Serious Holes In Commuter Rail Schedule: Newton Mayor

NEWTON, MA — The MBTA's Commuter Rail schedule for service along the Worcester Line leaves serious holes in the scheduled stops at the three Newton stations, Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said in a letter to MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak.

Fuller criticized the schedule, saying it "severely" limits the ability of Newton residents to get into Boston during the day and doesn't allow commuters from Boston to get to Newton until after noon.

The schedule change comes amid an effort by the MBTA to adjust amid lower pandemic ridership. But it also comes as the past several years, Newton business owners have decried a "hiring crisis" in the city, exasperated by traffic, inadequate public transportation and affordable housing shortages.

"The revised Commuter Rail Service schedule for the Worcester Line came as a surprise to us as there was no public input or communication," Fuller said. "The City of Newton recognized immediately that much of our region will experience improved Commuter Rail service, but not Newton."

Fuller said she is calling on the MBTA to either restore or augment the schedule times for trains stopping in Newton or to re-instate Express Buses from these station areas as a workaround as the MBTA works to speed up permanent improvements to platforms in Newton to provide regular commuter rail service to Newton.

She also called on residents to consider sending the MBTA an email to the same end at spoftak@mbta.com.

Read the full City of Newton Commuter Rail Letter: