Below is a statement from the Executive Board of the Boston Carmen’s Union regarding the Governor’s MBTA bill.

“The Governor’s Special Panel on the MBTA highlighted deep and pervasive management problems at the MBTA. While we agree with many of the recommendations of their report, eliminating the Pacheco Law will only make a bad situation worse for riders and taxpayers.

MBTA management currently has all the tools it needs to hire private firms to perform MBTA work now. The Pacheco Law merely requires that a private firm demonstrate a penny savings to the taxpayer, providing needed oversight of private contracts and saving the public money.

The commuter rail system is already privately run and it is well documented that the private operator needed a full month more to restore full service as compared to bus and transit routes staffed by the Carmen’s Union. The T’s Ride service is also managed by a private firm.

There are a number of private firm projects under construction today, including the Green Line extension and the Government Center Station project. Eighty-five Green Line trolleys are currently being refurbished in New York by a private company.

We are committed to working cooperatively with the Governor and Legislature to make the T the best transit system in the country, but suspending oversight of private contractors at the MBTA is not in the public interest.”

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For media inquiries, contact Steve Crawford at 617.877.1816 or steve@crawfordstrategies.com.