MBTA responds to Trump administration crime accusations, says system is safe

MBTA officials responded Friday to the Trump administration’s accusations that the MBTA’s policies toward crime endanger passengers and workers.

The MBTA risked losing its federal funding if it did not submit an action plan to the Department of Transportation by October 2, in a push by the Trump administration to, they said, reduce crime, improve safety, and reduce fare evasion. Eng said losing federal funding could be devastating.

The Trump administration also warned about safety and cleanliness at South Station, even threatening a takeover.

MBTA officials said there is still work to be done, but the MBTA is safe.

In a letter to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, MBTA General Manager Philip Eng said federal grants are being used to improve safety and security across the system. Eng pointed to new cameras on trains and buses, writing, “Transit Police also has dedicated, actively monitored CCTV live feeds across our system…Each new Orange and Red Line car and our Type 9 Green Line cars have 5-6 security cameras each…Each bus has 9-15 cameras…”

In his letter to the MBTA, Duffy threatened to pull funding, pointing to recent incidents including when a woman was shoved off a bus in Roxbury last month, a man who took off his belt and started swinging it at riders, and what he called a “homelessness and safety problem” at South Station.

Some commuters said they have no issues with safety.

“I take the train, I take the bus, I take the orange line, I dont have any problems,” said one passenger.

“I think Mayor Wu is doing a really great job obviously making a lot of improvements and it shows,” said Kyla Lincoln, another MBTA rider.

Eng ended his letter saying, “We recognize that our work is never done, and we continue to challenge ourselves to deliver a best-in-class transit system that the public deserves and expects – with safety as a core component in everything we do.”