MBTA last week include:
- No evening service after 9 p.m.
- No weekend service (except for the Fairmount Line, which will be bused).
- Decreased weekday peak service and some midday service, reducing from 505 trains (fall 2019) to 430 trains.
- Eliminating the Silver Hill and Hastings stops in Weston plus four more of the 141 stations.
The MBTA is also proposing ending all ferry service and reducing bus and subway service.
No fare changes are included in the proposals and the service adjustments are not permanent, leaving open the possibility of some services being restored after the pandemic eases.
See the MBTA’s Forging Ahead website for details on the proposed cuts, a link to an online feedback form, and the schedule for meetings to gather public comment before the December 4 deadline. Residents may also email comments directly to publicengagement@mbta.com. The agency’s Fiscal and Management Control Board will vote on proposals on December 7.
MBTA ridership overall in October was only 26% of the volume for the same period in 2019. The commuter rail is experiencing approximately 13% of its pre-Covid-19 ridership and only about 8.5% of its normal ridership during morning peak periods.