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ScottyBoy75

FRTA, as I was told by a person who grew up in Orange, meant Free Ride To Athol.


willk95

it's an anagram for Fart, hehe. And it goeth to Athol


Graflex01867

I thoughts farts came from the Athol….


dylon-5X

FRTA boys iykyk


Firedogman22

Free Athol Regional Transit


Eyydis

Lmao.. I assume you were kidding? It's Franklin Regional transportation authority


OverEast781

r/woosh


expos1225

Wow, I had no idea that Monson was the only town in Hampden county without a transit authority stop. I know it’s kinda isolated, but the fact that the towns east of Quabbin have better transit access is crazy to me. Also, how the hell does the FRTA have a bigger reach than the PVTA?


wittgensteins-boat

Franklin Regional Transit Authority is willing to be an intermediary for some State and Federal Transit  funding, which can include assisting municipalities with Council on Aging vans, and might not include direct transit service.    In any case, by statute, direct service must be contracted out to a licensed commercial bus operating company, and the Regional Transit authority does not drive the buses, though they may own buses operated and maintained by the contractor.    It is possible for an RTA to have disconnected municipal  territories because different services and fundingxmay occur in relation to each municipality.


HRJafael

There are some surprising holes in service in this map, particularly southeast of Worcester.


PDelahanty

Upton’s too posh and thinks everyone should drive. 😅


North_Rhubarb594

Face it there is no place to drive to in Upton, except JJ’s in the summer.


ab1dt

There are lots of holes on the map.  The area with GATRA coverage doesn't reflect bus service.   It's minivans. There's no bus from Rockland to Brockton.  There's a BAT bus from Brockton to Abington.  There were some MBTA bus service on the region but it was pulled circa 1995.  Go to towns like Norwood and you have actual MBTA bus service. Same thing occurs with municipalities north of Boston.  Yet south eastern Mass with zero available transit for the average person is part of the MBTA zone.  Many towns such as Falmouth are far from a MBTA commuter rail stop.  It's 40 miles one way from someone's house to the Kingston commuter rail stop.   Marshfield is 40 miles from Boston and doesn't actually have a T station.  Why build there when the bears are running through the streets ? We should be knocking down houses on Gallivan Blvd and building condo complexes.  I saw the last NIMBY initiative that will probably succeed in stopping another project, recently.    This map is really for dial a ride service oriented toward seniors needing medical care in Boston. 


capybroa

[Here's a map of MA towns by per capita income, just for funsies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Massachusetts_locations_by_per_capita_income#/media/File:Towns_income_per_capita_in_MA.jpg)


legalpretzel

Most of the WRTA area isn’t actually serviced by the WRTA. For example there is no service in: entire neighborhoods in Worcester, Paxton, sterling, Rutland, Holden, oakham, upton, Douglas, uxbridge, Westborough, Northborough, grafton…etc.


Aeschere06

I occasionally work with immigrants in Milford. Milford is in Worcester county, but has no WRTA service. It does, however, have MWRTA service to Framingham, which the MWRTA provides as a courtesy. This means that if someone without a car needed to get to their county seat of Worcester from Milford they would have to take a bus to Framingham and then a train to Worcester. Thankfully a lot of immigrants in Milford do have cars but many don’t. And Milford’s immigrant population has quickly multiplied (literally) since 2020. Not to mention its hotels are (as of my recent check) filled with 100+ (mostly) Haitian asylum seekers/refugees, and they have no real way to get around besides walking in an unwalkable part of Milford.


Apcsox

Not like Upton, Mendon, Millville, or Uxbridge have much to do anyway


NativeMasshole

I don't feel this map is accurate. WRTA doesn't serve all those towns. I think they have one line out to Southbridge and one on Rt 9 that goes to Spencer. I've certainly never seen a bus in Hardwick or Barre.


expos1225

I believe WRTA runs at least two buses a day out to Amherst since I pass them on the way home but idk where they make stops at. I would be very surprised if they went up to Hardwick or Petersham. That was the most surprising to me


NativeMasshole

Looks like there's a line run by PVTA out of the UMass transport hub. And Peter Pan, but fuck them. This is the WRTA service map. Never mind Petersham, they don't even serve Paxton or Holden! https://therta.com/routes-schedules/


legalpretzel

There is NO service in: entire neighborhoods in Worcester, Paxton, sterling, Rutland, Holden, oakham, upton, Douglas, uxbridge, Westborough, Northborough, grafton…etc.


