BRTA under fire
BRTA is proposing to cut 11 of its 18 Great Barrington weekday bus trips, a 45 percent reduction in service
The BRTA has had grants to provide free bus service for over a year, yet service has been steadily declining, with endless cuts and cancellations. Fewer and fewer working people can depend on the BRTA. Now they propose to change existing routes to run buses in the middle of the day while cutting the morning/evening service that working people depend on!
This makes our work to bring back passenger trains even harder because our “last mile” options are worse than ever. The Berkshire Edge ran a story about the proposed cuts:
“Are they going to change their name because they’re not in service to Berkshire County anymore?” Selectboard member Ben Elliott asked.
South County state representative Leigh Davis has spoken out:
Rep. Leigh Davis Opposes Proposed BRTA Service Cuts, Urges Public Participation
Great Barrington — State Representative Leigh Davis today announced her opposition to proposed service reductions under consideration by the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (BRTA), pledging to fight to protect bus service across South County and urging residents to make their voices heard before a final vote.
The proposed changes would significantly reduce South County Routes 2 and 21 and eliminate the 921 Express — the direct link between Pittsfield and Great Barrington.
“I am firmly opposed to these cuts,” said Davis. “Public transportation is not a luxury in the Berkshires — it is a lifeline. We do not have commuter trains or subways. When bus service is reduced here, there is no alternative waiting around the corner.”
Davis said the affected routes are essential for residents traveling to work, medical appointments, school, and other daily needs.
“A decline in ridership is not a decline in need,” she said. “Reliability drives ridership. When service becomes unpredictable, people can’t risk missing work or medical care. That doesn’t mean they don’t need the bus — it means they can’t depend on it.”
BRTA has cited driver shortages and lower ridership as justification for the proposal. Davis said that if staffing is the root cause, the public deserves more clarity.
“What vacancies exist today? What progress is being made on recruitment and retention?” she asked. “Cutting service should be the last resort — not the first response.”
“New initiatives like the 413 Link pilot are promising steps toward improving regional connectivity,” Davis said. “But expanding new services cannot come at the expense of reliable local routes. Core service must come first.”
Davis said she will continue working with state and local partners to explore options that preserve high-impact routes and protect South County riders.
“In rural Western Massachusetts, reducing service deepens isolation and reinforces the sense that our region is being left behind,” she said. “Reliable transportation is fundamental to economic stability, health care access, and opportunity.”
With a final vote by the BRTA Advisory Board expected March 4, Davis is urging residents and businesses to speak up and participate in the public process.
“These decisions directly affect working families, seniors, students, and employers across South County,” she said. “If you rely on BRTA — or if someone you love does — attend a hearing, submit a comment, and speak up.”
I tried joining one of the Teams online meetings today and got an error message. Judging from past experience, this was not a surprise. But we will be sending in comments and you should, too. Here’s my list of questions:
Where can I find your financial reports? I’m especially interested in the grants to provide free service for the past year, and driver and equipment costs, as well as management costs. If buses aren’t running, one expects to see surpluses somewhere.
What is the management structure and who is making these route decisions?
Do your managers, advisors, and board members ride the buses?
What exactly has led to the drastic decline in services of late? I hear accounts of poor treatment of drivers—denying them bathroom and rest breaks, among other things.
Are you losing drivers to other services, including the South County Connector?
Have you assessed the consequences of these drastic service cuts to seasonal workers and south county businesses?
Residents may submit comments online at www.berkshirerta.gov/contact/, by email at info@berkshirerta.gov, by mail to BRTA, 1 Columbus Ave, Suite 201, Pittsfield, MA 01201, or by phone at (800) 292-2782 ext. 2895.
The Train Campaign, which hosts the Train Time media project, was inspired by people who longed to see passenger rail service in the US to rival the services they had enjoyed elsewhere in the world. That vision remains strong today!
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