MBTA Wins $2.23 Million Federal Grant to Improve Road, Bus Safety

MBTA Wins $2.23 Million Federal Grant to Improve Road, Bus Safety   

BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration is today celebrating that the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has been awarded $2,234,325 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fiscal Year 2025 Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program to advance bus safety across the region. The SS4A program is a nationwide initiative focused on reducing serious injuries and fatalities on roadways by supporting locally driven safety solutions. The funding will support the Mobileye Shield+ Collision Avoidance Demonstration Project, enabling the MBTA to deploy advanced collision-avoidance technology on up to 160 buses.   

“Phil Eng and his team have made important progress to enhance safety on our roads and across public transit, and this federal award will help them take that to the next level,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Everyone in Massachusetts will benefit from this new technology to help avoid crashes and keep people safe in communities across our state. Congratulations to our MassDOT and MBTA teams for securing this award, and I’m grateful for the continued strong advocacy from our Congressional delegation.” 

“Safety will always be our top priority and under the leadership of the Healey-Driscoll we are committed to deliver a transportation network that best serves the public,” said Interim Transportation Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phil Eng. “Buses are a huge part of our system as they carry over 40% of our riders. I want to thank our federal partners at the U.S. Department of Transportation and our Congressional delegation for this award that further enhances the safety of our passengers, workforce, pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and the communities that we pass through. It's a win for everyone as we continue to deliver even more frequent services that makes transit the preferred choice of travel.”    

This investment represents the MBTA’s second consecutive selection under the SS4A program. In Fiscal Year 2024, the MBTA received $2,155,020 to retrofit fixed-route buses with similar collision avoidance technology. Building on the initial FY24 allocation, this second phase expands the technology footprint while Phase I continues through the final stages of procurement and installation. This consecutive selection reflects sustained federal confidence in the MBTA’s safety strategy and its ability to implement data-driven, scalable solutions aligned with national roadway safety goals.   

The buses equipped with this technology operate in dense urban environments making these improvements even more important. This initiative tests and evaluates the Mobileye Shield+ technology in real-world operations at the Albany Street and Lynn bus garages before considering a broader, system-wide rollout. The Mobileye Shield+ system provides real-time visual and audible alerts, explicitly designed for large vehicles with blind spots. The system uses backup cameras or sensors to help operators monitor all aspects of the buses’ movement. The initiative’s performance will directly inform future updates to the Boston Region MPO Action Plan, ensuring a margin for safety at every turn.   

“Securing a second consecutive award under the SS4A program is a testament to the rigorous, data-driven approach our team brings to federal grant applications,” said Lynsey Heffernan, Chief of Policy and Strategic Planning at the MBTA. “Each dollar counts, and this is about using every tool in our policy toolkit to ensure that as our bus network grows, it becomes fundamentally safer for the communities we serve.”  

“This work reflects the importance of aligning regional planning with on-the-ground safety improvements,” said Tegin Teich, Executive Director of the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). “The Boston Region MPO’s Safety Action Plan helps communities advance projects and policies that make travel safer and more equitable, and initiatives like this strengthen safety outcomes for people across the region.” 

The MBTA’s bus network is the foundation of transit service across the region, operating 170 routes in 44 cities and towns and providing critical connections to subway, commuter rail, light rail, and ferry services. On an average weekday, MBTA buses carry more than 300,000 passengers, accounting for approximately 30 percent of all MBTA trips, and operate closest to street-level activity where interactions with pedestrians and cyclists are most frequent.    

The MBTA’s award was selected through a competitive, multi-agency federal review process involving transportation safety experts.