BOSTON (WHDH) - The MBTA will resume boarding and collecting fares at the front of buses and trolleys next week, saying barriers between drivers and passengers will prevent the spread of the coronavirus, and will allow buses to skip stops to keep capacity low.
Front-door boarding and fare collection for buses, above-ground Green Line trains and Mattapan trolleys will resume Monday, July 20, officials said, with passengers coming aboard only in the front and exiting only in the rear. Officials said if there is a “substantial” increase in coronavirus cases, they may bring back rear-door boarding.
In March, the T began rear-boarding only for above-ground trolleys and buses, installing temporary barriers on vehicles and designating some seats and standing areas as off-limits so passengers could remain socially distant. T officials said buses and trolleys now have permanent barriers that allow for more space.
In addition, bus drivers have the “discretion” to pass stops if they’ve determined the bus has reached safe capacity, officials said. If a customer with a disability is at a bypassed stop, the driver will alert the MBTA Control Center, and alert the customer when the next available bus will arrive, according to T officials.
Face coverings are still required while using the T.
(Copyright (c) 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)