ATHOL — The Montachusett Regional Transit Authority held a public meeting at the Athol Senior center to inform the public of the upcoming proposed changes in bus routes and increases to monthly passes, subscription rates and commuter rail parking fees due to the loss of state and federal funding. Members of the MRTA present were George Kahale, Planning Commission Transit Director, Bruno Fisher, Deputy Administrator MART, Mohammed Khan, Senior Administrator MART, Bonnie Mahoney, Grant Manager, and Keary Connors, ADA Program Manager. Also present was Athol Town Manager Shaun Suholski who opened the meeting stating the Board of Selectmen support the services provided by MART.
Khan explained the reason behind the proposed changes is loss of funding over the past few years. MRTA originally started with federal funding secured by Congressman John Olver for $1.25 million. Then it was slowly reduced over the years from $900,000 to $700,000, $400,000, $200,000 to zero dollars this year. Therefore, they are forced to shorten the bus route, service one bus instead of two, and increase rates. For the local fixed route there will be no change in rate. LINK Rates for Athol/Orange will not change. Bus passes will go up for Fitchburg/Leominster and Gardner but no changes in the Elderly/Disabled/Student rate.
Approximately 40 people attended the meeting. Most were concerned about the proposed changes to the bus route. Tina (Orange) stated she relies on the bus to get to work in Athol and it’s vital to her well being. Pete (Athol), a MART bus driver questioned the data used and suggested they poll the drivers because often the manifest is wrong. Another patron suggested they bring in funding by contacting area businesses along the route to advertise and fund the bus service. Alec McLeod of the Orange Innovation Center (OIC) asked if they would consider extending the route which, under the proposed changes, would end in the center of Orange. He asked that it include the OIC which houses more than 30 businesses and social agencies. The parking lot at OIC has been paved and would make a better turn-around, plus the patrons would have a warm place to wait for the bus. He said the bus service is vital to the economic revitalization of the OIC. Cheryl (Athol) suggested they may see an increase in ridership if they offered a bus a night for people who work second and third shifts.
Overall the comments were well received by the MRTA administrators and they encouraged people to write their suggestions down and send to the MRTA office in Fitchburg or email them to contactmart@mrta.us. There will be another public meeting on October 30 at MART Administrative Offices in Fitchburg from 6-8 p.m.