DPU Rail Monthly Report for December 2025

Beginning in 2025, each month the DPU Rail Transit Safety Division publishes a report highlighting our oversight work of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) rail transit (subway) system. This report includes information about DPU oversight work conducted during the month of December 2025.

Fast Facts

Below are some "fast facts" about the DPU Rail Transit Safety Division's oversight work of the MBTA during the month of December 2025.  Numbers are current as of the last day of the reporting month and may be adjusted if data is updated post-submittal.

New Investigations New Investigations +

9

Investigations Closed Investigations Closed +

7

Investigation Final Reports Received Investigation Final Reports Received +

8

Investigation Final Reports Rejected Investigation Final Reports Rejected +

2

Investigation Final Reports Past Due Investigation Final Reports Past Due +

3

New CAPs Received New CAPs Received +

2

Closed CAPs Closed CAPs +

1

Completed Corrective Actions Completed Corrective Actions +

4

Overdue Corrective Actions Overdue Corrective Actions +

4.55%

Fast Facts Explained

• "Investigations" refers to DPU Rail Transit Safety Division's oversight of the investigations of MBTA safety events.
  • DPU's regulations delegate investigation responsibility to the MBTA on DPU's behalf.  While the MBTA conducts the investigation of safety events, the DPU observes and participates to ensure the investigation was done carefully and thoroughly.
• "Investigation Final Reports" refers to final reports associated with safety events that MBTA is required to draft and submit to DPU for review and approval.
  • The DPU may reject a final report if it does not meet a high threshold of quality and completeness; upon rejection, DPU will require MBTA to submit a revised report.  The final report must be formally accepted by the DPU before an investigation is closed.  Many final reports also include recommendations for CAPs.
• "CAPs" refers to Corrective Action Plans, which address deficiencies identified during investigations.  DPU may also require the creation of CAPs to address safety compliance issues we identify through our inspections and our audits.
  • Each Corrective Action Plan is made up of one or more Corrective Actions, each with specific due dates and items to address the safety issues identified.
• Investigation Final Reports Past Due indicates that MBTA has not submitted a final report by the due date or has not submitted a revised report following a DPU rejection by the revision due date.  Count is accurate as of the last day of the reporting month.
• Overdue Corrective Actions Percentage indicates the percentage of Corrective Actions that are open past the scheduled date of completion.  The percentage includes Corrective Actions with a pending MBTA request for modification or extension but does not include pending MBTA requests for closure. Percentage is accurate as of the last day of the reporting month.

Diversion Oversight

DPU Rail Transit Safety Division team members participate in oversight activities during diversion work across the MBTA system.  In December 2025, MBTA conducted a diversion on the Green Line to perform wire replacement, signal modernization, tunnel inspections, station brightening, and continued installation of the Green Line Train Protection System.

Construction work being performed on the ceiling above the platform at Boylston Station on the Green Line in December 2025, as photographed by DPU.

Annual Report to MBTA Board of Directors

Annually, the Director of Rail Transit Safety appears before MBTA's Board of Directors to present an update on the activities of the Rail Transit Safety Division.  Below you can find a video of Director Robert Hanson's presentation to the MBTA Board of Directors on December 18, 2025. 

View transcript

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Inspections Update

The DPU Rail Transit Safety Division is a national leader in inspections.  Inspections include our field activities, the "boots on the ground" oversight of the MBTA's operations.  These field activities include, but are not limited to:

DPU participates in a joint track walk with MBTA between JFK/UMass Station and Ashmont Station on the Red Line in December 2025.

• Track walks
• Power system checks
• Personal Protective Equipment (“PPE”) and Right-Of-Way access card checks
• Construction safety briefing reviews
• Green Line speed audits using LiDAR
• Headlight and door procedure checks
• Station and carhouse/yard safety audits
• Operation Control Center (“OCC”) review

Below are numbers highlighting our inspection work in December 2025 per line.  Note that some inspections don't occur at a specific station or line location.  Numbers are current as of the last day of the month and may be adjusted if data is updated post-submittal:

Total Inspections Total Inspections +

150

Blue Line Inspections Blue Line Inspections +

13

Green Line Inspections Green Line Inspections +

44

Orange Line Inspections Orange Line Inspections +

43

Red Line and Mattapan Inspections Red Line and Mattapan Inspections +

33

Other Location Inspections Other Location Inspections +

17

Questions or Comments?

If you have questions or comments about the Division's oversight work, you can send an email to [e-mail].

Date published:	January 5, 2026