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 (2,900km2), FRTA has the largest and most rural service area of the state's regional transit authorities.[4]
History
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 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
FRTA service operates weekdays only. Fares on fixed route buses and paratransit are free. As of August 2025[update], there are seven active routes:[1]
Route 20: GreenLink Connector – Local Greenfield loop
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
FRTA ACCESS zones.
FRTA supplements fixed routes which differ significantly in eligibility, fares, coverage, and booking method between three on-demand shuttle types:
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)
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.
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]
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