FRTA adds shuttle route to GCC

[ Originally published on: Saturday, September 19, 2009 ]

GREENFIELD -- Franklin Regional Transit Authority has announced more changes to its bus routes and schedules, which include a shuttle Greenfield Community College will pay for through Dec. 23.

Tina Cote, FRTA administrator, said the authority has been working on different ideas and is still in the process of doing so. It has been in negotiations with GCC for some time, but couldn't announce its most recent plans until they were set.

The college will pay for a shuttle that will leave Court Square at 9:30 a.m. on weekdays and travel to its main campus. There won't be any stops in between. After Dec. 23, the fare for that run will be $1.

Earlier this week, a group of about 20 gathered on the Town Common to protest recent changes, which include higher fares, elimination of routes and minor changes to other routes.

''We've had very few people call to complain about the changes,'' said Cote. ''I was a little surprised to see the protest, because I haven't heard from a lot of the people who were on the common that day.''

Cote said as costs to transport people on buses go up, federal, state and local funding isn't compensating.

''We're just receiving money now for our 2008 services,'' she said. ''We're doing the best we can with the funding we receive.''

 

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