WRTA and Pandemic – Riders Action Council

Letter to the WRTA Advisory Board

October 7, 2021 Members of the WRTA Advisory Board, We are grateful for your decision to suspend fare collection during the pandemic. It has made a great difference to residents in our communities and for the rebounding of the local economy. We ask that you continue to support essential workers during one of the worst public health crises in the nation’s history and vote again to use federal pandemic relief and recovery funds to extend the suspension of fares until the end of 2022. The WRTA Advisory Board and Administrator have maintained that, if financial resources become available, they will [...]

The Pandemic & the WRTA

Every year there are fewer passengers using public transportation in Massachusetts. At the WRTA, ridership has dropped by about half over the past ten years. This year ridership at the WRTA dropped to around 2/3 of the 2019 levels, yet it has kept more of its riders on board than any other system in the state. Part of this is because fares have been suspended since March. But mostly it's because the remaining riders have no choice. They have no car. It's too far to walk to work. It's too hard to carry the shopping home. Being essential [...]