A sign in the Government Center T Station in Boston, created by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, lists ways to stop the spread of germs on March 5, 2020, amid MBTA efforts to step up cleaning to defend against coronavirus.
After Gov. Charlie Baker announced his decision to close non-essential businesses in Massachusetts, the MBTA is following suit and asking the public to avoid unnecessary travel.
The MBTA said Monday night it is discouraging non-essential use of public transportation. The Commuter Rail's schedule will also be revised so that five trains will arrive in Boston before 7 a.m. beginning Wednesday.
Information about service changes is available here.
"The MBTA's recent service revisions are in keeping with the broader strategy to slow the spread of COVID-19, and to ensure health care workers, grocery store employees, and others who play key roles in keeping everyone safe, can continue to do so," MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said in a statement. "Critical to our success in sustaining mobility is a combination of providing service that meets the needs of employees essential to combating COVID-19, keeping up our enhanced protocols for cleaning and disinfecting of vehicles and high-contact surfaces, and renewing our request to customers to minimize their travel to only what is absolutely necessary."
The MBTA noted that work on the Green Line Extension project and the South Coast Rail project would continue, as well as safety-critical work, while other previously planned work would be paused.
