Worcester Regional Transit Authority
Encyclopedia
Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) is a public, non-profit organization charged with providing public transportation to the city of Worcester
, Massachusetts
and the surrounding towns. The WRTA was created in September 1974 under Chapter 161B of the Massachusetts General Laws
. This act also created several other regional transit authorities in Massachusetts, including the Greater Attleboro-Taunton Regional Transit Authority
and the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority
among others.
service to Auburn
, Boylston
, Brookfield
, East Brookfield
, Holden
, Leicester
, Millbury
, Oxford
, Shrewsbury
, Spencer
, Webster
, West Boylston
and Worcester
. The WRTA also provides paratransit
service to a total of 37 communities in Central Massachusetts.
The WRTA will be receiving 39 Million Dollars of federal grant money to build a new greener and more energy efficient maintenance facility for its busses. The money will also be used to convert the city's existing bus fleet to electric. A location for the new facility has yet to be identified.
Detailed schedules are available on the WRTA website.
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and the surrounding towns. The WRTA was created in September 1974 under Chapter 161B of the Massachusetts General Laws
General Laws of Massachusetts
Massachusetts General Laws, also known as the General Laws of Massachusetts, is a codification of many of the statutes of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Commonwealth's laws are promulgated by an elected bicameral legislative body, the Massachusetts General Court...
. This act also created several other regional transit authorities in Massachusetts, including the Greater Attleboro-Taunton Regional Transit Authority
Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority
The Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority oversees and coordinates public transportation in the areas of Attleboro and Taunton, Massachusetts and nearby areas. It operates daily on fixed routes and schedules within 26 communities in Bristol, Norfolk, and Plymouth counties...
and the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority
Pioneer Valley Transit Authority
The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority oversees and coordinates public transportation in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. Currently the PVTA offers fixed-route bus service as well as paratransit service for the elderly and disabled. The PVTA was created by Chapter 161B of the...
among others.
Routes
The WRTA currently provides fixed-route busBus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
service to Auburn
Auburn, Massachusetts
Auburn is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,188 at the 2010 census.- History :Auburn was first settled in 1789 and was officially incorporated in 1808 as the town of Ward, in honor of American Revolution General Artemas Ward...
, Boylston
Boylston, Massachusetts
Boylston is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,355 at the 2010 census.-History:Boylston was first settled by Europeans around 1706 in the north part of the present-day town, most notably by the Sawyer family...
, Brookfield
Brookfield, Massachusetts
Brookfield is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,390 at the 2010 census.-History:Brookfield was first settled in 1660 and was officially incorporated in 1718...
, East Brookfield
East Brookfield, Massachusetts
East Brookfield is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,183 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place East Brookfield, please see the article East Brookfield , Massachusetts.- History :East Brookfield was...
, Holden
Holden, Massachusetts
Holden is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The town was founded in 1741, and the Town Square was donated by John Hancock, former Governor of Massachusetts.The population was 17,346 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
, Leicester
Leicester, Massachusetts
Leicester is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,970 at the 2010 census.-History:Leicester was first settled in 1713 and was officially incorporated in 1714....
, Millbury
Millbury, Massachusetts
Millbury is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,261 at the 2010 census. The town is part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.-History:...
, Oxford
Oxford, Massachusetts
Oxford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,709 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Oxford, please see the article Oxford , Massachusetts.-History:...
, Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 31,640 people, 12,366 households, and 8,693 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 12,696 housing units at an average density of...
, Spencer
Spencer, Massachusetts
Spencer is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,688 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Spencer, please see the article Spencer , Massachusetts....
, Webster
Webster, Massachusetts
-Media:* Worcester Telegram & Gazette * Webster Times, published every Friday* The Patriot, published every Wednesday* WGFP-AM 940, a country music station* Boston Globe* Boston Herald-Library:...
