MBTA Refuses to Add Key Safety System to Prevent Injuries to Passengers
Despite recent accidents, the MBTA continues to maintain that the automated operating systems that have been very successful at preventing accidents in other parts of the country are an unnecessary expense for the citizens of Boston. It is no secret that these systems could have prevented two serious rear end crashes on the Green Line in the last year alone. These systems would virtually eliminate driver error by automatically stopping trolleys from running red lights or getting dangerously close to other trolley cars. While some MBTA officials have argued that the safety systems would not be a good allocation of funds, recent events have made it fiscally irresponsible for these delays in adequate safety to continue.
There have been five crashes since 2007, and the most recent crash will cost the agency more than 10 million dollars in property damage and the medical claims of the victims. The crash on May 8th near government center epitomized the need for the system upgrades as nearly 50 peoples were admitted to the hospital as a result of their injuries sustained in the crash. The accident appears to be the result of carelessness by the operator who was text messaging at the time. This is the exact type of accident that would have been avoided with this proven technology in place.
This is hardly the first time that the safety regulations at MBTA have been brought into question. Last year, following the death of MBTA operator Ter'rese Edmonds, former MBTA engineer John Weiser could not hold back his criticisms of the way MBTA is falling behind the safety standards followed by their peers in other parts of the country. Weiser, who personally investigated more than a dozen crashes and more than 1,200 derailments during his twenty-six years of service to the MBTA, argued that the lack of modern equipment was directly responsible for the injuries sustained by its patrons. The Boston Globe quoted Weiser as saying "...from a safety point of view, had the T installed positive train stops, when the train went through the red light, the brakes would automatically be applied."
Implementation of the new safety measures in other cities has been very successful. One example of this is San Francisco. The Muni Metro in San Francisco was experiencing many of the same problems in 1998 that Boston is dealing with now. After a week of the new system, even initial critics of the state spending were glad to have the automated system in place. Not only were the trains safer, but they were actually able to reduce the time between trains for their customers. Instead of two minutes or more between trians the automated system was able to run them every minute. Since the inception of this safety precaution in 1998 there has not been a single rear end crash. It is past time for the MBTA to invest in the safety of its system to protect its passengers.
For More Information
Trolley safety system put off The Boston Globe May 25, 2009
Safety review ordered after Boston trolley crash Associated Press May 27, 2009
Safety Review Ordered After Boston Trolley Crash Associated Press May 26, 2009
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