MWRTA To Offer Sunday Service

FRAMINGHAM, MA — If you ask people involved in the public transportation industry, the folks with the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority are about to do something that isn't smart.

But with that move comes a benefit to riders on the MWRTA system.

Officials with the MWRTA announced a plan to offer Sunday transportation services beginning on Feb. 4.

Industry standard planning for weekend services would say to reduce services on Saturday, and then further reduce them on Sunday.

"Most transit agencies see the lowest ridership on Sundays," said MWRTA Administrator Jim Nee. "For the MWRTA, it is hard to say if Sundays would be our lowest ridership day, because we have never run Sunday service."

The agency also received funding to bring more service, including a 7-day-a-week fixed route service, officials said.

Since this is a new aspect for officials, rather than deciding a fixed route system unique to Sundays, the agency decided to run a uniform schedule for Saturday and Sunday.

"This provides several benefits, not least of which is the added service on top of what would typically be provided," Nee said.

"Another key benefit is that keeping Saturdays and Sundays the same, our riders only have to know two schedules, instead of three. As someone who has ridden public transit for decades, I find nothing more confusing than schedules that vary too much."

More updates are expected in February, when Nee hinted that a move to offer later service on weekdays is in the plans.