Pioneer Valley Transit Authority
Encyclopedia
The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) oversees and coordinates public transportation in the Pioneer Valley
of Western Massachusetts
. Currently the PVTA offers fixed-route bus service as well as paratransit
service for the elderly and disabled. The PVTA was created by Chapter 161B of the Massachusetts General Laws in 1974. It is based in Springfield, Massachusetts
and serves Hampden
, Hampshire
, and Franklin
counties.
Students attending one of the Five Colleges
are able to ride local PVTA buses without paying a fare only during the school year, as a small transit fee is included in their semester bills.
Owl Shuttle: Westfield State College campus shuttle
NE: Nashawannuck Express Service between Easthampton and Northampton that runs on a fixed route, but can be route-deviated for passengers with mobility issues
WS: Ware Shuttle Ware/Palmer Ocean State Job Lot
BTS: Belchertown/Ware Wal-Mart
PV: Palmer/Eastfield Mall (Springfield)/Ware (Wal-Mart)
PVTA also offers connections to the Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA) at the University of Massachusetts (Haigis Mall stop, for the FRTA Greenfield/Turners Falls/Montague Route), and connects to FRTA's "Valley Route" at the Academy of Music in Downtown Northampton, and South Deerfield Center for service to/from Franklin County and the upper Pioneer Valley. FRTA services on those routes operate on Weekdays only.
PVTA connects with Connecticut Transit (Ct Transit) Route 5/13 at Mass Mutual on Bright Meadow Road in Enfield, Ct. Ct Transit Route 5/13 provides express services on Weekdays between Enfield and downtown Hartford, Ct via Interstate 91, with some trips also stopping in Windsor Locks. Ct Transit connection available at weekday peak times only.
and UMass Transit Services. The contractors run semi-autonomous garages that act as vehicle depots for the surrounding areas.
, Westfield
, and Holyoke
areas. The Springfield Area Transit Company is managed by First Transit
.
, Sunderland
and Belchertown
areas. UMass Transit Services is managed by the University of Massachusetts Amherst
; services are operated by students.
and Hadley
areas. The Valley Area Transit Company serves as the critical link between the larger land areas of the northern and southern service areas. The Valley Area Transit Company is managed by First Transit
.
Pioneer Valley
The Pioneer Valley is the colloquial name for the U.S. Commonwealth of Massachusetts's portion of the Connecticut River Valley. The Pioneer Valley consists of three counties in Massachusetts which collectively feature much of New England's most fertile farmland...
of Western Massachusetts
Western Massachusetts
Western Massachusetts is a loosely defined geographical region of the U.S. state of Massachusetts which contains the Berkshires, the Pioneer Valley, and some or all of the Swift River Valley. The region is always considered to include Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties, and the...
. Currently the PVTA offers fixed-route bus service as well as paratransit
Paratransit
Paratransit is an alternative mode of flexible passenger transportation that does not follow fixed routes or schedules. Typically mini-buses are used to provide paratransit service, but also share taxis and jitneys are important providers....
service for the elderly and disabled. The PVTA was created by Chapter 161B of the Massachusetts General Laws in 1974. It is based in Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
and serves Hampden
Hampden County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2004, there were 461,228 people, 175,288 households, and 115,690 families residing in the county. The population density was 738 people per square mile . There were 185,876 housing units at an average density of 301 per square mile...
, Hampshire
Hampshire County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 152,251 people, 55,991 households, and 33,818 families residing in the county. The population density was 288 people per square mile . There were 58,644 housing units at an average density of 111 per square mile...
, and Franklin
Franklin County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 71,535 people, 29,466 households, and 18,416 families residing in the county. The population density was 102 people per square mile . There were 31,939 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
counties.
Fare Structure
| Adults 13 and older | Children 6 to 12 | Children under 6 | Seniors 60 and older | Transfer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1.25 | $0.75 | Free | $0.60 | $0.25 |
Students attending one of the Five Colleges
Five Colleges (Massachusetts)
The Five Colleges comprises four liberal arts colleges and one university in the Connecticut River Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, totaling approximately 28,000 students. The schools belong to a consortium called Five Colleges, Incorporated, established in 1965...
are able to ride local PVTA buses without paying a fare only during the school year, as a small transit fee is included in their semester bills.
