The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has announced that three qualified consortia have been shortlisted to submit bids as the authority considers the successor to the operating contract for Boston’s commuter rail network.
The MBTA’s current operating contract for the management, operation, and maintenance of the commuter rail system will expire on June 30, 2027.
The three qualified consortia selected for the shortlist are:
- Keolis – Alstom JV Partners: a joint venture between Keolis America and Alstom Transport USA;
- Mass Regional Rail: a consortium consisting of Alternate Concepts, TransitAmerica Services, and RATP Développement;
- A consortium consisting of Transdev North America and Transport UK Holdings Limited.
The MBTA issued an initial Request for Proposals (RFP) to the three qualified consortiums selected for the shortlist on December 17, 2025. Bidders will also have nine months to conduct due diligence. In the fall of 2026, final bids will be submitted to the MBTA, and the preferred bidder will be announced at the end of 2026.
The MBTA’s Boston commuter rail network has achieved many milestones since the pandemic. Taking a new and ambitious approach, schedules across the network have been rewritten, moving to consistent service throughout the day. The flexibility offered by these new schedules has led to an unprecedented recovery in ridership compared to most commuter rail systems in the country. The MBTA is moving forward with work to continue improving service frequency, including the introduction of 30-minute intervals on the Framingham/Worcester line. Reliability continues to be improved through projects such as the upcoming upgrades at North Station, and safety remains the number one priority, including safety improvements at nearly 300 level crossings across the network.
The MBTA’s goal is for the next operator to build on these achievements, transforming the traditional commuter rail system into a modernized, high-frequency regional rail service.
A comprehensive set of reconfigured performance indicators will drive excellence in operational performance, customer service, fare collection, and capital investment, while encouraging continuous improvement. The current procurement process aims to identify a partner capable of working with the MBTA to achieve this vision.
The contract also includes the operation of parking facilities, as well as the delivery and operation of a decarbonized service on the Fairmount line (connecting the southeast of the Boston metropolitan area) with hybrid trains (battery-electric multiple units – BEMUs).
It should be noted that in early 2025, Keolis (the current operator) and MBTA launched a tender for the procurement of hybrid trains to be put into service on the Fairmount line. The authority has allocated a budget of 54 million USD for the new trains, which could become operational in 2027.
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