Defiant MBTA GM Defends Agency
MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott addressed criticisms of the transit system Tuesday morning, saying recent weather issues plaguing the system are due to the age of the T and a lack of investment in getting it up to snuff.
Record snowfall in Boston has led to several MBTA delays and issues in the last few weeks, culminating with the system shutting down rail service Monday night through Tuesday. Scott said a decision about when service would be restored would likely be made Tuesday afternoon.
On Monday, Governor Charlie Baker said he was “frustrated’’ and “disappointed’’ with the performance of the T over the course of the back-to-back-to-back snowstorms. That has led to speculation that Scott could be removed from the position by the state’s transportation board. Baker said Monday night that he planned to have discussions with MBTA management before elaborating on what sorts of changes may come to the system.
Scott’s tone throughout her press conference was defiant and candid. Asked whether she should resign, Scott said she was “not getting into those conversations.’’ “If you ever think that there is anybody else that you think could do it better, they should do it,’’ she said.
However, she said she had not spoken to Baker over the course of the storms. “I’ve had no direct conversations with the governor,’’ she said. Baker said shortly after Scott’s press conference that he has spoken to his transportation secretary, Stephanie Pollack, extensively throughout the storms. Pollack sits on the transportation board and has been in touch with MBTA officials, Baker said.
Scott said the decision to shut down rail service Monday night was based on the accumulation of snow and cold-related issues, and cited recent evacuations of disabled trains as a reason why she didn’t think the T could reliably operate Tuesday. “It’s one thing to have an evacuation and not have all these other conditions,’’ she said, referencing snow and ice covering tracks.
The T’s GM argued that the system is in need of further investment. “This is not a spring chicken system by any stretch of the imagination,’’ she said. She said MBTA employees have been moving around the clock to get the T operating normally, describing the work as “poetry in motion.’’ “What happened here would have taken anybody down,’’ she said. “We need bold, inventive investment,’’ she said.
Scott was appointed to lead the MBTA in late 2012. She formerly headed Atlanta’s transit system. “This ain’t this woman’s first rodeo,’’ she said Tuesday.
Scott said she could not yet determine how the MBTA will operate if and when more snowfall expected Thursday night strikes.
Correction: Due to a reporter error, an earlier version of this article misquoted Beverly Scott’s answer to whether she should step down. This article has been updated to include the accurate quote, which was: “If you ever think that there is anybody else that you think could do it better, they should do it.’’
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