Outgoing MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott addressed the function of the commuter rail and its operating company’s plan to restore full service by March 30.
“Well I don’t like it, but, you know, there’s some portion of that, which is about, you know, the snow, but quite candidly, I’ve been very clear: I have not been at all pleased in terms of this aspect of their performance. I think they could have been a lot more urgent, a lot more creative. At this point, we needed them to really step up and that step up that we needed to have was not there. You’ve got to own the ground you stand on,” Scott said.
Scott owned the ground she stood on when asked about her fiery news conference from last month.
“Bev doesn’t have different scripts. I don’t have different scripts for different places. I feel all of that passion and I love this industry, I love this business. I’ve been in it. It’s been my life. I’m glad that we are moving forward,” she said.
A life that is now changing, while Scott weathered several big storms she recently submitted her resignation. But before she could leave, Governor
Charlie Baker announced he would replace her with State Highway Administrator Frank DePaola.
“I’m here to do everything I possibly can for a smooth transition and once again this administration came through in absolute spades for us,” she said.
Scott had nothing but praise for Baker, who she said knows all too well the troubles of the aging system.
Scott didn’t shy away from the responsibility of managing it.
“Whenever you think you know it all, that’s when you’re really stupid,” she said. “Who ever thought we were going to end up with 100 inches of snow. I’ve said consistently I think the takeaways are how important the T is and no question the years of disinvestment.”
The crisis is now turning into a call for investment in the future, a future Scott says she’ll be watching from the sidelines.
“I’m gonna spend time with my mom and granddaughter, Scott said. “I’ve always said my passions and my joy has been this work and I’m going to continue that.”
Scott said there are plenty of lessons to be learned and had nothing but praise for MBTA employees who she says managed to find a way when there was no way to get the system up and running. The new general manager takes over on March 4.