WORK PROGRAM

MBTA COUNT PROGRAM SUPPORT FFY 2024

February 15, 2024

 

Proposed Motion

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) votes to approve this work program.

Project Identification

Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) Classification

Agency and Other Client Transportation Planning Studies and Technical Analyses

Project Number 13817

Client

Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)
Client Supervisor: Megan Willis-Jackson and Derek Krevat

Project Supervisors

Principal: Rose McCarron
Manager: Roger Roy

Funding Source

MassDOT-Directed PL Funds

Schedule and Budget

Schedule: 7 months from notice to proceed

Budget: $40,000

Schedule and budget details are shown in Exhibits 1 and 2, respectively.

Relationship to MPO Work

This studyis supported in full with non-MPO funding. Committing MPO staff to this project will not impinge on the quality or timeliness of MPO-funded work.

 

Background

The MBTA and MassDOT have asked the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) to conduct manual passenger counts in locations for which there is insufficient automated data on ridership. These data are required for diversion and special events planning. Of particular interest is ridership on the Green Line and commuter rail.

The MBTA installed an automated-fare-collection (AFC) system in 2007. While this system can be used to determine daily counts of boardings at rapid transit stations and on vehicles with fare-collection equipment, manual counts are still required to determine boardings by direction and in locations where there are no fare gates, such as the Green Line Extension (GLX) and parts of the commuter rail system.

Objectives

The objective of this work program is to perform various forms of data collection on MBTA transit services including the following:

  1. Green Line Passenger Counts

    Passenger counts will be conducted at surface Green Line stations where AFC equipment is not installed, including the GLX Union Square and Medford Branches and other Green Line surface stations. Counts will proceed generally in order of stations with decreasing ridership. Counts may also be performed at Green Line underground stations as needed.
  2. Commuter Rail Passenger Counts

    Passenger counts will be conducted at surface commuter rail stations as requested. The primary focus may be on the Fairmount Line where counts would be performed both before and after the spring 2024 schedule is implemented.

Work Description

Task 1  Coordination

CTPS will coordinate with the MBTA as needed to discuss specific assignments, schedule data collection, review data, and coordinate on other topics related to the count program.

Task 2  Collect Data

CTPS will carry out data-collection assignments as directed by MBTA staff and as the budget allows. The primary data-collection activity will be passenger counts as described in the objectives above. CTPS will provide results of the data collection to the MBTA in digital form.

Products of Task 2

Passenger count data in spreadsheet format.

Exhibit 1 ESTIMATED SCHEDULE MBTA Count Program Support FFY24

Task Month
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1.
Coordination
From Month 1, Week 1 to Month 7, Week 4.
2.
Collect Data
From Month 1, Week 2 to Month 7, Week 4.
Deliverable
A
Delivered by Month 7, Week 4.
Products/Milestones
A: Field Data

 

Exhibit 2 ESTIMATED COST MBTA Count Program Support FFY24

Direct Salary and Overhead

$39,900
Task Person-Weeks by Pay Grade Direct Salary Overhead (120.3%) Total Cost
G-8 G-2 G-1 Total
1.
Coordination
0.5 0.0 0.0 0.5 $1,031 $1,240 $2,271
2.
Collect Data
0.0 2.5 17.3 19.8 $17,081 $20,548 $37,629
Total
0.5 2.5 17.3 20.3 $18,112 $21,788 $39,900

Other Direct Costs

$100
Travel
$100

TOTAL COST

$40,000
Funding
MassDOT-Directed PL Funds

 

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) operates its programs, services, and activities in compliance with federal nondiscrimination laws including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, and related statutes and regulations. Title VI prohibits discrimination in federally assisted programs and requires that no person in the United States of America shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin (including limited English proficiency), be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity that receives federal assistance. Related federal nondiscrimination laws administered by the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, or both, prohibit discrimination on the basis of age, sex, and disability. The Boston Region MPO considers these protected populations in its Title VI Programs, consistent with federal interpretation and administration. In addition, the Boston Region MPO provides meaningful access to its programs, services, and activities to individuals with limited English proficiency, in compliance with U.S. Department of Transportation policy and guidance on federal Executive Order 13166.

The Boston Region MPO also complies with the Massachusetts Public Accommodation Law, M.G.L. c 272 sections 92a, 98, 98a, which prohibits making any distinction, discrimination, or restriction in admission to, or treatment in a place of public accommodation based on race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or ancestry. Likewise, the Boston Region MPO complies with the Governor's Executive Order 526, section 4, which requires that all programs, activities, and services provided, performed, licensed, chartered, funded, regulated, or contracted for by the state shall be conducted without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, creed, ancestry, national origin, disability, veteran's status (including Vietnam-era veterans), or background.

A complaint form and additional information can be obtained by contacting the MPO or at http://www.bostonmpo.org/mpo_non_discrimination. To request this information in a different language or in an accessible format, please contact

Title VI Specialist
Boston Region MPO
10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150
Boston, MA 02116
civilrights@ctps.org

By Telephone:
857.702.3700 (voice)

For people with hearing or speaking difficulties, connect through the state MassRelay service:

  • Relay Using TTY or Hearing Carry-over: 800.439.2370
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  • Relay Using Text to Speech: 866.645.9870

For more information, including numbers for Spanish speakers, visit https://www.mass.gov/massrelay.