BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority will hold two online public meetings in November on its long-range plan to turn the Commuter Rail system into a modern Regional Rail network, the agency said Wednesday.

The virtual meetings are scheduled for 6 p.m. on Nov. 4 and 6 p.m. on Nov. 17. The MBTA said its representatives will explain the planning process and take feedback, and that comments can also be submitted on the agency's website. American Sign Language interpretation will be provided, and interpretation in other languages is available if requested in advance, the agency said.

According to the MBTA, the plan will set out the agency's long-term goals for Regional Rail service, guide its investments for decades and describe the criteria and data it will use to make those decisions. The agency said this first phase of public outreach is meant to help riders and the public understand what capital investments would be needed to run trains significantly more often.

MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng said the agency had "one of the best return-to-ridership rates across the nation since Covid," which he credited to work making the Commuter Rail more dependable. He said rider demand is a key driver as the MBTA moves toward "a Regional Rail that serves an even broader range of trips and communities with more frequent bidirectional service."

Further rounds of public engagement on the plan will take place in spring 2027, the MBTA said.

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