MBTA tries late-night service again
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The MBTA plans to extend subway and bus service by about one hour on Friday and Saturday nights starting Aug. 24.
Why it matters: T service later in the evening would be a boon to the graveyard shift, like health care workers and restaurant staff who rely on cars to get around after the trains stop.
Yes, but: The agency has struggled in the past to provide transit service past midnight most nights.
- Low ridership, limited repair hours and the cost of operating a late-night T have kept the idea from sticking.
Driving the news: Gov. Maura Healey announced that all four subway lines will run until roughly 2am on weekends.
- Select bus routes, including the Silver Line, will get extended hours.
- Five high-frequency bus routes (23, 28, 57, 111, 116) will get nightly extended service.
- Ferry routes will add weekend evening trips through September.
The big picture: The MBTA's expansion addresses long-standing demands from late-shift workers and nightlife advocates who say Boston's early-to-bed transit system hampers economic activity.
Catch up quick: The T previously tried weekend late-night service from 2014-2016 but shut down the pilot program because of low ridership and high costs.
Between the lines: Late-night service cost a lot to operate, something the penny-pinching Baker administration couldn't support.
- Healey has shown much more willingness to spend tax dollars to improve the MBTA's service.
Zoom in: The T is offering free rides on all services after 9pm on select Friday and Saturday nights in September and October to boost ridership during the trial period.
The bottom line: Extending the T's hours, even temporarily, is an expensive gambit to test post-pandemic travel patterns and see if riders actually show up this time.