Bus Service Cuts Will Affect Natick, Framingham, Hopkinton Routes

NATICK, MA — The MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA) will reduce service on three bus lines serving Framingham, Natick, Ashland and Hopkinton this month.

Routes 4G, 5 and 11 will run during reduced hours beginning on Jan. 31. The service cuts come as MWRTA and other local transit agencies face a bus driver shortage. Here's a look at the upcoming service cuts:

Route 5 — This bus line runs along Route 135 from the Blandin Hub in Framingham to the Price Chopper in Hopkinton. The route typically runs until around 8 p.m. on weekdays. The reduced schedule will cut hours to between 5:30 a.m. and 5:55 p.m.

Route 4G — This is a grocery shuttle provides service between the Blandin Hub, Market Basket in Ashland, Roche Bros. in Natick and Wegmans in Natick. The route will start earlier at 5:30 a.m. under the new schedule.

Route 11 — This route runs in a circuit from the Blandin Hub to the Natick Mall, downtown Natick, Leonard Morse Hospital and the Natick Senior Center, among other stops. Weekday trips will end at 6 p.m. as opposed to around 8 p.m.

MWRTA will return each route to the typical schedule as soon as possible, the transit agency said.