He also addressed a recent Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation report which concluded that the T will need to hire around 2,800 workers within the next 12 months if it hopes to address service cuts, safety issues, and other ongoing challenges.

“When you look at the big number, it seems almost insurmountable,” Eng acknowledged. “But when you start to say, ‘How many people do we need to bring on every month?’ … it can be done.”