BOSTON — The MBTA board, in a move watched by public transit officials nationwide, yesterday awarded a new commuter rail contract to a Boston-based consortium now positioned to potentially become a viable private-sector competitor to Amtrak, the Boston Globe reported.
Under the $1.07 billion, five-year contract, the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad will take over running the nation’s fifth-largest commuter rail system on July 1.
The MBTA’s contract with Massachusetts Bay marks the end of the T’s stormy relationship with Amtrak, which has run the service since 1986.
Amtrak dropped out of the bidding process for the contract in July, saying the terms of the contract were too costly.
Massachusetts Bay includes European railroad powerhouse Connex, Canada’s Bombardier of North America, and a Boston transportation consulting firm headed by former MBTA general manager James F. O’Leary.
John K. Leary Jr., former head of Philadelphia’s SEPTA transit system, will serve as the consortium’s managing director.
”We are fully committed to the operation of this commuter railroad system,” Leary said. ”We have a very high standard, and it’s our goal to make this system the envy of the entire country in terms of commuter railroad operation.”
Massachusetts Bay beat out Billerica’s Boston and Maine Railroad, which bid $2.02 billion on the T contract. A third partnership, called Transit America, was disqualified by the T last month after the firm submitted an incomplete cost proposal.
With 146,000 riders per weekday, Boston’s commuter rail network ranks behind the Long Island Railroad, New York’s Metro-North Railroad, New Jersey Transit, and Chicago’s Metra, according to Jane’s World Railways. Boston also is Amtrak’s largest and most profitable commuter-rail operation.
Numerous T officials and rail analysts believe running of the region’s commuter rail system will give Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad the chance to prove itself a worthy rail-operator competitor to Amtrak.
Some details of Massachusetts Bay’s proposal were released yesterday, including plans for salary raises and a reduction in the work force.
Union officials representing commuter rail workers said they were looking forward to negotiating a deal with the new provider.
Michael H. Mulhern, general manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, said the next goal is to make sure the transition from Amtrak to Massachusetts Bay is ”seamless” while also being ”respectful of Amtrak’s need to use the Attleboro corridor” for its high-speed Acela Express service. Amtrak wants to be able to retain some control over the line, which is owned by the T.
Asked about his friendly tone toward Amtrak after some contentious bouts with CEO David L. Gunn, Mulhern said, ”I’d like to have a friendly divorce at this stage of the game.”
The T board also approved a $15 million one-time outlay to help with the cost of the six-month transition. Much of that money will go toward refurbishing the train fleet, Mulhern said.
On July 1, Mulhern said, ”you’ll see new operator, new uniforms, and an improved attitude of the commuter rail work force.”
In a separate development T officials announced a precedent-setting four-year contract with its largest labor union that includes no wage increase for the current fiscal year.
Mulhern praised the union for helping ”to keep service affordable without becoming a burden to taxpayers.”