GATRA will keep the Shangri La route, and aims to make others better for riders, said Angela Constantino, GATRA Mobility Manager, at the Select Board’s Oct. 19 meeting.

Constantino put the proposed route changes in context for the board and the public.

Back in 2019, MassDOT commissioned a contractor to lead comprehensive transit updates — based on ridership and demographics — to make routes more efficient, she said. That study was completed in 2020. 

Constantino said that GATRA knows that covid has changed some of the ridership patterns.

The initial meeting was designed to gauge community demand, Constantino said. Following that feedback, Shangri La will be added back.
In recent weeks, Constantino said that over an eight-day period with hourly trips from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., only ten rider trips were recorded. That’s the equivalent of five people taking a single round trip, Constantino said.

“Ultimately, it’s up to the town,” Constantino said. The town pays for the service, so if the town wants service to Shangri La, it will get it.

“I’m hoping that people from Shangri La do take advantage of this bus service so we can keep it,” said Select Board member Alan Slavin.

Constantino said that the other route changes are intended to make the service “easier to read, easier to ride.”

GATRA will soon schedule another public meeting to present planned service changes. For more information, go to www.gatra.org.