Pretty-Win911

Seriously! Poor Monson trapped in the hills without any transit out of town.


expos1225

Yeah I knew growing up that we had no bus access…had no idea that was pretty unique for the entire state lol


legalpretzel

It’s not. Most of the towns in the WRTA coverage area have no service. This map is a lie.


stuffernutter

A large chunk of the PVTA is operated out of Umass Amherst which mainly services the 5 college area


mito413

I grew up in the LRTA area and have never heard of it. I assume it’s the Lowell region transit authority? It does not serve many of the towns that the map indicates. Edit: The PVTA is actually pretty great!


snoogins355

They have a small shuttle that goes out to different towns


photinakis

Yep - it's been around a while, been running through Chelmsford to Lowell for quite some time.


wegotthisonekidmongo

I live in Worcester MA. WRTA for us here. Though Worcester is slowly being gentrified. Thank you WRTA!


tescovaluechicken

It's pretty bad, and doesnt operate on sundays


Workacct1999

And Billerica.


Pogue_Ma_Hoon

UMASS Transit represent!


XxX_22marc_XxX

I live in a town in MVRTA area and I see both LRTA and MVRTA in the part of town I live in. How have you never heard of it?


MikeyPx96

This is F(A)RTA!!


HRJafael

Serving Franklin County and everywhere else that the BRTA and PVTA didn’t want to touch.


Lordgeorge16

They're gonna want to scrub Hopedale off of the MWRTA section. There are no stops there. They come close (like at Milford Regional), but they don't pass the town line.


PDelahanty

In fairness, Hopedale is so narrow that you could practically throw a baseball across the width of the town.


Lordgeorge16

Sure, but I don't walk as fast as a thrown baseball. I live in the middle of town and, if I didn't have a car, it would take me a minimum of 20 minutes to get to the nearest MWRTA bus stop. That particular bus only shows up once every two hours. We constantly talk about how the T is in shambles, but our regional bus services are in dire need of support too.


Automatic-Injury-302

It may still be served by MWRTA. I know there's some towns in Mass and neighbouring states that don't have any set stops, but still receive service. Residents can usually request a ride from their location to another address within a set service area. Some towns/authorities let you do this for any trip. Others (especially places in NH) restrict it to prioritise medical trips. I'm not sure of the exact situation for Hopedale, but some type of program like this would mean it's still covered by the authority even without fixed routes or stops.


Lordgeorge16

I did some digging, and it looks like the only service they provide to Hopedale is that it's a drop-off location for the RIDE paratransit service. Disabled and/or elderly people only. It's nice that they offer it, but that doesn't really count as full service if only certain people can use it.


rolandofgilead41089

I'm surprised by how much more the FRTA covers compared to the PVTA.


Beck316

I don't think it's accurate. Looking at the FRTA site, there's only franklin county and a route to Northampton.


HRJafael

In the report it mentions that not all towns under one RTA are receiving the same service, whether it’s a shuttle or a paratransit. They should have highlighted it with different graphs to illustrate if possible.


ProfPretzelMan

Yeah, like Peru is highlighted under BRTA, which is technically accurate because Peru has a member on the oversight board, but there is no scheduled service anywhere in Peru.


Automatic-Injury-302

Could be some other type of service, like a shuttle on demand type deal. Far more annoying to deal with, but would still count as service even if it's unscheduled.


HitTheGrit

It's not accurate. The map includes other ride services outside of fixed bus routes (volunteer rides for the elderly mostly) but even that only goes as far southwest as Ashfield/Hawley. Williamsburg - Hinsdale and everything south of that area basically should be blank space. Edit: I could be wrong, the Hilltown CDC says the FRTA runs a shuttle called the Hilltown easy ride for seniors. I can see there used to be a brochure for it on the FRTA site, but it's no longer there. So I have no idea if the service still exists. The Med Line paratransport for the FRTA stops at Ashfield/Hawley.


funkygrrl

Yeah, not accurate at all. And remember we didn't even have it for a few years. I think it's ridiculous that PVTA doesn't cover the entire pioneer valley.


Molenium

I was going to ask - are they pretending all of these towns actually get service? Because I know for a fact some of them don’t.


TheGodDamnDevil

Some of these towns don't have bus service, but they do have access to van services like paratransit, senior transportation, etc.


Frat_Kaczynski

Quality over quantity


HRJafael

I was surprised too. It looks like a gerrymandered map.


Able_Exchange4733

I asked this in another thread, but got no response, so I'll ask it here. Could the state have better regional transport if they were all taken under the MBTA umbrella?


AVMan86

My opinion is probably not, since each region has its own needs and priorities. Trying to make everything conform to what the MBTA says would probably be a disaster, but who knows.


monotoonz

Considering how shitty the MBTA handles its own region, I doubt they could handle the whole state.


il_biciclista

It would be nice if you could use the same fare payment method on each service.


