Aug. 15, 495 Connector bus: A new, fare-free, north-south bus service run by the Metrowest Regional Transit Authority, or MWRTA, offers an alternative to the traditional Boston-bound transit long established by the MBTA in eastern Mass.
As first mentioned in the Aug.10 issue, the service, launched on May 27, connects South Acton in the north to Franklin in the south, bringing passengers to three commuter rail lines, and some shopping centers, and even making flag stops. So, as a public service to our readers, your reporter took a test run on a drizzly Friday afternoon.
The bus left South Acton on time at 4:35 p.m. with one passenger bound for Milford Crossing, and he had a private ride for the whole trip. (Going to Franklin/Forge Park would have added two hours to the round trip from Acton). Since no flag stops are allowed in Stow, the first scheduled stop, and the only one in Hudson on this run, would have been Walmart, but no takers, so on to Marlboro. The bus made a loop around the downtown, and headed back down Rt. 85, where the driver made an unscheduled pit stop (Dunkin’) at the Cordaville Town Center plaza.
Next was the Southboro train station, followed by Rts. 85/135 in downtown Hopkinton. Arriving at 6:00 at Milford Crossing, seven minutes early, this rider had plenty of time for his own pit stop in Stop and Shop, then waited for the northbound bus, thankful that he had brought his raincoat. The bus arrived at 6:25 and departed at 6:30, sixteen minutes late. This time there were three riders, including one who boarded at Rts. 85/135, and rode all the way to South Acton, where we arrived at 7:38, only nine minutes late, despite the late departure.
The ride’s comfort is more akin to a school bus than a luxury coach, but the seats are cushiony enough for a two-hour trip. The bus has a wheelchair lift, a multi-lingual message board, A/C outlets at every seat, and safety features that include seatbelts and security cameras. A reminder: There is no mid-day service to South Acton or Franklin. For a complete timetable, go to http://www.mwrta.com.
James Conboy writes about sports and other topics of community interest for the Acton Exchange.
