Keolis Preparing Ahead of Expected Winter Weather

Additional crews, resources secured to operate normal commuter rail schedule and clear platforms

BOSTON – December 8, 2017 – Keolis Commuter Services (Keolis), the MBTA’s commuter rail operating partner, is preparing for the winter weather expected to arrive this weekend by deploying additional resources, including personnel, equipment, sand and salt.

 According to recent weather forecasts, most of the communities along the commuter rail network are expected to experience 4 – 6 inches of snowfall beginning Saturday late morning and extending into Sunday. Freezing temperatures are expected in certain areas, and this can create black ice and other slippery conditions during and after the storm.

 “We’re taking these steps to ensure the safety of our passengers, to deliver service and to properly monitor the storm in the event it changes over the course of the next 24 hours,” said David Scorey, General Manager and CEO of Keolis. “We’re planning to operate normal service throughout the weekend. We will have teams pre-positioned throughout the network to regularly remove snow and ice accumulation, and resolve other issues that arise during the storm.”

 While normal service is planned throughout the weekend, passengers are encouraged to check schedules before traveling. Keolis will provide updates to passengers on Twitter at @MBTA_CR, MBTA.com, T-Alerts, station signage and onboard announcements.

Keolis has approximately 350 crew members specifically available to support snow removal, track inspection and other issues on the network during the storm. Crew members throughout the week have been performing additional tests on snow-fighting equipment in the event it becomes necessary to deploy, re-inspecting key track infrastructure and securing resources at various pre-positioned locations.

 Today, Keolis crews are out at stations applying sand and salt to platforms and walkways, and throughout the storm these teams will be clearing snow and removing ice in other passenger areas.

 Passengers are encouraged to use additional caution on platforms and when boarding trains. Area residents who see or experience issues on the network or at commuter rail stations can report these to Keolis at 617-222-3200.