, West Boylston
West Boylston, Massachusetts
-Library:The West Boylston public library was established in 1878. In fiscal year 2008, the town of West Boylston spent 1.6% of its budget on its public library—some $37 per person.-External links:******...
and Worcester
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
. The WRTA also provides paratransit
Paratransit
Paratransit is an alternative mode of flexible passenger transportation that does not follow fixed routes or schedules. Typically mini-buses are used to provide paratransit service, but also share taxis and jitneys are important providers....
service to a total of 37 communities in Central Massachusetts.
The WRTA will be receiving 39 Million Dollars of federal grant money to build a new greener and more energy efficient maintenance facility for its busses. The money will also be used to convert the city's existing bus fleet to electric. A location for the new facility has yet to be identified.
Detailed schedules are available on the WRTA website.
- 1: Mount St. Ann via Providence St.
- 2: Tatnuck Square via Pleasant St.
- 3: Worcester State CollegeWorcester State CollegeWorcester State University is a public, four-year college founded in 1874 as Worcester Normal School in the city of Worcester, Massachusetts. Although WSC traditionally has an emphasis on education, business, and biotechnology, the College offers Bachelors and Masters degrees in over 20 academic...
via Highland St. - 4: The Shoppes at Blackstone ValleyBlackstone ValleyThe Blackstone Valley or Blackstone River Valley is a region of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It was a major contributor to the American Industrial Revolution...
via Millbury Street & Greenwood Street - 5: Southwest Commons / Wheelock Ave. via Grafton St.
- 6: West Tatnuck via Chandler St.
- 7: Washington Heights Apartments & Lakeside Apartments
- 11: Millbury Park & Ride via Vernon Hill and Greenwood St.
- 14: Showcase Cinemas Park & Ride/Holden via Burncoat St.
- 15: Shrewsbury Center via Hamilton St. & Route 9
- 16: Lincoln Plaza via Shrewsbury St. & Plantation St.
- 19: Worcester Airport / Leicester via Main St.
- 22: Millbury Center via Massasoit Rd. & Rt. 122AMassachusetts Route 122ARoute 122A is a southeast-northwest state highway in Massachusetts. It is an alternate route of Massachusetts Route 122, with a mile-long concurrency with its parent route in downtown Worcester.-Route description:...
- 23: Mountain Village via Lincoln St.
- 24/34: UMass Medical CenterUniversity of Massachusetts Medical SchoolThe University of Massachusetts Medical School is one of five campuses of the University of Massachusetts system and is home to three schools: the School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, the Graduate School of Nursing; a biomedical research enterprise; and a range of...
via Belmont St. - 25: Auburn Industrial Park and Auburn Mall via Canterbury St. & Southbridge St.
- 26: Great Brook Valley via Lincoln St.
- 27: Auburn MallAuburn MallThe Auburn Mall is an enclosed shopping mall located on Route 12 in Auburn, Massachusetts, near the intersection of the Massachusetts Turnpike and I-290/I-395. The mall is currently owned and managed by Simon Property Group....
via Main St. & Stafford Street - 30: West Boylston via Grove St. & West Boylston St.
- 31: Lincoln Plaza via Grove St. & West Boylston St.
- 33: LeicesterLeicester, MassachusettsLeicester is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,970 at the 2010 census.-History:Leicester was first settled in 1713 and was officially incorporated in 1714....
- SpencerSpencer, MassachusettsSpencer is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,688 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Spencer, please see the article Spencer , Massachusetts....
- Brookfield via Main St. & Rt. 9 - 42: AuburnAuburn, MassachusettsAuburn is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,188 at the 2010 census.- History :Auburn was first settled in 1789 and was officially incorporated in 1808 as the town of Ward, in honor of American Revolution General Artemas Ward...
- OxfordOxford, MassachusettsOxford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,709 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Oxford, please see the article Oxford , Massachusetts.-History:...
- WebsterWebster, Massachusetts-Media:* Worcester Telegram & Gazette * Webster Times, published every Friday* The Patriot, published every Wednesday* WGFP-AM 940, a country music station* Boston Globe* Boston Herald-Library:...
via Southbridge St. & Rt. 12