Daily ridership 155,000 (annual; 2010) Founded 1978 | Fleet 8 | |
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Routes 6 fixed routes, 1 shuttle Hubs John W. Olver Transit Center Operator Franklin Transit Management Parent organization Massachusetts Department of Transportation Motto Proudly serving Franklin County since 1978 Service type Public transport bus service Hub John W. Olver Transit Center | ||
The Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA) is a regional transit authority which provides public transportation principally to Franklin County and the North Quabbin region, both in Massachusetts. The FRTA is based in the county seat of Greenfield, Massachusetts, from where all its routes originate.
Contents
History
The FRTA was established in 1978 when Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 161B was enacted, which gave rise to several regional transit authorities throughout Massachusetts.
In 1999, the FRTA and the Fitchburg-based Montachusett Regional Transit Authority (MART) cooperated to form a route to Athol and Orange, Massachusetts, linking Greenfield to the MART terminal in Gardner. Service to Northampton began in 2000.
In 2006, the FRTA assumed the responsibility of providing transportation services for the towns of Greenfield and Turners Falls, when the former Greenfield Montague Transportation Area (GMTA) transit authority folded.
In 2013, Athol seceded from the FRTA district to join MART, necessitating that the former Greenfield/Athol route be truncated in Orange.
Routes
NB: All routes begin and end at the Olver Transit Center in Greenfield.
Service is Monday through Friday; there is no weekend service. Fares are (as of 2016) $1.25 system-wide, with free transfers at the Olver Transit Center only. Passengers with statewide Access Passes or ADA cards, active military personnel, veterans, Medicare card holders, students through grade 12 and persons over 60 pay half-price ($0.60) fares, while passengers with Commission for the Blind cards and children under five accompanied by fare paying adults ride for free.
Route 21 Greenfield Community Route: This is a local route entirely within the town of Greenfield, with four westbound and five eastbound trips daily. A side loop serves Greenfield Community College, the Greenfield Corporate Center and the temporary county courthouse, and the Mohawk Shopping Plaza.
Route 22 Montague/Greenfield Route: This route serves the town of Turners Falls, with eight trips per day; it has the highest ridership per mile in the system. A side loop makes three trips a day through the villages of Millers Falls, Lake Pleasant and Montague Center; two of the round trips are due to end with route changes scheduled for July 1, 2016.
Route 23 Sunderland/Greenfield Route: This route serves Greenfield, Turners Falls, Millers Falls, Leverett and Sunderland with four round trips a day, and terminates at Sugarloaf Estates, where scheduled transfers take place with the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) Route 31 for service to Amherst and UMass.
Route 31 Northampton/Greenfield Route: This route serves the towns of Greenfield, Deerfield, Whately, Hatfield and Northampton. There are six round trips a day, and the southern terminus is at the Academy of Music in Northampton.
Route 32 Orange/Greenfield Route: This route serves Greenfield, Turners Falls, Millers Falls, Erving, and Orange. There are seven round trips a day, and the eastern terminus is at Hannaford's in Orange.
Route 41 Charlemont/Greenfield: This route serves Greenfield, Shelburne, Shelburne Falls, Buckland and Charlemont. There are four round trips a day, and the western terminus is at Avery's Store in Charlemont center.
Route 65 Downtown Greenfield Parking Shuttle serves the downtown Franklin County Courthouse, with eight trips from 7:40am to 8:55am and another eight trips from 4:20pm to 5:30pm. The shuttle also stops at the Davis St/Chapman St lot and the Olver Transit Center.
Connections
John W. Olver Transit Center
The John W. Olver Transit Center houses the FRTA offices and the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, the successor organization to the Franklin County county government. It has provisions for local FRTA buses and Amtrak service, and links with Peter Pan Bus Lines and Greyhound Lines for intercity bus service to Springfield, Boston and Brattleboro.