The chief thing to understand about the MBTA (and many other things about metro Boston), is it's a patronage system at heart. Jobs to friends, and jobs to allies. That's it. Stripping the system and the public in order to pay for nice homes on the Cape, and to pay for nice retirements in NH and Maine.

Naturally, those operations jobs tend to attract more transit riders and lovers, who are disproportionately POCs, low income, or disabled. But the working conditions are abusive and exploitative - especially for anyone who cares enough to speak up about the dysfunction. Check out the FTC’s report on dispatcher shift lengths, for example. Or TransitCenter’s report on obstacles to operations hiring.

The T can’t hire bus drivers, even with a $7k signing bonus, a massive ad campaign, and a recession. It’s worth asking why.

If the T ever improves, it will be because the people who rely on it are in charge. But your assessment is bang on. Given how much power those in charge have amassed, I don’t see it happening.