Service Changes On Framingham-Worcester Line Due To COVID-19 Staff Shortages

FRAMINGHAM, MA — The MBTA will change train service along the Framingham-Worcester line due to staffing shortages related to the coronavirus surge.

Beginning Jan. 10, express service will effectively end along the Framingham-Worcester line. Typical express trains from Worcester will instead serve all stops between Union Station and Framingham. Outbound will run hourly between Worcester and Wellesley Farms between 5 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays.

The service cuts will last at least two weeks, the MBTA's service provider, Keolis, said in a news release.

"We have proactively adjusted the schedule based on projected staffing shortages due to COVID-19 that will be further strained if the number of positive cases continues to surge," Keolis General Manager Abdellah Chajai said in a news release. "We are making these temporary modifications now in order to avoid last minute cancellations and to enable our riders to plan their trips accordingly."

The recent coronavirus surge has cut into government services across the state. Local fire departments, police departments, school districts and departments of public works have all seen higher absences following the holidays.

On Thursday, the state reported over 24,000 new cases in a single day, and a statewide positive test result rate of 22 percent — the highest level since April 2020.