Green Line Back in Business, Cell Phones Banned for Drivers

After Friday night's texting-caused crash and yesterday's investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, the Green Line is back in business at Government Center. As of this morning, trains were running as normal through the station.

In the wake of the revelation that the crash happened while the driver was texting, the MBTA has banned cell phone use on the job, a step that seems like it should have been taken some time ago. The authority's previous policy allowed drivers to carry cell phones but not use them, which sort of defeats the purpose of carrying them in the first place. We support the ban, but it needs to be accompanied by toughness on other factors—like drug use, which has caused crashes in the past. Just getting rid of phones won't make the T suddenly safe—last summer's T crash, fatal for the driver, was also not caused by phones or drugs. There is no simple culprit in cases like these.

The ban on cell phones also raises a question of what drivers will do in the event of an emergency. At least one person has died from T drivers' negligence in continuing to operate a train during a medical emergency. Drivers must be able to quickly contact police and medical workers in the event of a dangerous situation. If cell phones are not available for this purpose, radios or other working devices must be. The ban is an appropriate step to take, but shouldn't lend us—or drivers—a false sense of security.