Keolis Transports Record Number of as Passengers Choose MBTA Commuter Rail for Super Bowl Parade

Keolis Commuter Services, operator of MBTA Commuter Rail, announced the busiest day in the history of the system, as 215,000 passengers rode the system on the day of the Patriots’ Super Bowl Victory Parade, a 60 percent increase in ridership compared with a typical weekday.

To accommodate the additional passengers, Keolis ran 24 additional trains and seven extra coaches. With snow and sleet falling across the region, Keolis crews salted platforms and walkways to ensure the safety of commuters and Patriots fans attending the parade and rolling rally in Boston. At the conclusion of the parade, twelve extra trains were added on the Providence, Kingston, Worcester, Middleboro, Haverhill, Lowell, Beverly and Franklin Lines. More than 100 Keolis staff members volunteered to assist passengers at select stations throughout the network, particularly at Boston’s North, South and Back Bay Stations.

“Yesterday, we successfully ran more trains, operated more equipment and carried more passengers on the commuter rail network than has ever been done before in a single day,” Keolis Commuter Service General Manager David Scorey said. “This was the result of careful planning and preparation, and underscores our commitment to putting passengers first no matter what the occasion, including extraordinary weekday or weekend events.”

Despite the sharp increase in ridership and slippery winter conditions, Keolis officials said there were no reported passenger injuries throughout the day. Eighty-three percent of trains arrived at their destination within fifteen minutes of their scheduled arrival time.

“Our priority was to safely transport as many passengers as possible, even if it meant holding trains for longer than usual at stations, which of course had an impact on our on-time performance,” Scorey said.  

“The MBTA and its Commuter Rail partner worked very hard to meet yesterday’s ridership demands across all modes,” said Brian Shortsleeve, acting general manager of the MBTA. “When there are large events in Boston, the public understandably turns to the MBTA for transportation support, and we’re pleased that we were able to satisfy the needs of not only parade-goers but also our regular weekday commuters."