WRTA weighs cutting or restructuring bus service serving Whitinsville
The Worcester Regional Transit Authority is weighing changes that could reduce or eliminate fixed-route bus service serving Whitinsville and Northbridge. The options discussed included keeping limited service on Routes A and B or shifting the area to WRTA mobility-management and paratransit programs.
WRTA held two public sessions on June 15, 2026, at Northbridge Town Hall in Whitinsville: one from 1 to 2 p.m. and another from 4 to 5 p.m. A further public meeting was scheduled by Zoom for June 22.
Two possible service changes
One alternative would retain fixed-route service in Northbridge for four days per week, with buses operating six hours per day. The other would eliminate Routes A and B and transition service for Grafton and Northbridge to WRTA’s Mobility Management and Paratransit programs.
That distinction matters for people who depend on regular bus stops and published routes. Under the limited-service option, riders would face fewer operating days and hours. Under the elimination option, transportation would instead be provided through demand-response programs rather than the existing fixed routes.
The WRTA notice described Routes A and B as serving Northbridge and as having among the fewest riders in the transit system. The authority also said operating costs for the routes are expected to more than double and continue rising annually.
Public comment and next steps
Residents and other stakeholders were invited to comment during the public process. WRTA also made its presentation available for review.
The meeting notice did not identify a final decision between the alternatives, a projected savings figure or an implementation date. It therefore does not establish that service has already been cut or that either option has been adopted.
The June 15 sessions took place at Northbridge Town Hall, whose municipal setting is Whitinsville. Northbridge’s official agenda center also lists continuing 2026 town business and meeting notices relevant to Whitinsville.
For residents who use Routes A and B, the immediate change was the public review of the routes’ future—not a confirmed service reduction. The next known step in the notice was the June 22 Zoom meeting, while the final disposition of the routes remained unspecified.
Sources
- Public Meetings Scheduled for Northbridge & Grafton, Worcester Regional Transit Authority
- Agenda Center, Town of Northbridge
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