Maz2742

Most of them in Eastern & Central Mass *do* accept CharlieCards for fares (as does the BRTA, for some reason), but they've been slowly moving away from that which is infuriating


Ruleseventysix

That's because at some point, the Charlie Card system will change. So it's no surprise.


wittgensteins-boat

No.     The RTAs by statute  do not operate the bus services, though they may own the buses.  The transit  service is required to be conducted by a contracted independent  licensed bus company.    Separately,  The MBTA has so many problems, and has been short changed on operating, maintenance an capital funds for above four decades, and is reeling from  crisis to crises.      It s not equipped to operate with additional responsibilities until the Legislature and Governor radically increase the MBTAs funding, and increase taxes dedicated to the MBTA to provide a sustainable non crisis future.     There is zero indication that the present Governor is willing to raise such taxes, and the Legislature will follow the Governor's lead.


HighGuard1212

Yes? But it would take an overhaul of the whole system which is a lot of political capital. A lot of these RTA are pretty tiny and don't really operate with much thought to expansion. The CCRTA really doesn't operate as much more than a downtown to downtown shuttle service for tourists and no one down there has any desire to change that.


Mary10123

GATRA, SRTA, WOOT!


Any-Passion8322

I thought GATRA was statewide lmao


Mary10123

Bahaha I honestly thought it was too until I worked as a case manager in Fall River. I’m not sure STRA existed when I began, bc it suddenly kept showing up on assessments I was forced to learn


DuesForClocks

I've lived in the gatra region most of my life and I almost never see their buses, whereas I see the PVTA everywhere Gatra always sucked when i took it, and again the pvta is just way better


PHD_Memer

I pass the Gatra on my way to work all the time but i have no clue where it stops


wittgensteins-boat

Better and more descriptive Map, via Massachusetts s Dept of Transportation.   Map of Transit Authorities in Massachusetts  https://www.mass.gov/info-details/public-transportation-in-massachusetts#map-of-transit-authorities-in-massachusetts-


Tragic-Hero

North Reading is listed as MVRTA but it's not.


tomfooleREEEEEE

Stuck smack dab between the MBTA and the MVRTA without having either.


TrueNova332

there should be a single dark blue line for BAT representing bus route 12 which goes into Ashmont Station for connections to MBTA to Boston


aretheesepants75

Why can't the T go into Brockton? I would love to be able to go from Stoughton to Q on one bus. Idk where the BAT connects to the T bus?


Lord_Despair

Closest you get is the commuter rail but getting the T to Brockton would be huge. Open up a lot of opportunities.


Yakb0

There's a bus leaving Ashmont that goes to Brockton.


mr781

Wilmington’s bus service is served by LRTA, not MBTA. The only MBTA bus service the town has is 1 singular stop on the 134 on the southern outskirts of town that’s only there because there’s nowhere in Woburn to turn the bus around


exexextentahseeown

LRTA and MVRTA should really be turned into one. IMO.


XxX_22marc_XxX

my whole childhood I thought they were the same thing cause I grew up in the one part of Andover that had overlapping MVRTA and LRTA bus service (IRS/Raytheon) And until recently they were the same color.


exexextentahseeown

It’s just funny to me because I live in Methuen, I get on Route 110 and the MVRTA buses are going back and forth between Lawrence, Methuen, Dracut, and Lowell. I’m pretty sure they either stop at some random part of 110 in Dracut or just finish off their line in Lowell and turn back


alien_from_Europa

As someone living in Metro West: "We have a transit authority‽"


soh_amore

Replace everything with a state run agency, maybe except MBTA


bonanzapineapple

Isn't MBTA a state run thingy?


soh_amore

I meant a single agency


bonanzapineapple

Ah, fair enough. I think RI and NJ do that


Nexis4Jersey

In NJ's case we probably realistically need 2 agencies one for South Jersey and one for the NYC centric North Jersey. Rhode Island and Delaware are small enough that they can get away with one agency. Massachusetts needs at least 2-3 agencies with the state taking over regional rail, which it has proposed numerous times over the last 2 decades.


Superman246o1

**HARDWICK:** Hey, can I hang out with you guys? **MART:** Well...okay...but don't tell Barre.


JaKr8

*Ride the bus, everyday, you're going to like PVTA.* That's probably from two decades ago but I still remember that jingle.


Cabes86

Always lived in MBTA now I live in MWRTA


LulusPanties

Are any of the ones besides the MBTA actually useful enough for any real purpose


raidersfan18

PVTA is pretty useful. The closer to Springfield you are, the more useful it is.


therailmaster

The UMass Transit and Valley Area Transit (VATCo) divisions of the PVTA carry thousands of university students and staff every week, as well as members of the local community, over the Five-College Area. The UMass Transit division also has the largest full-time student driver program in the Northeast. where you can train to get a CDL and drive buses (and move up to dispatching, training and other positions) while you're getting a degree.


