Photo: Jay Willett/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The 55 Bus Route Coalition held a rally Thursday on board of the 55 bus in West Fenway to demand improvements for the line.
Many of those who were rallying said that the bus's operating hours are not what they used to be as the bus now operates between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., missing the morning and evening rush hours.
Protestors said that the hours make it nearly impossible for the many elderly residents who’ve used the bus to continue to use it.
“We demand that the 55 bus be returned to their full hours and if we don’t get that were going to keep coming back until we do,” said one protestor.
The coalition was joined by Fenway Forward, an organization that focuses on affordable housing and standing up for residents in the Fenway area.
“It’s the only public transit that is in the middle of the West Fenway neighborhood, it’s the only public transit that crosses the Fenway from the west to east,” said Fenway Forward Organizer Jamie Culbertson.
The MBTA said that ridership on the 55 bus is low, but they recommend that Fenway residents use the green line as it is similar to the 55.
Among the protestors was State Representative Jay Livingstone who said that he's been working with the MBTA for a long time in order to help residents with the bus.
“I’ve been working for several years, first to make sure the MBTA didn’t cancel the 55 bus, and they’ve agreed to that and then [to] get them to expand the hours and the MBTA has agreed [but] they just haven’t done it yet,” said Livingstone.
The MBTA say they don’t currently have a timeline to implement the expanded hours as they are currently prioritizing overcrowded routes.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Jay Willett (@JayWillettWBZ) reports.