What's New
MASSPIRG supports efforts to improve funding of the regional bus agencies passed by the legislature in June.
Massachusetts has 15 Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs), which provide public transportation service in 231 Massachusetts cities and towns outside of the MBTA district. These transit systems cover the Berkshires, Cape Cod, the Pioneer Valley, Cape Ann, Worcester, the Merrimack Valley and many other parts of Massachusetts.
The RTAs provide a critical service in areas that are often rural or suburban, where the only other option for getting to where you’re going is by automobile. These transit systems are a critical component of the Massachusetts economy, encouraging smart growth and preventing sprawl.
Unfortunately, lack of funding has impacted the RTAs’ ability to meet the needs of their communities and their customers, which has resulted in reduced ridership, lower farebox revenue, and limited their ability to provide necessary mobility for accessing jobs, shopping, school and other necessary daily functions.
