Boston Council Votes 8-2 to Summon MBTA Chief Phil Eng

The Boston City Council voted 8-2 on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, to formally summon MBTA General Manager Phil Eng to testify about the Blue Hill Avenue bus lane plan and transit equity in Roxbury, Dorchester and Mattapan, with three councilors voting “present,” Universal Hub reported. The order calls for Eng to appear before the council’s civil rights committee at 10 a.m. on Nov. 6.

What the Phil Eng Summons Requires

The order, filed by District 7 Councilor Miniard Culpepper and posted in full by Universal Hub, cites Massachusetts General Laws chapter 233, section 8. It directs Eng, who is also the state’s interim transportation secretary, to testify on two council items: Docket #1340, a hearing on the civil rights implications of rapid transit inequities, and Docket #1341, a resolution supporting study of an Orange Line extension along Blue Hill Avenue.

The order also asks for official crash data for 2022 through 2026 covering fatalities, serious injuries and other crashes on Blue Hill Avenue, compared with similar corridors including Columbus Avenue, where a center-running bus lane is already in place.

Universal Hub reported that under state law a council summons works like a summons in a civil trial, so the council could seek a fine for non-appearance. The Boston Globe described the action as a subpoena and said the council rarely uses the power.

How Councilors Voted

According to Universal Hub, Councilors Liz Breadon, Culpepper, Ed Flynn, Ruthzee Louijeune, Julia Mejia, Erin Murphy, Henry Santana and Brian Worrell voted yes. Councilors Gabriela Coletta Zapata and Sharon Durkan voted no. Councilors John FitzGerald, Enrique Pepén and Benjamin Weber voted present.

Supporters and Opponents State Their Case

Culpepper said Eng’s absence from an Oct. 14 council hearing in Grove Hall left “important questions unanswered about the Commonwealth’s plans to address these longstanding transit disparities,” Universal Hub reported. The order states that the Washington Street Elevated Orange Line was removed in 1987 and that the corridor has not had comparable rapid transit service since. Culpepper called the issue a civil rights matter, and Mejia said a summons is not “a mockery” but “restorative justice.”

Durkan, who chairs the council’s transportation committee, said that when the federal government offers money for projects like the Blue Hill Avenue plan, “the answer should almost always be yes,” according to Universal Hub. She said the council should be careful with its summons power, questioned whether it can compel an MBTA official to appear, and said, “I don’t want to make a mockery of the summons process.”

Pepén said he could not support the order because he has met with Eng three times in his district, including on a ride on the 28 bus, and has been able to get answers from the T. “I know that their team is accessible,” he said.

The reports reviewed for this article did not include a response from Eng or the MBTA to the vote.

Background on the Blue Hill Avenue Bus Lane Plan

The project, led by the MBTA and Mayor Michelle Wu’s administration, would add center-running bus lanes on about three miles of Blue Hill Avenue between Mattapan Square and Grove Hall. The Globe put the cost at $164 million, while the Boston Business Journal cited $124 million and said the corridor serves about 40,000 passengers a day. The Globe reported that Culpepper said officials did not fully answer opponents’ questions at four public meetings in September.

The Boston Report covered the Oct. 14 Grove Hall hearing on the Blue Hill Avenue bus lanes, where city and MBTA officials said the design would speed buses and that its federal funding was secured. For more on how City Hall is approaching transit funding, see our report on Wu’s comments on congestion pricing, and for upcoming service changes see our guide to November MBTA changes.

What Happens Next

The civil rights committee, which Culpepper chairs, is scheduled to take Eng’s testimony on Nov. 6 at 10 a.m. Whether Eng appears, sends other officials or challenges the council’s authority had not been reported as of Thursday morning.

Sources

• Universal Hub: Boston City Council demands MBTA head appear to explain himself on Blue Hill Avenue
• Boston City Council Docket #2026-1968: Order for Summons (PDF)
• Boston Globe: In rare move, Boston councilors vote to subpoena T leader Phil Eng
• Boston Business Journal: Boston summons MBTA chief on Blue Hill Avenue bus lane
• Boston City Council: Oct. 21, 2026 meeting agenda

Featured image: A southbound MBTA route 28 bus on Blue Hill Avenue near Morton Street. Photo by 4300streetcar via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.