Boston's commuter rail rebid will shape US rail operations contracts
Final bids for a nine-year MBTA contract arrived in September. The current Keolis contract has cost about $1 billion more than originally planned.
The MBTA shortlisted three teams for its next Commuter Rail operating contract: Keolis with Alstom; Mass Regional Rail, which includes Alternate Concepts, TransitAmerica Services and RATP Dev; and Transdev with Transport UK. The contract runs nine base years with five option years and covers regional rail modernization and battery-electric service on the Fairmount Line. The current agreement with Keolis, in place since 2014, expires on June 30, 2027.
The Boston Globe reported on September 28, 2026, the day final bids were due, that the MBTA had paid nearly $1 billion more than planned under the Keolis contract through June 2025. The executive director of the MBTA Advisory Board estimated the next contract could top $10 billion. The MBTA aims to choose an operator by the end of 2026.
ESS view: other US commuter rail agencies will study how this contract defines performance indicators and cost risk. Clear measures and data obligations matter as much as the bid price.