The inconsistency frustrates riders with disabilities. Boston's transit agency removes snow on its own properties, but individual cities or private owners are responsible for the vast majority of the thousands of bus stops.
Four years after the first new train began carrying passengers, the T is retrofitting the fleet with a different, less frequent sound to alert riders who are blind or visually impaired.
Despite improvements, 84 percent of the MBTA's bus stops have at least one significant barrier to accessibility, like a curb with no ramp. More than 30 commuter rail stops remain inaccessible, and so are five underground T stations and 32 street-level stops.