Court Throws Out Suit Against MBTA Over Winter Breakdowns

BOSTON (AP) — A Massachusetts court says the Boston-area transit system cannot be sued by riders over cancellations and equipment breakdowns that occurred during the brutal winter of 2015.

The state appeals court on Monday upheld a lower court ruling dismissing a lawsuit brought by Raquel Rodriguez, a monthly pass-holder on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's commuter rail system.

Rodriguez said the massive service disruptions during a series of major snowstorms in February and March of 2015 amounted to a breach of contract between the MBTA and customers who purchased their monthly passes in advance.

The suit alleged the breakdowns were largely due to the T's chronic lack of maintenance, not the weather.

The court ruled, however, that the complaint fell short of satisfying the legal requirements for a breach of contract claim.

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