A report released in September by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation concluded the MBTA faces a growing future budget shortfall, due to the sluggish recovery in ridership and resulting lost fare revenue. It found the MBTA might face a budget gap of between $200 million and $400 million in the fiscal year beginning in July 2023, depending on how quickly ridership rebounds and the amount of federal funds the agency needs to make up for lagging cash flow.