Baker Forms Panel to Examine Crippled MBTA

Gov. Charlie Baker is forming a panel to investigate the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in the aftermath of its struggles following several snowstorms across the commonwealth.

"Public transportation plays a major role in supporting and driving the region's economy and in order to fix the problems with the MBTA they first must be diagnosed," Baker said in a Feb. 20 statement.

According to Baker, the panel will synthesize recent MBTA studies, conduct a performance review, examine core functions of the "T," as locals call the system; and benchmark results with other transit operations in governance, finances and capital planning.

The MBTA, a large municipal issuer with $19 billion of debt, operates Greater Boston's subway and commuter rail systems.

The special panel is expected to complete its review by the end of March.

Experts include former Federal Aviation Administration chief Jane Garvey; Harvard University professor Jose Gomez-Ibanez; and Katie Lapp, former executive director and chief executive for New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Paul Barrett, former chairman of the Boston Redevelopment Authority, will be chairman.

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Transportation industry Massachusetts
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