Why the MBTA is also getting impatient

Also: Why some Mass. voters may see a fifth ballot question; feds move to exclude millions from student loan relief [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  September 30, 2022 🌤️ Partly sunny, with a high near 62. Good Morning Boston, TGIF! Today's the final day of the week, the final day of the month and the final day of our fall fundraiser. If WBUR makes a meaningful difference in your life, please consider [making a donation today]( To the news: - If you've ridden the Orange Line at all since it [reopened last week]( you'll notice a glaring difference: no old cars. As MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak put it during a meeting yesterday, the 72 new Orange Line cars now in service — nearly half the total amount the T plans to get by next summer — has been enough to run "all new cars all the time" over the past 11 days (though you'll still see some old cars from time to time). It's a long-awaited moment for Orange Line riders. However, for Red Line riders, the wait for new cars is only getting longer. - MBTA officials said Thursday that the full delivery of the new Red Line cars has been delayed yet another year. CRRC, the company contracted to build the new cars, doesn't expect to finish the job until September 2025. (The original plan was to get all 252 new cars by September 2023; it was pushed back to 2024 in 2020.) - What's the hold up? T officials said CRRC has been focusing on the new Orange Line cars lately. But the problems run deeper than that: the pandemic, staffing shortages, supply chain issues, and the additional time it takes to go back and fix [all the various mechanical issues]( that have cropped up in the new cars. - The first new Red Line car made its debut at the very end of 2020. However, it's been repeatedly pulled for repairs and runs infrequently (it's been on the tracks [just once in the last week](. - Officials aren't happy with the situation — or CRRC. "We expect better" said Transportation Secretary Jamey Tesler, who said they'll push to expedite the new cars' delivery. At the very least, they plan to collect steep fines from CRRC for the delays. - In the near term, the T is also turning its focus of infrastructure upgrades to the Red Line — and that means some diversions in the coming days. This weekend, shuttle buses will [replace train service between JFK/UMass and Broadway]( due to bridge work. And then, this Monday through Thursday, the line's Ashmont leg will [shut down early each night at 8:45 p.m. for track work]( (buses will again sub in). - Some voters in Massachusetts may notice an additional question on their ballot this fall. WBUR's Aimee Moon[reports]( that there's an advisory question in 20 local House districts asking residents whether or not they want lawmakers' committee votes to be made public. - The ballot question is non-binding, so it won't force any rule changes. But it could send a message to state lawmakers about how their constituents feel about [the current procedural rules]( — which have long been criticized for [not being transparent enough](. (Supporters of the status quo [argue]( that disclosing committee votes could lead to their positions being misconstrued.) - There's also a non-binding ballot question in 20 districts asking voters if they want their lawmakers to press for the creation of a single-payer health care system in Massachusetts. You can see if either of the questions is on the ballot in your district [here](. - Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announced an executive order Thursday aimed at streamlining the approval process for affordable housing developments in the city. - Wu says the current process takes an average of 337 days — 11 months — from start to finish. Her [five-part executive order]( aims to cut that timeline in half by creating an alternative permitting process for affordable housing projects and implementing zoning changes that remove barriers to their construction. - PSA: Today's your last chance of the year to dine outside in the North End. Restaurants will be packing away those on-street patios for the season tonight, as the neighborhood's outdoor dining program comes to an end. - The good news: other neighborhoods in Boston can still use public street and sidewalk space for outdoor dining through December. If you're looking for a spot this weekend and beyond, check out [this map of all the city's outdoor dining locations](. P.S.— Do you know which utility bill will be going up sharply for many Massachusetts residents? Then [take our Boston News Quiz]( and test your knowledge of the local stories we covered this week. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [In a reversal, the Education Dept. is excluding many from student loan relief]( The Biden administration has quietly changed its guidance to disqualify borrowers who have privately-held FFEL and Perkins loans. [Read more.]( [In a reversal, the Education Dept. is excluding many from student loan relief]( The Biden administration has quietly changed its guidance to disqualify borrowers who have privately-held FFEL and Perkins loans. [Read more.]( [Photos: This is what Florida looks like after Hurricane Ian]( Images of the aftermath show a glimpse of the destruction caused by the powerful Category 4 hurricane: homes washed out, boats yanked from their moorings and decimated neighborhoods. [Read more.]( [Photos: This is what Florida looks like after Hurricane Ian]( Images of the aftermath show a glimpse of the destruction caused by the powerful Category 4 hurricane: homes washed out, boats yanked from their moorings and decimated neighborhoods. [Read more.]( [Latest MCAS results show uneven academic recovery statewide]( Decreased performance in English language arts, in particular, was due in large part to a marked decline in scores for student writing, which were down, on average, by 18% since 2019. [Read more.]( [Latest MCAS results show uneven academic recovery statewide]( Decreased performance in English language arts, in particular, was due in large part to a marked decline in scores for student writing, which were down, on average, by 18% since 2019. [Read more.]( [Live spiders and cockroaches: Ex-eBay executives get prison time in harassment plot]( Former eBay Inc. executives were sentenced Thursday to prison for a scheme to terrorize the creators of an online newsletter that included sending live spiders, cockroaches, a funeral wreath. [Read more.]( [Live spiders and cockroaches: Ex-eBay executives get prison time in harassment plot]( Former eBay Inc. executives were sentenced Thursday to prison for a scheme to terrorize the creators of an online newsletter that included sending live spiders, cockroaches, a funeral wreath. [Read more.]( [Mass. hospitals at risk of disruption, flooding even in moderate hurricanes]( A study finds Boston-area hospitals have the third highest risk for disruptions in care during a Category 2 hurricane, after Miami and New York. As the frequency and strength of hurricanes increases with climate change, Boston-area hospitals need to be prepared to operate during a flooding conditions. [Read more.]( [Mass. hospitals at risk of disruption, flooding even in moderate hurricanes]( A study finds Boston-area hospitals have the third highest risk for disruptions in care during a Category 2 hurricane, after Miami and New York. As the frequency and strength of hurricanes increases with climate change, Boston-area hospitals need to be prepared to operate during a flooding conditions. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - It's been 10 whole years since WBUR launched its Cognoscenti opinion section — and we have [a lot planned over the next few month to celebrate the double-digit birthday]( (including more thoughtful essays [like this new contemplation on art and illness](. - The Dropkick Murphys just released a new album today — and it riffs on the work and lyrics of the legendary Woodie Guthrie. The Boston-based band’s frontman Ken Casey [talked to Here & Now about the new album and why Guthrie's music remains relevant today](. - After seven years hosting "The Daily Show," Trevor Noah announced last night that his "time is up." Here's [a look at his most memorable moments]( since taking over hosting duties from Jon Stewart. - In the third and final installment of the Endless Thread podcast's "Tales from the Crypto" series, [producer Nora Saks and co-host Ben Brock Johnson talk to the kids who are falling head over heels for cryptocurrency]( — and some who are not as enthused.  What We're Reading 📚 - A bitter lesson in Dedham schools ([The Boston Globe]( - Young and Homeless in Rural America ([The New York Times Magazine]( - Roger Federer Knew The Play Was The Thing ([Defector](  Tell Me Something Good [McDonald's will have adult Happy Meals this October]( Each Cactus Plant Flea Market Box will come with a meal and a classic McDonald's character toy, with a twist. [Read more.]( [McDonald's will have adult Happy Meals this October]( Each Cactus Plant Flea Market Box will come with a meal and a classic McDonald's character toy, with a twist. [Read more.]( Before you go: Brookline turkeys [have nothing on Esplanade geese](. 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( Support the news   Want to change how you receive these emails? Stop getting this newsletter by [updating your preferences.](  I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. Unsubscribe from all WBUR editorial newsletters [here](.  Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? [Click here.]( Copyright © 2022 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved.