Worcester Regional Transit Authority

Worcester Regional
Transit Authority
A WRTA route 27 bus at Auburn Mall in 2017
Founded1974
HeadquartersWRTA Garage - 42 Quinsagamond Avenue WRTA Hub - 60 Foster St.
LocaleWorcester, Massachusetts
Service typebus service, paratransit
OperatorCentral Mass Transit Management
Websitetherta.com

Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) is a public, non-profit organization charged with providing public transportation to the city of Worcester, Massachusetts and the surrounding towns. The WRTA was created in September 1974 under Chapter 161B of the Massachusetts General Laws. This act also created several other regional transit authorities in Massachusetts, including the Greater Attleboro-Taunton Regional Transit Authority and the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority among others; in terms of ridership, the WRTA is the second largest regional transit authority and third largest transit system in Massachusetts.[1]

WRTA buses have been free to ride since March 2020, making it the longest-running fare-free system of public transportation in the United States.[2] Currently, the fare-free program is extended until June 2025.[2]

  1. ^ 2018 MassDOT Annual Report on Regional Transit Authorities (PDF) (Report). Massachusetts Department of Transportation. p. 30. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-05-03.
  2. ^ a b Turken, Sam (2023-04-20). "Worcester area buses to remain free for at least another year". WGBH News. Archived from the original on 2023-04-23. Retrieved 2023-06-12.