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J.C.: 5 INVESTIGATES HAS LEARNED
ABOUT MULTIPLE MISTAKES.
GOVERNOR BAKER TRIED TO CLOSE
THE CHAPTER ON THE RUNAWAY
TRAIN, BUT MANY UNANSWERED
QUESTIONS REMAIN.
THEY ARE ALL LINKED TO ONE
OPERATOR AND A SYSTEM STILL IN
MAJOR DISREPAIR.
MY MESSAGE TODAY TO THE
MILLIONS WHO REPLY -- RELY ON
THE MBTA IS WE ARE CONFIDENT
THIS WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT
WHERE A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL WHO
APPEARS TO HAVE MADE MULTIPLE
ERRORS.
WHILE THE OPERATOR, DAVID
VASQUEZ, REMAINS ON
ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE, HIS FUTURE
WITH THE T DOESN'T LOOK
PROMISING.
THERE ARE SPECIFIC ACTIONS BY
OPERATORS THAT ARE CATEGORIZED
AS PROHIBITED ACTS.
AND UNDERTAKING SUCH A
PROHIBITED ACT, MAKES AN EMPLOYE
SUBJECT TO TERMINATION.
THOSE ACTIONS INCLUDE RIGGING
THE THROTTLE OR CINESTON TO KEEP
THE TRAIN MOVING FORWARD INSTEAD
OF BRAKING AND NOT ENGAGING THE
EMERGENCY BRAKE.
BUT WHY DID THE OPERATOR LEAVE
THE TRAIN IN THE FIRST PLACE?
THAT OPENS A PANDORA'S BOX OF
QUESTIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE HOW OFTEN DO MOTOR
, PEOPLE HAVE TO LEAVE THE TRAIN
TO FLIP A BYPASS SWITCH BECAUSE
THE SIGNALING SYSTEM IS FAULTY?
SYSTEMWIDE ACROSS OUR ENTIRE
SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE GREEN
LINE, WE HAVE IN THE RANGE OF
HALF A DOZEN TO A DOZEN SIGNAL
FAILURES.
THAT IS EVERY WEEK.
FURTHER REPAIRS CANNOT CONTINUE
UNTIL THE SPRING.
OTHER UNRESOLVED QUESTIONS, HOW
CAN COMMUTERS IN THE FUTURE
COMMUNICATE WITH THE MBTA IF THE
CONDUCTOR IS NOT AVAILABLE?
AND DO OTHER OPERATORS RIG THE
THROTTLE?
WE HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE
IT IS A WIDESPREAD PRACTICE.
WE DO NOT HAVE CAMERAS IN THE
CONTROL CAR SO THERE'S NO VIDEO
WE CAN REVIEW TO SEE WHAT IS
ACTUALLY HAPPENING.
THEY SAY IN THE
FUTURE,
BEGINNING YESTERDAY, IF THE
BYPASS SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE
ENGAGED, A SENIOR OFFICIAL WILL
GO TO THE TRAIN TO WITNESS THE
ACTION.