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HD 6176

A communication from the Department of Transportation (see Section 99 of Chapter 28 of the Acts of 2023) submitting its annual report on the Regional Transit Authority Performance Management Program and RTA Performance Progress Report for fiscal year 2025

194th Legislature (2025-2026)

MassDOT must submit a FY25 Regional Transit Authority Performance Management report detailing ridership, finances, asset safety, and trends to inform oversight and policy.

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Bill Summary · HD 6176

Summary of Bill HD 6176 (Session 194th, Massachusetts)

Purpose and intent

  • This bill requires the submission of an annual report by MassDOT (Department of Transportation) detailing the Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs) Performance Management Program and the RTA Performance Progress Report for fiscal year 2025 (FY25).
  • The reporting is mandated by outside Section 230 of Chapter 140 of the Acts of 2024 (Massachusetts Fiscal Year 2025 Budget).

Key provisions and changes

  • The bill transmits the annual MassDOT-produced Regional Transit Authority Performance Management Program report prepared by the MassDOT Rail & Transit Division, dated March 2026.
  • The report compiles and analyzes multiple performance metrics for FY25 across all RTAs, organized into:
    • Executive sections: Ridership, Financial, Asset Management, Safety, Conclusions.
    • Legislative Directive and Report Organization.
    • Trends in RTA Ridership and Finances (Ridership Trends, Financial Trends).
    • Detailed Performance Metric Analysis, including:
    • Unlinked Passenger Trips (UPT) for Fixed Route, Demand Response, and Demand Taxi.
    • UPT per Revenue Mile (VRM) and per Revenue Hour (VRH).
    • On-Time Performance (OTP) for Fixed Route and Demand Response.
    • Scheduled Trips Operated (STO).
    • Farebox Recovery Ratio (FRR).
    • Operating Expenses per VRM, per VRH, and per UPT (Fixed Route, Demand Response, Demand Taxi).
    • Asset Management Performance Metric Analysis:
    • Rolling Stock (buses, cutaways, vans, etc.) including subcategories (Bus, Cutaway, Minivan, Van, Automobile, Articulated Bus).
    • Equipment and Facilities.
    • Safety Performance Metric Analysis:
    • Fatalities, Injuries, Safety Events, Preventable Accidents per 100,000 Vehicle Revenue Miles (VRM) or VRH.
    • Summary & Next Steps; Appendices (RTA background, MOUs, data collection/analysis, glossary, RTA profiles).
  • The report discusses system-wide trends such as:
    • Ridership rising above pre-pandemic FY19 levels in FY25 (32.7 million UPT vs. 28.9 million in FY19), with fixed-route ridership leading growth and demand-response recovering more gradually.
    • Substantial increases in state funding since 2020 (State Contract Assistance up to about $160M in FY25 from $87M in FY20), including fare-free funding pilots and related grants.
    • The impact of fare-free funding on farebox recovery ratios (FRR) and rider access; FY25 includes a $30M fare-free pilot funding, doubled from FY24.
    • Federal grants pursued for fleet and facility modernization; examples include Low-No Emissions Grants and Bus/Bus Facilities programs.
    • Decarbonization efforts, including procurement of low-emission vehicles and electrification planning (Battery Electric Bus Phase II Study).
  • Specific measurements and targets:
    • UPT targets and actuals show most RTAs exceeding fixed-route and demand-response targets in FY25; several RTAs surpassed FY19 ridership, and most exceeded targets for fixed-route and demand-response UPT.
    • OTP and STO generally show performance near or above targets, with some months/RTAs showing declines attributed to weather or data collection issues (e.g., GATRA OTP data start in March 2025).
    • FRR notes a decline in FY25 attributed to fare-free pilots; identifies forecast changes as systems move toward year-round fare-free operations in subsequent years per legislative mandate.
    • Asset data indicate fleets and facilities largely in good repair, but aging cutaways and specialty vehicles require replacement planning.
  • Appendices include background on RTA profiles and performance data collection/reporting processes, MOUs, and a glossary.

Who and what would be affected

  • Massachusetts RTAs (15 authorities, including BRTA, PVTA, WRTA, NRTA, SRTA, FRTA, etc.) are the primary entities described and analyzed.
  • MassDOT RTD (Rail & Transit Division) is responsible for collecting, analyzing, and presenting the data to the Legislature.
  • State policymakers and the Legislature are provided with performance evidence to assess progress toward MOU targets and budget-driven performance expectations.
  • Riders and service users indirectly benefit through demonstrated growth in service hours, expanded late-evening/weekend service, and continued efforts toward affordability and safety.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • The report is submitted as required by Outside Section 230 of Chapter 140 of the Acts of 2024 (FY25 Budget).
  • MassDOT prepared a FY25 Performance Management Program Report for FY25 under the FY24-FY25 MOU, with the document dated March 2026.
  • The report includes year-over-year trend analysis and year-end results for FY25, enabling comparison to the targets set in MOUs agreed since FY20.

Bottom line

  • The bill ensures continued legislative oversight and transparency of RTA performance.
  • FY25 shows robust ridership recovery and significant growth in service capacity funded by state and federal sources.
  • While ridership and service have improved, financial efficiency metrics, FRR, and some operating cost metrics indicate ongoing challenges tied to expanding service and cost pressures, necessitating continued focus on asset renewal and cost management.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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