The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is canceling its Late-Night Service, MBTA spokesperson Jason Johnson said.
At a Fiscal and Management Control Board meeting this afternoon, the board decided to officially cancel service, Johnson said. The board released a slideshow presentation regarding the Late-Night Service on its website.
“Late-Night service inhibits the ability of the MBTA to meet its goals for maintaining its tracks and rights-of-way,” the presentation stated. “Due to the overall fiscal situation of the MBTA, the T must prioritize investment in core services; accordingly, the T cannot continue to subsidize Late-Night service to such a significant extent due to the failure to attract both significant third-party funding and high ridership.”
According to the Late-Night Service board presentation, the Late-Night Service did not provide worthwhile transportation for workers and was countering declining ridership.
Joe Pesaturo, spokesperson for the MBTA, sent an email statement from the Fiscal and Management Control Board regarding the end of Late-Night Service.
“The Fiscal and Management Control Board has determined that the Authority’s Late Night Service Pilot Program, which began on March, 28, 2014, is not cost effective,” the statement read. “The Authority, through the General Manager is hereby authorized to take all steps necessary to terminate the Late Night Service Pilot Program, such termination to be effective no later than March 18, 2016.”
