MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng spoke to a packed room of South Shore business leaders Tuesday morning, outlining efforts to improve the transit system and restore public confidence after years of challenges.
“I’m not here to make excuses,” Eng told the standing-room-only crowd at the Quarry Hills Ballroom. “I’m here to make changes.”
The event, hosted by the South Shore Chamber of Commerce, offered residents, business owners, and elected officials a chance to hear directly from Eng, who has led the MBTA since April 2023. He acknowledged the system’s aging infrastructure and pledged to continue addressing safety and service issues.
“Transportation is essential, and it really should be something that people don't have to think about,” Eng said.
Before Eng took the stage, Grace Lee, Regional President for M&T Bank, introduced him as a leader known for transforming transit systems and building relationships with communities.
“Transportation is at the heart of this because when you look at what transportation means, it means connecting people,” Lee said. “It means bringing people together. It means giving resources to people so they can make a living.”
Lee credited Eng’s leadership style and early improvements with helping restore confidence in the MBTA.
“He’s not waiting for people to invite him to come to the communities,” she said. “He’s seeking out the communities.”
Eng pointed to recent improvements, including significant progress on track repairs, upgraded signals, and new Red and Orange Line train cars. He said the southern part of the Red Line is now “probably about 99% in a state of good repair,” adding that these upgrades allow for increased speeds and more reliable service.
The MBTA has also invested in water transportation, purchasing new ferry boats and expanding service. Eng noted the importance of ferries for the South Shore, saying, “Why wouldn’t we take advantage of that?”
Asked about restoring rail service to Plymouth and expanding ferry routes along the South Shore, Eng said he is open to discussions but emphasized that any service must be reliable and frequent.
“It needs to be the service that people can use,” he said. “People don't use those services if it’s only a few times a day.”
On station conditions, Eng said safety remains the top priority, with ongoing efforts to make stations cleaner and brighter.
“I would say they are safe, they’re definitely cleaner, they’re definitely brighter,” he said. “We want to make sure that going forward, as we continue to rehabilitate, replace and build stations, they're something the communities are proud of.”
The MBTA is also exploring renewable energy options, including battery-powered trains and buses, though Eng acknowledged challenges in the bus manufacturing industry.
Throughout his remarks, Eng stressed the need to rebuild public trust, improve communication, and involve communities in transit planning.
“We want to be problem solvers, and we want to facilitate these types of opportunities,” Eng said. “We're not the T of old.”
The event was part of the Chamber’s ongoing efforts to spotlight issues that affect the region’s economy and quality of life. Chamber CEO Tim Cahill closed by thanking Eng for his candor and leadership.
“Public transportation is vital to getting more people into the South Shore, to getting more business into the South Shore, to making things work,” Cahill said.