Keolis Commuter Service New Operator of the CR Discussion

[sery2831]

Since it's official I am starting a new thread. Previous conversation is located here: viewtopic.php?f=65&t=131775

[Adams_Umass_Boston]

Félicitations

[Cosmo]

2014 will indeed be an interesting year for the MBTA and CR

[MBTA1016]

Don't forget the new equipment that's coming in too Cosmo. Both already have their own discussions. I know this is far fetched but say once this contract is up in 8yrs and the T didnt like how things ran could mbcr run it again? Sorry if this is a ridiculous or stupid question this early with Keolis just getting the contract.

[Cosmo]

Don't forget the new equipment that's coming in too Cosmo.

I know, and I can't wait to see the new MPI units go through Norwood and Canton.

[TrainManTy]

I know this is far fetched but say once this contract is up in 8yrs and the T didnt like how things ran could mbcr run it again?

MBCR's parent companies will probably still exist eight years from now, but I doubt MBCR will (and if it's kept alive on paper, but dormant, its staff will have moved on to other jobs). Not much left for them to do without the commuter rail to run!

[ck4049]

It is gonna take quite awhile for MBCR to "move out" since they have been there for almost 11 years now.

[NH2060]

Au right, let's git this party stahted

[trainhq]

I dunno, hard to say how this will play out. Keolis seems to have done O.K. with VRE, not
all that well overseas. I think the feeling was that MBCR simply had an entrenched incumbent
attitude; as in, we're too established to be kicked out. Also, while the MBCR on-time performance
has been better lately, the T had not forgotten their earlier behavior, when they felt it was
cheaper to pay the fines than fix the trains. I think they simply concluded that Keolis wouldn't,
at any rate, do a worse job, so it was time for a change. Let's hope for the best (or better, anyway).

[MBTA3247]

It is gonna take quite awhile for MBCR to "move out" since they have been there for almost 11 years now.

Keep in mind that most of MBCR's employees will be transferring over to Keolis, just as they transferred to MBCR from Amtrak (and from B&M to Amtrak before that). It'll mostly be upper and middle management that gets replaced. Hopefully the new management will be able to motivate the rank and file to provide better service.

[Diverging Route]

First to post a pic of the new conductor hat badge gets a CP named after him/her.

[wicked]

The question is whether the litigation surely on the way will be complete by the expiration of the original deal with Keolis on 6/30/22. MBCR isn't going away, no matter how air tight the RFP process was.

[RailBus63]

It's difficult to determine if this is a good deal or not. MBCR underbid Amtrak for the contract originally and it certainly seemed to me that the MBTA 'got what it paid for'. Now, Keolis is underbidding MBCR. They will certainly have their hands full at the start trying to keep the old locomotive fleet going while integrating the new MPI units and getting the bugs worked out of the Rotem fleet.

[ACeInTheHole]

It's difficult to determine if this is a good deal or not. MBCR underbid Amtrak for the contract originally and it certainly seemed to me that the MBTA 'got what it paid for'. Now, Keolis is underbidding MBCR. They will certainly have their hands full at the start trying to keep the old locomotive fleet going while integrating the new MPI units and getting the bugs worked out of the Rotem fleet.

Oh dear god. Since you out it like that.. This should be entertaining now. Good luck to those of you who work the MBTA here, this might get messy.

[tvachon]

It's difficult to determine if this is a good deal or not. MBCR underbid Amtrak for the contract originally and it certainly seemed to me that the MBTA 'got what it paid for'. Now, Keolis is underbidding MBCR. They will certainly have their hands full at the start trying to keep the old locomotive fleet going while integrating the new MPI units and getting the bugs worked out of the Rotem fleet.

Oh dear god. Since you out it like that.. This should be entertaining now. Good luck to those of you who work the MBTA here, this might get messy.

However, the underbid (from the Globe reports) was partially due to MBCR having a much higher profit margin almost making up the 6% difference. (Source: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massac ... story.html)