WORK PROGRAM
MBTA 2026 Triennial Title VI Program
June 26, 2025
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) votes to approve this work program.
Agency and Other Client Transportation Planning Studies and Technical Analyses
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and Massachusetts Department of Transportation Office of Diversity and Civil Rights
Client Supervisor: Gregory Sobczynski
Principal: Rose McCarron
Manager: Bradley Putnam
Future MBTA Contract
Schedule and budget details are shown in Exhibits 1 and 2, respectively.
The overhead rate used to calculate the budget is subject to change every July 1st based on the approved projected overhead rate for the state fiscal year (SFY).
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.
Every three years, the MBTA submits a program to the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Office of Civil Rights detailing the MBTA’s efforts to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The purpose of this Title VI program is to ensure that, as a recipient of federal funds, the MBTA provides a comparable level and quality of transportation services to all customers without regard to race, color, or national origin. The requirements for demonstrating compliance with Title VI are outlined in FTA Circular 4702.1B (referred to as the Title VI Circular hereafter).
The MBTA submitted its most recent triennial Title VI program to the FTA in 2023. For years in which the MBTA does not submit a triennial program, the MBTA completes annual Title VI monitoring and internal reporting to identify and address problems early and to ensure ongoing Title VI compliance. Under the MBTA’s service-monitoring schedule, data collection and analysis are completed annually for most service indicators and every two years for others. When possible, the results of annual monitoring are reported in subsequent triennial Title VI programs for the FTA. The most recent triennial program outlined an ongoing process of Title VI data collection and analysis, documented the results of current assessments of compliance, and indicated responsive action that would be taken with respect to Title VI concerns in the interim years (2024 and 2025) before the issuance of the 2026 program.
Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) has performed data collection and analysis for MBTA Title VI reporting since the 1980s, and has been responsible for producing the MBTA’s Title VI triennial programs for submittal to the FTA since 2005. CTPS has also completed annual internal reports for the MBTA since 2005, and quarterly reports for the FTA, as required. This work program represents a continuation of CTPS’s involvement in the MBTA’s Title VI monitoring efforts.
The primary objective of this work is to produce a triennial Title VI program for the MBTA that meets all of the requirements set forth in the Title VI Circular. The MBTA’s triennial Title VI program is comprehensive documentation of all of the MBTA’s Title VI activities in the past three years. To produce the program, CTPS will work closely with the MBTA to collect and analyze transit service data as they relate to minority populations within the MBTA’s service area. CTPS will submit a draft program to the MBTA by February 2, 2026 and a final program by March 2, 2026.
In addition to the general reporting requirements, the Title VI Circular sets forth a specific set of reporting requirements for transit providers that operate 50 or more fixed-route vehicles in peak service and are located in an urbanized area with a population of 200,000 or more. As one of these transit providers, the MBTA is required to collect and report data through a series of demographic and service profile maps and charts, monitor and report transit service through comparative analysis based on the MBTA’s service standards and service policies, and evaluate major service and fare changes.
CTPS will collect data for the comparative analysis of transit service according to the MBTA’s service-monitoring schedule. Most indicators are monitored annually, while some are monitored every two years. The analyses conducted for the 2026 Triennial Title VI Program will utilize the most recent data available for each of the indicators.
The Title VI Circular includes general reporting requirements that are completed by departments within the MBTA. These include public notification of protection under Title VI, Title VI complaint procedures and forms, a policy for providing access for limited-English-speaking populations, and equity analyses for evaluating the siting of proposed transit facilities. The MBTA will provide CTPS with documentation related to these general reporting requirements, and CTPS will design and lay out these elements to be incorporated into the MBTA’s 2026 Triennial Title VI Program.
Documentation of the fulfillment of FTA general reporting requirements
CTPS will produce the following maps, overlays, and summary statistics for the MBTA service area by census tract using demographic data from the 2020 Census. CTPS will also provide narrative explanations of the maps. This task will consist of the following steps:
Base maps, demographic maps, and all required map overlays, as well as summary statistics and written descriptions and interpretations of the maps and overlays
CTPS will combine data on MBTA service with passenger survey data to assess the performance of MBTA services as described in the MBTA’s Service Delivery Policy.
For the service-monitoring analysis, CTPS will first document the MBTA’s service standards and service policies as specified in the Title VI Circular. CTPS will use existing documentation when available and will work with the applicable MBTA departments to document additional service standards and service policies, as necessary.
For each of the indicators specified in the Title VI Circular, CTPS will either directly collect data to perform the required service-monitoring analyses described in Subtask 3.3 below or will work with the MBTA to obtain the necessary data. Data collection activities that are not described here will be completed by the MBTA, and the results will be provided to CTPS for inclusion in the final program. The data sources are as follows:
For each of the indicators specified in the Title VI Circular, CTPS will use the data discussed in Subtask 3.2 to assess the performance of all services by applying the service standards and policies documented in Subtask 3.1 and comparing the performance of predominantly minority routes with the performance of predominantly nonminority routes. If the assessment shows a potential disparate impact on the basis of race, color, or national origin, CTPS will work with the MBTA to determine why the disparity exists and will assist in developing corrective actions to remedy the disparity to the extent possible. CTPS will include in the program a discussion of any corrective actions.
Summaries from the MBTA’s service standards and policies, tables and charts displaying collected data and results from service-monitoring analyses, and written descriptions of all procedures and findings
Since the submittal of the MBTA’s 2023 Triennial Title VI Program, CTPS has conducted a fare equity analysis for low-income fares. The following documentation will be included in the MBTA’s 2026 Triennial Title VI Program:
Documentation of any service or fare equity analyses that have been completed since the submittal of the MBTA’s 2023 Triennial Title VI program and the MBTA board’s approval of those analyses
In addition to the summary statistics, maps, and documentation produced in Tasks 1–4, CTPS will assemble and format all of the documentation provided by individual MBTA departments to produce the MBTA’s Triennial Title VI Program. The program will have a cover with a graphical design and include graphical presentations of materials contained in the program, as appropriate. Subsequent to this submission, CTPS will provide follow-up assistance to MBTA staff to respond to issues raised by the FTA in its review of the MBTA’s 2026 Title VI Program.
MBTA 2026 Triennial Title VI Program
CTPS staff will provide ongoing technical assistance to the MBTA to address Title VI issues as necessary.
Technical support provided to the MBTA as necessary
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Task |
Month | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | |
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1.
Document General Reporting Requirements
|
From Month 1, Week 1 to Month 6, Week 4.
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2.
Produce Demographic and Service Profile Maps and Charts
|
From Month 1, Week 1 to Month 6, Week 4.
|
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|
3.
Monitor Service Performance
|
From Month 1, Week 1 to Month 6, Week 4.
From Month 13, Week 1 to Month 15, Week 4.
|
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|
4.
Document Service and Fare Equity Analyses
|
From Month 1, Week 1 to Month 6, Week 4.
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5.
Assemble the 2026 Triennial Program
|
From Month 7, Week 1 to Month 8, Week 4.
Deliverable
A
Delivered by Month 8, Week 4.
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6.
Provide Ongoing Technical Support to the MBTA
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From Month 1, Week 1 to Month 24, Week 4.
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|
Task |
Person-Weeks by Pay Grade |
Direct
Salary |
Overhead
(120.3%) |
Total
Cost |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G-9 | G-8 | G-7 | G-6 | G-5 | G-2 | G-1 | Total | ||||
|
1.
Document General Reporting Requirements
|
0.0 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5.5 | $9,649 | $11,608 | $21,257 |
|
2.
Produce Demographic and Service Profile Maps and Charts
|
0.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.0 | $13,077 | $15,732 | $28,808 |
|
3.
Monitor Service Performance
|
0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 13.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 24.0 | $35,415 | $42,604 | $78,019 |
|
4.
Document Service and Fare Equity Analyses
|
0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | $1,610 | $1,936 | $3,546 |
|
5.
Assemble the 2026 Triennial Program
|
1.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.5 | $8,076 | $9,715 | $17,791 |
|
6.
Provide Ongoing Technical Support to the MBTA
|
0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | $6,963 | $8,377 | $15,341 |
|
Total
|
1.0 | 4.0 | 9.0 | 24.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 47.0 | $74,790 | $89,972 | $164,762 |
CIVIL RIGHTS NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC
Welcome. Bem Vinda. Bienvenido. Akeyi. 欢迎. 歡迎
You are invited to participate in our transportation planning process, free from discrimination. The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is committed to nondiscrimination in all activities and complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin (including limited English proficiency). Related federal and state nondiscrimination laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of age, sex, disability, and additional protected characteristics.
For additional information or to file a civil rights complaint, visit www.bostonmpo.org/mpo_non_discrimination.
To request this information in a different language or format, please contact:
Boston Region MPO Title VI Specialist
10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150
Boston, MA 02116
Phone: 857.702.3700
Email: civilrights@ctps.org
For people with hearing or speaking difficulties, connect through the state MassRelay service, www.mass.gov/massrelay. Please allow at least five business days for your request to be fulfilled.