On Sunday, April 1, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority began a one-year early morning bus service pilot on its busiest key bus routes serving neighborhoods within the immediate Boston core traveling to downtown Boston, the Seaport, and key stops in between beginning as early as 3:20 AM. Serving residents who start their work day before many people's alarms ring, the new routes are part of the MBTA's continued commitment to expanding offerings for those riders who need them most.
"The T's expansion into early morning bus service will provide an important opportunity for the changing needs of Massachusetts' workforce," said Governor Charlie Baker. "Throughout this one-year pilot, the MBTA will be able to gather important information about changes in bus ridership and analyze that data to better inform future transportation plans around the Greater Boston area."
"The launch of early morning service demonstrates that the MBTA is acting on its top priority to put the needs of its customers first," said Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack. "This new transit option will serve workers who must start their day earlier than most. Other commuters and city residents depend upon these essential workers and the MBTA's ability to get them to their workplaces safely and on time.”
"These new early morning routes are here for the people who make Boston run," said MBTA General Manager Luis Manuel Ramírez. "We know that getting downtown before the sun rises can be a challenge, and our vision is to offer more service for riders who need accessible, affordable, and reliable options in their neighborhoods."
The changes also include additional service on existing routes during pre-dawn hours. Some routes will extend beyond their normal end points during the early morning to provide direct service to downtown Boston and Logan Airport, allowing customers to reach those destinations even before the trains start running. Early morning service is already a part of the MBTA's bus service on several routes, but these added services represent earlier and/or extended routes on several bus lines. This expansion is the result of a year-long ridership study and planning initiative at the T, which resulted in the identification of key routes where early morning demand is heaviest.
