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Audit of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (March 10, 2025)

March 10, 2025 · Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority · Read the full official report on mass.gov ↗ · official site ↗

Published March 10, 2025 Audit covers January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2022 Under Diana DiZoglio · 2023–present

In plain English
The State Auditor found that the MBTA had problems keeping up with required inspections, repairs, documentation, and cybersecurity training tied to subway safety.
source
“In this report, we found several issues regarding the MBTA’s preventive maintenance and inspection activities for certain subway assets that require attention to ensure the safe and effective provision of service to the people of Massachusetts.”
Read the plain-English breakdown
What is this?

This is a performance audit of the MBTA focused on certain subway safety assets during 2021 and 2022.

“This report details the audit objectives, scope, methodology, findings, and recommendations for the audit period, January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022.”
Why was it audited?

The Auditor examined whether the MBTA was doing required inspections and repairs for subway tracks, subway cars, and station facilities.

“The purpose of this second report was to determine the following:”
Why it matters

If inspections and repairs are late or poorly tracked, safety problems can be missed or left unresolved.

“A lack of regular inspections increases the risk that safety hazards and maintenance needs may not be identified in a timely manner, affecting the safety of the MBTA’s riders, employees, and the general public.”
What's in it for me?

For riders and taxpayers, the point is safer, more reliable, and more cost-effective public transit oversight.

“This unit would allow us to provide the MBTA with recommendations that help it provide for safer, more efficient, and more cost-effective programming for Massachusetts riders and taxpayers.”
The bottom line

The MBTA needs stronger systems to make sure inspections happen on time, defects are fixed and documented, stations are checked, and cybersecurity training is completed.

“We urge the MBTA to fully implement our recommendations, and we will follow up on this matter in approximately six months.”
What happens next

The Auditor plans to check back in about six months to see whether the MBTA has made progress.

“As part of our post-audit review process, we will follow up on this matter in approximately six months.”
Why it's significant

The Auditor considers the MBTA a high-risk agency because it is large, complex, and provides services where safety risks matter.

“Based on our research, the MBTA is a “high-risk” agency that warrants consistent oversight due to the size of its budget, the complexity of its operations, and the risks related to the services it provides.”
Jargon, unpacked

A “deferred defect” means a problem found during an inspection that is not fixed right away and is supposed to be handled later.

“A deferred defect is a problem or issue identified during an inspection that is not immediately addressed or repaired.”

What the Auditor checked

What the Auditor found

The MBTA did not complete preventive maintenance work orders for subway track visual inspections on time.
internal controlsrecordkeeping/documentationpublic safety

Why it matters: Open or prematurely closed work orders can make the asset management system unreliable, obscure maintenance backlogs, and increase safety and regulatory compliance risks.

Standard: Section 151.11(2)(a) of Title 220 of the Code of Massachusetts Regulation ( Section 151.11 (2)(a) of Title 220 of the Code of Massachusetts Regulation )

3 recommendations
  • The MBTA should ensure that visual inspections of its subway tracks are conducted on time.agency: agreed
  • The MBTA should establish a formal policy or procedure that provides clear guidelines for when PM work orders should be opened, completed, and closed.agency: agreed
  • Once the PM work order system is an accurate reflection of the MBTA’s work in this regard, management should use the PM work order system to effectively monitor ongoing performance and progress in addressing related maintenance of its physical assets.agency: agreed
Agency response & Auditor reply
Agency: "The MBTA acknowledges and agrees with SAO’s recommendations and over the past 3 years the MBTA has addressed these findings and advanced its use of the EAMS and mobile track inspection applications significantly."
Auditor: "Given its response, including the enhanced training for Maintenance of Way employees on the use of critical information systems, the development of a standard operating procedure document for visual inspections, and the implementation of a PM and inspection dashboard used to monitor the completion and on-time status of safety-critical inspections, we believe that the MBTA is taking appropriate steps to resolve this issue."
The MBTA did not ensure subway track defects were remediated according to its Track Maintenance Standards.
public safetyinternal controlsrecordkeeping/documentation

Why it matters: Unremediated or unverified track defects can prevent the MBTA from prioritizing safety hazards and can create risks for riders and employees.

