Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 162 § 14
An electric railroad company shall act as a common carrier of baggage, express matter and freight in such cases, upon such parts of its railroad, and to such extent, in any city or town as, after public notice and a hearing upon the petition of the president or a majority of the directors of the company or any interested party, the board of aldermen or the selectmen, or those exercising the powers of such board or selectmen, in such city or town, shall by order approve; provided, that a company shall actually engage in the business of a common carrier under this chapter only in such cases, upon such of the parts of its railroad, and to such extent, approved as aforesaid, as the department shall certify, after public notice and a hearing upon said petition, that public necessity and convenience require; and provided, that any company acting under authority hereof shall be subject to such regulations and restrictions as may from time to time be made by the local authorities aforesaid, with the approval of the department, and shall also be subject to all laws relating to common carriers so far as consistent herewith and with said regulations and restrictions.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 162, § 14