Routes
Go to PVTA to view a full roster of buses and scheduling information.| Route | Route Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Green 1 | Chicopee / Center Street / Sumner Avenue | |
| Green 1e | Sumner Express | |
| Green 2 | Carew Street / Belmont Avenue | |
| Green 3 | Springfield Plaza / King St & Springfield College via Walnut St | |
| Blue 4 | Plainfield Street | |
| Green 5 | Dickinson Street / Longmeadow | Connects with CT Transit Hartford's 5E-Enfield Express route. |
| Blue 6 | Ludlow | |
| Blue 7 | Boston Road / Eastfield Mall | |
| Green 8 | Orange Street | |
| Red 10 | Westfield / Westfield State College | |
| Purple 11 | Holyoke Community College Express | |
| Blue 12 | Stonybrook Express (Hampden County Correctional Facility at Stonybrook) |
|
| Blue 13 | Maple Street | |
| Red 14 | Feeding Hills / Agawam Industrial Park | |
| Blue 15/17 | B17 Eastfield Mall via Worthington St & Wilbraham Rd B15 Oak Grove via Pearl St. |
|
| Green 19 | Springfield Plaza / Fairview via Chicopee & Westover | |
| Purple 20 | Holyoke via Riverdale / Holyoke Mall (also Holyoke Mall via I-91 Express (Saturdays)) | |
| Purple 21 | Holyoke via Chicopee Center / Holyoke via I-391 Express | |
| Red 22 | Holyoke / Aldenville | |
| Blue 23 | Holyoke / Westfield via Holyoke Community College | |
| Red 24 | Holyoke Center / Holyoke Mall via Holyoke Hospital (Soldiers Home/Jarvis on Saturday) |
|
| Red 25 | Holyoke / Granby via South Hadley & Holyoke Flats (No South Hadley or Granby on Sat, see R24) |
|
| Red 27 | Wilbraham / Eastfield Mall | |
| Red 29 | Amherst / Holyoke | Operates Mon-Thurs during academic year; 4 round trips daily. |
| Gold 30 | North Amherst / Old Belchertown Road | |
| Pink 31 | Sunderland / South Amherst | |
| Green 32 | Puffer's Pond / Atkins Corner | |
| Blue 34 | Orchard Hill / Campus Shuttle (Northbound) | |
| Blue 35 | Orchard Hill / Campus Shuttle (Southbound) | |
| Blue 37 | Amity Shuttle | |
| Orange 38 | UMass / Hampshire College / Mount Holyoke College | |
| Orange 39/39E | Smith College / Hampshire College / Mount Holyoke College | includes 39E Express van service M-F from Smith to Mt. Molyoke |
| Maroon 40 | Minuteman Express via Rte. 9 (Northampton/UMASS) | |
| Red 41 | Northampton / Holyoke Community College via Easthampton | |
| Red 42 | Northampton / Williamsburg | |
| Blue 43 | Northampton / Hadley / Amherst | |
| Red 44 | Florence Heights/Northampton/Hampshire Plaza/ Hampshire County Correctional Facility |
|
| Green 45 | Gatehouse Road/ UMass / Belchertown Center | |
| Green 46 | UMass / South Deerfield | |
| Blue 48 | Northampton / Veterans Park / Holyoke Mall (Holyoke Mall via transfer to Route 20 Bus) | |
| NE | Easthampton Nashawannuck Express | |
| BTS | Belchertown - Ware Shuttle | |
| PV | Palmer Village | |
| WS | Ware Shuttle | |
| OWL | Westfield State College Shuttle | |
Owl Shuttle: Westfield State College campus shuttle
NE: Nashawannuck Express Service between Easthampton and Northampton that runs on a fixed route, but can be route-deviated for passengers with mobility issues
WS: Ware Shuttle Ware/Palmer Ocean State Job Lot
BTS: Belchertown/Ware Wal-Mart
PV: Palmer/Eastfield Mall (Springfield)/Ware (Wal-Mart)
PVTA also offers connections to the Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA) at the University of Massachusetts (Haigis Mall stop, for the FRTA Greenfield/Turners Falls/Montague Route), and connects to FRTA's "Valley Route" at the Academy of Music in Downtown Northampton, and South Deerfield Center for service to/from Franklin County and the upper Pioneer Valley. FRTA services on those routes operate on Weekdays only.
