WRTA Advisory Board approves budget, gets ready to ‘flex’ its changes

WORCESTER, MA. _ Beginning on July 1, the Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) will showcase its new, innovative flex route schedule. The WRTA Advisory Board voted unanimously to approve the FY ‘09 budget at its Advisory Board meeting on April 24.  

“This is a direct result of the WRTA listening to the public and its concerns,” said WRTA Administrator Stephen O’Neil. 

To balance the budget, the WRTA spread the budget cuts across the board and, after 10 public hearings, revised the service cuts. Highlights of the budget to become effective on July 1 include the following: 

*A new Northwest Flex Route, which will give WRTA ridership access to bus transportation on routes that were previously scheduled to be cut.

*Service to Holden and Clinton will cease.

*Service will be discontinued on six major holidays (New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day).

*Route 9 to Pullman Street and Routes 10, 18 and 21 to Assumption College will be eliminated; however, Routes 10 and 18 will be merged with Routes 25 and 15; Routes 3, and 4 will be modified. 

“The merging of these routes was designed with the intention of hitting the spots where ridership exists,” O’Neil said.  

O’Neil noted that while there was a need to rework the system due to budgetary constraints, the new revised service plan is one that meets the needs of the ridership and also addresses the WRTA’s budget issues. 

The changes to the WRTA’s fixed route service encompass the Northwest sector of Worcester currently serviced by routes 9, 21 and 32. These routes will be replaced by the flex route. This circular route will provide service to Salisbury Street, Forrest Street, Grove Street, and Flagg Street, and will allow riders to now go to Park Avenue and May Street, where there is currently no service. This flex route will be a 40-minute round trip service and cost the same as the current bus fare. It is estimated that a direct round trip on this route would take about 30 minutes, plus the time for flex stops. The route will run Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.  

According to O’Neil, the flex routes will offer riders greater frequency of service, improved access to daily needs of shopping, banking, etc., and the ability to connect to six fixed routes. 

While the new flex route will require educating the public, O’Neil said he feels once riders understand the concept and experience it firsthand, they will see the benefits. 

“I encourage the public to try this service,” he added. 

There are basically two types of flexes available: a standard flex and a by-request flex. Standard flexes, which require no call to the WRTA to schedule, include JCC at Salisbury Street, Colony Retirement Home, YMCA on Shore Road, and Bancroft School.

 By-request flexes require a call-in to the WRTA no later than two-hours before the requested service.  Stipulations on the by-request flexes include locations that are within a quarter mile of the flex route, and the road must be accessible by the bus (a smaller 20-passenger bus). Passengers requesting flexes can do so by email, fax, phone, or on the bus. There is a limit of three flexes per 40-minute round trip. If there are already three requests made in the timeframe during which a rider would like service, a rider can go to the nearest standard flex stop or to any of the other flex route stops, which are scheduled daily.   

“This is an exciting opportunity we have been able to offer the city of Worcester, and I’m confident the riders will be happy with the result,” O’Neil said.  

Additional changes to the FY ‘09 budget include reducing the budget of the Elder Bus by $44,556, which will eliminate destination shopping and out of town grocery shopping. 

“Should the state funding be increased, the WRTA will be back before the board to amend our budget,” O’Neil said. “We will not know this until the end of the fiscal year. The changes we have made have been a direct result of the WRTA listening to its riders. In the ensuing months, we will work to further strengthen the transit system and restore state funding. ”