The FRTA contracts with the Department of Medical Assistance (DMA),
Department of Mental Retardation (DMR) and Department of Public Health
(DPH) for human service transportation services.
We provide Veterans transportation on Tuesdays and Thursdays for Military Veterans to VA medical facilities.
We can arrange transportation by request for elders and the disabled
residents in our 40-town area. We use a network of public and private
transportation providers to provide this service. In order to qualify
for these services, you must be 60 or older or have a significant
mobility or functional impairment. Disabled customers must have a valid
eligibility card issued by the FRTA.
We also provide services through our Med-Ride and Rideshare programs.
Please call our office or Click Here.. for more information to see if you qualify for any of these Special services.
In October of 1999, the FRTA partnered with the Montachusett Regional Transit Authority (MART) to create the G-link, a route connecting Athol and Orange residents to Greenfield and Gardner. The FRTA's portion of the G-Link extends from Greenfield to Athol. The MART provides transportation from Orange into Gardner. The G-link from Athol to Greenfield started with five runs per day, Monday through Friday, and in May of 2002 it was expanded to seven runs a day.
The Valley Route, offering service to Northampton, replaced the South Route in April of 2000. October 2003 saw this route expand from 4 runs to 6, three in the morning and three in the afternoon. In addition, the two new runs have been expanded to include stops at Sunderland Plaza making it easier for Franklin County residents to get into Amherst.
In 2003, the FRTA began new demand response service to transport Veterans from Franklin County, Athol, Petersham and Phillipston to VA facilities throughout the State. Service is provided on Tuesday and Thursday to Greenfield, Leeds and White River Junction. The FRTA also works in conjunction with Monachusett Regional Transit Authority (MART) to provide transport to Fitchburg where shuttles are available to various VA locations in Bedford, Boston, Jamaica Plain and West Roxbury.
In August 2006, the FRTA assumed the responsibility of providing transportation services for the towns of Greenfield and Montague. Transportation for those two (2) towns were previously operated by the Greenfield Montague Transportation Area (GMTA) under MGL Chapter 161A and included fixed route and demand response service. The FRTA had four (4) original fixed routes prior to the consolidation of services and saw their fixed route service increase to nine (9) routes with services expanding into Greenfield, Montague and Amherst. Previous gaps in demand response service were closed and ADA service was implemented for the consumers in Greenfield and Montague whereas previously the service was being provided under their Demand Response system.