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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 16 June 2022
Federal transit agency orders improvements to Boston system

By MARK PRATT have had to work shifts of
Associated Press up to 20 hours, followed by
BOSTON (AP) — Federal only four hours off.
transportation officials is- "Taken together, MBTA has
sued a series of orders to the created a management
Boston area's troubled pub- process whereby (opera-
lic transit agency Wednes- tions control center) staff
day to address what they members are required to
called "longstanding issues" work without certifications,
with the system's "overall in a fatigued state, and of-
safety program and safety ten fulfilling multiple roles at
culture." once," the FTA said.
The Federal Transit Adminis- As an example of mainte-
tration's four " special direc- nance issues, the FTA's re-
tives " require the Massa- view found that a section
chusetts Bay Transportation of Orange Line track has
Authority to better staff its been under speed restric-
operations control cen- tions since 2019 due to ex-
ter; improve track main- cessive wear and defects.
tainance; address unin- The T was ordered to repair
tended and uncontrolled the track.
train movements in main- The FTA also found that
tenance facilities and rail Investigators at the scene of a crash between two Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, or since Jan. 1, 2021, the
yards; and ensure that all MBTA, light rail trains, July 30, 2021, in Brookline, Mass. MBTA has reported five run-
employee training certifi- Associated Press away trains in yards or dur-
cations are up to date. ing maintenance-related
The FTA started a review of "Examining the actions said. a station malfunctioned, movements, including two
the MBTA in April following required by the FTA, the There have been several and more than two dozen that occured in May during
several recent accidents MBTA is developing imme- safety problems on the people went to the hospital the review.
that led to injuries or death. diate and long-term miti- system in the past year, in- last July when a Green Line "Failure to properly secure
The FTA issued a fifth di- gation measures to address cluding a crash involving train rear-ended another disabled trains, includ-
rective to the state De- these matters," the T said in two Green Line trains June trolley. ing trains with insufficient
partment of Public Utilities a statement. "The MBTA will 1 that sent four employees The T's operations center, brakes or propulsion sys-
— which is responsible for share its plans with the FTA to the hospital. which houses the dispatch- tems, and failure to proper-
safety oversight of the MB- in the coming days and A 39-year-old man died ers and others who coor- ly secure disabled trains in
TA's rail transit operations weeks." in April when his arm got dinate train movements yards and maintenance fa-
— to enforce the other di- The T has made $8 billion in stuck in a malfunction- throughout the system, is cilities is a significant safety
rectives. infrastructure and vehicle ing subway car door and understaffed, and that staff risk," the order said.
The MBTA — known locally investments in the past five he was dragged along is not adequately trained, The T said as of this week,
as the T — is already devel- years in an effort to make it the platform. Nine people the FTA said. all rail transit employees,
oping a plan to implement "a transit industry leader in were injured in Septem- The lack of staffing has including at the operations
the orders. safety and reliability," the T ber when an escalator at meant that dispatchers center, will be certified.q

Odessa, Texas, without drinking water as temperatures soar

and utility officials said it dealing with this week's drinkable water stored in
could take 12 to 14 hours heat more difficult. jugs that they used to wash
for the "recharging" pro- Resident Nikki Friday told their hands and brush their
cess, during which workers The Associated Press that teeth, and that her family
slowly add water back into the city is providing bottled hooked her house up to a
the system to ensure there water and that people with well on her property to pro-
are no more leaks. wells are offering neighbors vide water to flush toilets.
The city water system's water from hoses. She also "We just dropped a hose in
165,000 customers' taps said tanker trucks have the (water) line," she said.
lost pressure or went com- been parked around town Wright said she noticed wa-
pletely dry after the 24-inch to fill buckets with water. ter began running again
(61-centimeter) main broke "Drinking water has not around noon, but that the
Monday afternoon, ac- been an issue," Friday said. pressure had not yet re-
cording to the city's social "We just need water to re- turned to regular strength.
media pages. turn to our daily lives and The city, which is located
Temperatures were fore- within the community." about 330 miles (530 ki-
Water pools around City of Odessa Water Distribution crews as
they work to repair a damaged water main Tuesday, June 14, cast to approach 100 Lifelong Odessa resident lometers) west of Dallas,
2022, in Odessa, Texas. degrees Fahrenheit (38 Lynda Wright said water planned to distribute water
Associated Press degrees Celsius) later service has not been lost to residents at Ector County
Wednesday as Texas — like across the city in the more Coliseum as well as deliver
ODESSA, Texas (AP) — this week amid scorching much of the United States than five decades that she water to nursing homes.
Crews worked to restore temperatures after an ag- — faced extremely hot has lived there. She said Water tankers were placed
water service Wednesday ing pipe broke. and humid conditions. And she picked up water and strategically around the
to the West Texas city of The city's water treatment while Odessa typically sees ice from Midland, a 15-min- city to respond to any fires,
Odessa, where residents plant was back online by hot weather in June, the ute drive from her home. said Deputy City Manager
have been without water about 8 a.m. Wednesday, timing of the break made Wright said her family had Phillip Urrutia.q