Standard: MBTA Track Maintenance Standards, Section T213.3 ( Section T213.3 of the MBTA’s Track Maintenance Standards; MBTA’s Defect Module Mobile Training Manual )

4 recommendations
  • The MBTA should ensure that defect codes in the MBTA’s enterprise asset management system are able to be traced to its Track Maintenance Standards to ensure the consistent remediation of each type of defect.agency: agreed
  • The MBTA should ensure that speed restrictions for defects that require them are documented in its enterprise asset management system and that systems are in place to ensure that trains abide by these restrictions.agency: agreed
  • The MBTA should ensure that its track inspectors are consistently documenting the verification (physical condition) of existing track defects.agency: agreed
  • The MBTA should implement adequate monitoring controls to ensure that expected remedial action is completed within the required time frame and that this performance is reviewed by appropriate management.agency: agreed
Agency response & Auditor reply
Agency: "The MBTA acknowledges and agrees with SAO’s recommendations and over the past 3 years the MBTA has addressed these findings and advanced its use of the EAMS significantly."
Auditor: "Based on its response, the MBTA is taking measures to address our concerns in this area."
The MBTA did not always perform preventive maintenance inspections of subway cars at required intervals.
public safetyinternal controls

Why it matters: Late subway car inspections can allow mechanical issues to go unnoticed, increasing accident, derailment, safety, and repair-cost risks.

Standard: MBTA’s Equipment Engineering and Quality Assurance Vehicle Inspection Guidelines ( MBTA’s Equipment Engineering and Quality Assurance Vehicle Inspection Guidelines )

1 recommendation
  • The MBTA should implement adequate monitoring controls to ensure that inspections of its transit subway rail cars occur at the required intervals.
Agency response & Auditor reply
Agency: "The MBTA disagrees with the SAO’s finding that the MBTA performed preventative maintenance on its subway cars at the required interval “to an unsatisfactory extent.”"
Auditor: "We appreciate the MBTA’s acknowledgment of our recommendation and commend the agency for installing a system that addresses our concerns regarding the PM inspections of its subway cars, which were not being performed at the required intervals."
The MBTA inconsistently documented deferred subway car defects and did not always record correct severity codes.
recordkeeping/documentationinternal controlspublic safety

Why it matters: Inaccurate defect documentation can prevent the MBTA from ensuring defects are monitored and addressed on time and limits its ability to evaluate maintenance work.

Standard: MBTA Subway Operations Preventive Maintenance Inspection and Documentation Policy, Heavy Rail and Light Rail ( Figure 8 in Section 8 of the MBTA’s Subway Operations Preventive Maintenance Inspection and Documentation Policy, Heavy Rail and Light Rail; Section 11.1 of MBTA’s Subway Operations Preventive Maintenance Inspection and Documentation Policy, Heavy Rail and Light Rail )

2 recommendations
  • The MBTA should enhance its monitoring controls to ensure accurate and consistent documentation of deferred defects and their associated severity codes found during PM inspections of its subway cars.agency: agreed
  • The MBTA should use technology systems to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its work, including maintenance, to ensure that it has ready access to maintenance, cost, performance, and other data.agency: agreed
Agency response & Auditor reply
Agency: "The MBTA agrees that it can improve the documentation for deferred defects found during subway car inspections."
Auditor: "Based on its response, the MBTA is taking measures to address our concerns regarding this matter."
The MBTA did not ensure visual inspections of subway station facilities were performed.
public safetyrecordkeeping/documentationinternal controls

Why it matters: Without regular station inspections, safety hazards and maintenance needs may not be identified in time, affecting riders, employees, and the public.

Standard: Section 6.2.2 of MBTA’s 2018 Transit Asset Management Plan and MBTA’s 2022 Transit Asset Management Plan ( Section 6.2.2 of MBTA’s 2018 TAMP; MBTA’s 2022 TAMP )

3 recommendations
  • The MBTA should conduct visual inspections of stations on a regular basis to identify and address safety hazards and maintenance needs.agency: agreed
  • The MBTA should implement formal, comprehensive policies and procedures for subway station facility visual inspections, including a monitoring component.agency: agreed
  • The MBTA should track and analyze the results of visual inspections to determine trends, manage performance, and conduct other management duties.agency: agreed
Agency response & Auditor reply
Agency: "The MBTA acknowledges and agrees with the SAO’s recommendations with respect to needing better documentation of inspections of stations."
Auditor: "In response to our concerns, the MBTA is taking steps to address the issue."
The MBTA did not ensure all information system users completed cybersecurity awareness training.
cybersecurityinternal controls

Why it matters: Incomplete cybersecurity awareness training increases the risk of cybersecurity attacks and related financial or reputational losses.

Standard: National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 800-53 Revision 5, Section AT-2; Executive Office of Technology Services and Security Information Security Risk Management Standard IS.010 ( Section AT-2 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Special Publication 800-53 Revision 5; Executive Office of Technology Services and Security’s Information Security Risk Management Standard IS.010 )

1 recommendation
  • The MBTA should ensure that all of its information system users complete cybersecurity awareness training as part of initial training and annually thereafter and should maintain records of this training.agency: agreed
Agency response & Auditor reply
Agency: "The MBTA agrees with the SAO’s Draft Report that cyber security training for all MBTA employees is essential and the MBTA is investigating the failures to complete such training as discussed in the Draft Report."
Auditor: "Based on its response, the MBTA is taking measures to address our concerns regarding this matter."

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