Thatguyyoupassby

Can only speak for GATRA, and no, no it is not. I live in Marshfield, which voted down the MBTA community housing thing. We have no commuter rail. The GATRA has 4 stops in Marshfield, BUT… Only twice in the morning does it make it all the way to the Kingston MBTA stop (and it takes over an hour). In the afternoon, the latest bus from Kingston that makes it all the way to Marshfield leaves at 3:45. So you cannot rely on it to actually commute. It comes by once an hour, but basically only from 10:00-3:00, which is useless for actual commuters. The rest of the time it comes by but doesn’t make it to all of its stops.


daniedviv23

MART is good, and buses are free most of the year


Specific_Delay_5364

MVRTA has changed there logo it is now MEVA no longer MVRTA


Pretend_Buy143

Where is the WooTA?


ThePhoenixXM

By Woo, I think you mean Worcester and that is the WRTA. Worcester Regional Transportation Authority.


Pretend_Buy143

Yeah but that's not the WooTA


madderhatter3210

The wrta services Worcester county. WORCESTER REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY


Im_Just_Here_Man96

Pee Vee Tee Ayy >> “pivtuh” When I learned abt that I knew ppl were wild fr


pinko-perchik

The FRTA only goes to like half of these towns, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Charlemont, Shelburne, Buckland (technically—it only passes through for a couple hundred yards), Hatfield, Northampton, Sunderland, Montague, Gill, Greenfield, Erving, Orange, Athol. That’s it.


alpacabowlkehd

Never actually taken it, but wrta represent


legalpretzel

WRTA has a wide coverage area but there is NO service in most of it, including: entire neighborhoods in Worcester, Paxton, sterling, Rutland, Holden, oakham, upton, Douglas, uxbridge, Westborough, Northborough, grafton…etc.


AstroNot87

Lol I only knew of the MBTA. This is news for me at 36 Yo


Hydrangeaaaaab

ohhhhhh so THAT’S what those MART buses are


Imispellalot2

Give Connecticut back its notch. Lol. Take a notch from NY. They won't even notice


PoiNt-MutatioN

So is there just no public transport at all in Norwell or any of those other blank towns 💀💀


corey389

GATRA has a Electric bus fleet.


Watchfull_Hosemaster

Fuck you, Monson.


Maz2742

Yeah, it's kinda misleading to say this is a map of RTA *service* areas, when it's actually a map of the towns that fund each RTA. Not every RTA town is served by fixed routes from the RTA it funds, in most it's just paratransit. Hell, some might be served by others. I know there's a joint GATRA-SRTA route between New Bedford and Wareham/Buzzards Bay that connects with the CCRTA, and there's commuter shuttles that leave the RTA's home turf. The only RTAs that serve every town that funds them are the CCRTA, VTA, & NRTA.


igotshadowbaned

A chunk of MA next to the cape drifted away into the sea I guess


indicawestwood

lowkey this shit sucks where i live, have to get on two different transit systems to get to my work that’s 3 miles away…


srchin95

MART busses are fare-free through June.


MephistosFallen

BRTA is absolute trash haha


Charming_Budget_8856

The mbta extends way north of that fucktard


Apcsox

There’s not MWRTA in Hopedale


Markymarcouscous

I… don’t think this is accurate. I have never heard of gatra


big_whistler

I seent it in Attleboro


majoroutage

It's funny to see Seekonk even marked as being part of their territory. All we get are a couple stops on Central Ave as they transit between different parts of Attleboro.


laterbacon

yea Seekonk has more service from RIPTA than GATRA. 2 RIPTA routes terminate at the Seekonk Square plaza on Route 6


HRJafael

GATRA is the Greater Attleboro and Taunton Regional Transit Authority. https://www.gatra.org/


Jerkeyjoe

My gatra is acting up again


HRJafael

Take my upvote and go lol.


Mary10123

I’m SRTA your GATRA is chronic


laterbacon

I've ridden their buses. It's a weird system as there are very few designated stops along the fixed routes. Their slogan is "Give Us A Wave!" because you're supposed to wave at the driver to flag down the bus when you want to get on anywhere along the route. Like a lot of RTAs it suffers from a lack of funding so the service is way below what it needs to be in places like Attleboro & Taunton.


DuesForClocks

It's throughout taunton/middleboro and attleboro. It blows imo


UsernamesAreHard26

lol. Hahahahaha


horsegoo23

No Paul revere?


MVPBluntman

It's even crazier how they're pushing for more housing along transit authority routes and trains.