PVTA connects with Connecticut Transit (Ct Transit) Route 5/13 at Mass Mutual on Bright Meadow Road in Enfield, Ct. Ct Transit Route 5/13 provides express services on Weekdays between Enfield and downtown Hartford, Ct via Interstate 91, with some trips also stopping in Windsor Locks. Ct Transit connection available at weekday peak times only.
Internal Organizational Structure
Fixed route service is provided by two contractors: First TransitFirst Transit
First Transit, a division of FirstGroup America, is a United States-based subsidiary of the United Kingdom-based FirstGroup. It provides contract public transit and paratransit services, transit management services and transit consulting throughout North America...
and UMass Transit Services. The contractors run semi-autonomous garages that act as vehicle depots for the surrounding areas.
Springfield Area Transit Company
The Springfield Area Transit Company operates the southern portion of PVTA's service area, routes which serve the SpringfieldSpringfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
, Westfield
Westfield, Massachusetts
Westfield is a city in Hampden County, in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 41,094 at the 2010 census. The ZIP Code is 01085 for homes and businesses, 01086 for Westfield State...
, and Holyoke
Holyoke, Massachusetts
Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range of mountains. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 39,880...
areas. The Springfield Area Transit Company is managed by First Transit
First Transit
First Transit, a division of FirstGroup America, is a United States-based subsidiary of the United Kingdom-based FirstGroup. It provides contract public transit and paratransit services, transit management services and transit consulting throughout North America...
.
UMass Transit Services
UMass Transit Services operates northern portion of PVTA's service area, routes which serve the AmherstAmherst, Massachusetts
Amherst is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,819, making it the largest community in Hampshire County . The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts...
, Sunderland
Sunderland, Massachusetts
Sunderland is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, part of the Pioneer Valley. The population was 3,777 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area....
and Belchertown
Belchertown, Massachusetts
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,968 people, 4,886 households, and 3,517 families residing in the town. The population density was 245.9 people per square mile . There were 5,050 housing units at an average density of 95.8 per square mile...
areas. UMass Transit Services is managed by the University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
; services are operated by students.
Valley Area Transit Company
The Valley Area Transit Company operates the central portion of PVTA's service area, routes which serve the NorthamptonNorthampton, Massachusetts
The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of Northampton's central neighborhoods, was 28,549...
and Hadley
Hadley, Massachusetts
Hadley is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. The population was 4,793 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The area around Hampshire Mall and Mountain Farms Mall along Route 9 is a major shopping destination for the surrounding...
areas. The Valley Area Transit Company serves as the critical link between the larger land areas of the northern and southern service areas. The Valley Area Transit Company is managed by First Transit
First Transit
First Transit, a division of FirstGroup America, is a United States-based subsidiary of the United Kingdom-based FirstGroup. It provides contract public transit and paratransit services, transit management services and transit consulting throughout North America...
.
Paratransit Service
Paratransit service is provided by:- Hulmes Transportation - Eastern Tier, Belchertown, Granby, Palmer, Ware
- Hulmes Transportation - Western Tier, Agawam, Westfield, and West Springfield
- Hulmes Transportation - Northern Tier, Amherst, Easthampton, Hadley, Northampton, Sunderland, and Williamsburg
- Hulmes Transportation - Southeastern Tier, East Longmeadow, Hampden, Longmeadow, and Wilbraham
- Mass Services for Seniors - Springfield Tier
- VOC - Central Tier, Chicopee, Holyoke, Ludlow, and South Hadley
- UMass Transit Special Transit Services - UMass area; for Students, Faculty, and Staff connected with the university.