MBTA chief outlines stations, facilities and structures responsibilities

Dennis Volley, chief of stations, facilities and structures for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, gave a compact overview of the MBTA division responsible for maintaining stations and related facilities. "We maintain the stations, which is the front and back door to our system," Volley said, framing stations as critical access points that require continuous upkeep.

Volley said his unit also maintains employee facilities, train barns, bus depots, substations, shafts and tunnels and “any structure really within the TIG,” and described a broad trades-based workforce that includes painters, plumbers, iron workers and tinsmiths. He said the MBTA employs licensed engineers who do in‑house design work so internal crews can perform repairs and occasional rebuilds, and administrative staff that oversee contracts and provide project oversight.

He portrayed most maintenance as “state of good repair” work that is largely unseen by riders and often performed off hours to avoid disrupting service. Volley noted the system’s age — with infrastructure more than 100 years old in some places — and said higher costs and scheduling complexity often follow from that legacy condition. "It's an old system," he said, adding that the division is committed to doing the best it can with available resources.

The presentation did not include new policy directives or funding announcements; Volley emphasized operational realities, staffing structure and the long‑term goal of leaving the system improved for future users.