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![]() An LRTA bus at the Robert B. Kennedy Bus Transfer Center in December 2018 | |
Founded | 1974 |
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Headquarters | 145 Thorndike St. |
Locale | Lowell, MA |
Service area | Greater Lowell |
Service type | Bus service, paratransit |
Routes | 20 |
Destinations | Andover, Lowell, Chelmsford, Billerica, Tewksbury, Wilmington, Burlington, Dracut, Tyngsborough, Westford, Littleton |
Fleet | Gillig, Cutaway Vans |
Fuel type | Diesel, hybrid |
Operator | First Transit |
Website | lrta.com |
The Lowell Regional Transit Authority (LRTA) is a public, non-profit organization in Massachusetts, charged with providing public transportation to the Greater Lowell area. This primarily includes the city of Lowell and the towns of Andover, Billerica, Burlington, Dracut, Chelmsford, Littleton, Tewksbury, Tyngsborough, Westford and Wilmington. The LRTA provides fixed route bus services and paratransit services within this area, although some fixed lines do extend beyond these towns.[1][2]
The LRTA was created in September 1974 under Chapter 161B of the Massachusetts General Laws, the law that impacts all transit authorities in the state of Massachusetts. Since 2004, operation of the LRTA has been subcontracted to First Transit, a subsidiary of the United Kingdom based FirstGroup.[1][3]
The area served by the LRTA is within the commuter rail service area of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). At the Gallagher Transit Terminal in Lowell, LRTA buses provide connection to each other, to trains on MBTA's Lowell Line, and to various intercity bus routes.[1][3]