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Franklin Regional Transit Authority

Franklin Regional Transit Authority
FRTA buses at the agency's headquarters
Founded1978
HeadquartersJohn W. Olver Transit Center, 12 Olive Street, Suite 1, Greenfield, Massachusetts, US
Service areaFranklin County, Hampshire County, Worcester County
Service typefixed-route bus service, demand response service, and paratransit service
Routes8 fixed routes[1]
HubsJohn W. Olver Transit Center
Fleet8 buses, 32 vans[2]
Annual ridership155,000 (annual; 2010)[3]
OperatorFranklin Transit Management
AdministratorTina M. Cote
Websitewww.frta.org
System map

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. It operates fixed-route bus service, on demand shuttles (microtransit) and paratransit service.

With a district of 1,121 square miles (2,900 km2), FRTA has the largest and most rural service area of the state's regional transit authorities.[4]

History

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The FRTA was established in 1978 with then implementation of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 161B, which gave rise to several regional transit authorities throughout Massachusetts. FRTA is the largest public transit authority in Massachusetts by territory.

Prior to the FRTA, Greenfield and its surrounding areas were served by Greenfield and Montague Transportation Area (GMTA), an authority created with the purchase of assets of the defunct Connecticut Valley Street Railway in 1924 which operated an intermunicipal tram service in Greenfield and Turners Falls until it was abandoned and replaced with bus service during the Depression.[5][6]

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.

Although not in the FRTA service area, public bus service operated by the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority between Greenfield and Northampton began in 2000.

In 2006, the FRTA assumed the responsibility of providing transportation services for the towns of Greenfield and Montague, when the former Greenfield & Montague Transportation Area (GMTA) transit authority became unfunded by the state Department of Transportation.[7]

In 2013, Athol voted to withdraw from the FRTA service district, and instead voted to join MART, necessitating that the former Greenfield/Athol route be truncated to Orange.

Service

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FRTA service operates weekdays only. Fares on fixed route buses and paratransit are free. As of August 2025, there are eight active routes:[1]

  • Route 20: GreenLink Connector – Greenfield to Bernardston/Northfield
  • Route 21: Greenfield Community – Local Greenfield loop
  • Route 22: BlueLink Connector – Greenfield to Turners Falls/Montague
  • Route 23: Sunderland/Greenfield – Connects Sunderland, Deerfield, and Greenfield
  • Route 24: Crosstown Connector – Links key points within Greenfield
  • Route 31: Northampton/Greenfield – Intercity via I-91 corridor
  • Route 32: Orange/Greenfield – Orange, Athol, and Greenfield link


The John W. Olver Transit Center houses the FRTA offices and the Franklin Regional Council of Governments. It is served by all FRTA routes as well as Amtrak and Greyhound intercity service.

Microtransit & Paratransit

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FRTA ACCESS zones.

FRTA supplements fixed routes which differ significantly in eligibility, fares, coverage, and booking method between three on-demand shuttle types:

FRTA ACCESS (Public Microtransit)

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Available to anyone in five service zones, providing one-way trips between any two points in-zone (or across zones).

FRTA ACCESS Zones (click to expand)
  • Zone 1: Greenfield, Montague, Deerfield, Whately, Gill, Leyden, Erving
  • Zone 2: Orange, New Salem, Shutesbury, Warwick, Wendell, Erving
  • Zone 3: Arms Library (Shelburne Falls) & Charlemont 'Park & Ride'
  • Zone 4: Athol Hospital, YMCA, Market Basket Plaza (Athol)
  • Zone 5: Sugarloaf Estates & South County Senior Center (Sunderland)

Hours: Weekdays 5:30 am–7:30 pm; weekends 9:30 am–5:30 pm.[8] Fare: $3.00 (in-zone) / $4.00 (multi-zone) + $1.50–$2.00 per extra passenger. Book via official Android or iPhone app.

Demand Response Service (Restricted)

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Free until October 31, 2025, Demand Response operates in many ACCESS zones and towns with no fixed transit.

Eligibility is restricted to seniors (60+), nursing home residents & veterans with a ≥70% disability rating. Service is similar to ACCESS but covers a larger area, requires registration, and is booked by telephone, rather than an app.

Demand Response Zones (click to expand)
  • Greenfield, Montague, Gill
  • Orange, New Salem, Shutesbury, Warwick, Wendell
  • Shelburne, Colrain, Heath, Rowe, Charlemont, Hawley, Buckland, Ashfield, Conway
  • Huntington, Blandford, Chester, Montgomery, Russell
  • Bernardston, Northfield
  • Deerfield, Whately
  • Erving
  • Blandford, Chester, Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Huntington, Middlefield, Montgomery, Plainfield, Russell, Worthington
  • Southampton
  • Southwick
  • Westhampton

Brochures for each zone: FRTA Demand Response.[9][10]

ADA Paratransit

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Free in perpetuity since May 2025, ADA Paratransit serves riders within 3/4 mi of a fixed route who cannot use regular service due to disability. Registration is required. Details: Qualifying for ADA Paratransit.[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Schedules & Maps". Franklin Regional Transit Authority. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  2. ^ "About Us". frta.org. Franklin Regional Transit Authority. Archived from the original on 16 February 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  3. ^ "RTA Profile: Franklin Regional Transit Authority". MassDOT. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
  4. ^ "Beyond Boston: A Transit Study for the Commonwealth, 2 RTA PROFILES". MassDOT, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 2018-03-02. pp. 18–21. Archived from the original on 2025-03-16. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  5. ^ Environmental Impact Station and Section 4(f) Evaluation; Route 2- Greenfield, Gill, Erving, Wendell, Orange, Massachusetts. U.S. Department of Transportation. May 10, 1982. p. 30.
  6. ^ Cummings, O. R. (1959). Greenfield & Montague Transportation Area: A Municipal Operated Streetcar — Transportation Bulletin No. 60 (Out of Print). National Railway Historical Society, Connecticut Valley Chapter. ASIN B0007I5WD0. OCLC 49218038.
  7. ^ Vallette, David A. (July 21, 2006). "Transit agencies to merge". Springfield Republican. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.
  8. ^ "FRTA Access Program". FRTA. Retrieved 2025-08-15.
  9. ^ "FRTA Access Program". FRTA. Retrieved 2025-08-15.
  10. ^ "Press Release: Healey-Driscoll Administration Announces Fare Free Regional Transit Across State". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 2024-10-24. Archived from the original on 2025-07-14. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  11. ^ "Schedules-Maps". FRTA. Retrieved 2025-08-15.
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